ghuleh-recs - Tumblr blog

[ghuleh-recs]

1975

WIP Chapter from my Secondo fic "Crossroads" that's being developed alongside my current major Primo-centered work. Yes, smut is nice but more and more I'm fascinated by the brothers' relationship. I had these little doodles and I was like let's spend thirty minutes coloring them and then throwing a photo manip of a photo I took of the Ministry as the background.

Jun-19-75 11:35 AM Courtyard Cumulus clouds, med cover curled wisps. Winds southeastern location. Approx. 18C, up since AM. Rain predicted evening.

Secondo began his sketch of the cloud shape and chose to ignore the rustling in the tree behind him. Some small body was struggling to climb up the side of the ornamental pear tree, perhaps to spy on his work.

“What are you doing?” Terzo’s voice came from the tree. A not unusual occurrence. Neither was his persistent desire to get immediately in Secondo's business.

Secondo’s obvious posturing to ignore him was futile. Terzo repeated the question two more times, the leaves trembling as he adjusted his weight on a branch. Secondo frowned deeply and finally relented, looking up at the small curled-up form and twinkling raccoon eyes of his younger brother.

“You’re going to break your arm.”

Terzo squinted at the sky, kicking his legs. “What are you doing?”

“Recording clouds. I need to keep records of clouds six times a day for a year and a day. And then Sister will train me.”

“Do you even know what the clouds mean?”

“No, but I will. In time.”

Terzo swung his body backwards, his legs hooked on the branch so he could hang upside down. He squinted at Secondo. “That’s fucking boring.”

“What are you even doing up there?”

Terzo decided to continue talking to his brother upside down, perhaps to annoy him further. It was working. His voice was wistful. “There's a bird building a nest on the roof. I'm trying to figure out how to get up there.” Terzo grinned. “Maybe it's a falcon. Then I could take a chick and train it and be a falconer. That's how they do it.”

“Terzo. Come down. You'll break your arm.” Primo appeared from under the stone arcade, the ghoul Edelweiss slinking behind him.

Primo had rejoined the Ministry only three years prior, and already he was in Sister’s inner circle. His arrival started a change in his younger half-brothers’ behavior. Primo was tall, athletic and confident. People enjoyed being around him. He had big responsibilities and beautiful companions. He was an adult.

The two younger brothers may not have realized it, but his presence gave them a goal to work towards. Secondo immediately pulled his shoulders back, gave Primo a hopefully impassive look and returned to his journaling.

“Nice weather, yeah?” Primo chanced a grin. Primo was fine…when he wasn't telling Secondo what to do.

There was a creak, a snap, and Terzo stared wide-eyed at them both midair for a moment before he fell to the ground in a sickening thump. He immediately began to whine, then scream. Secondo stared at him, snorting. He closed his journal with a snap. Served him right.

“Criminy, Terzo,” huffed Primo as he walked towards the writhing boy in the grass. He knelt down and gently touched his shoulder, ran his fingers down his arm. Terzo screamed again, his face a blubbering mess. “Perfect timing. What did I tell you, hm?” He glanced over to his ghoul, throwing a few rapid hand signs towards him. Edelweiss Ghoul hurried back to the arcade and through the doors.

“Alright, Terzo, let's get you up hold on—” Primo soothed through the screams and wails. The small boy fit easily in his arms and Primo turned towards Secondo, his face fixed with an amused half-smile. “Help me to the doors?”

“Where you taking him?”

“The Sanctum. Broke his arm, can you believe it?”

All at once Secondo felt the urgent need to assist. A rare, rushing thrill rose across his body as he held the doors for Primo, ignored his younger brother’s shouts of pain. The Sanctum. That meant…

Sister Imperator, the Dark Mother, was waiting there for them at the grand doors, Edelweiss Ghoul behind her. Her head was perched atop her customary tunic of swirling polyester colors, a viper among the flowers.

He wanted to say something, wanted to share with her what he had been working on but he knew his dopey eagerness to please would be ignored. But that was the weird unexplainable thrill of it all, anyway.

Sister knew things were running perfectly, just as she knew water flowed underground below her feet. Her indifference towards him was perfection. Was a sign of a job well done. So Secondo swallowed the lump in his throat and repeated a mantra to calm the hammering of his heart.

Terzo’s cries took on more of a theatrical whine as Primo transferred him into the arms of the Ghoul. “It'll be done in a second!” Primo reassured him over his sobs. Secondo didn't want to be here. Didn't want to be associated with the two of them while Sister was near, looking bored already with the childish blubbering.

Sister gripped Terzo’s chin to silence his sobs. Terzo froze, blinking furiously in the ghoul’s arms. “Hush,” she hissed, then gestured to Primo to draw near. Primo lifted his brother’s head, gently wrapping a black silk blindfold over his eyes. “You take this off, you die. Do you understand, child?”

Terzo’s heavy sobs could not be suppressed for long. Sister’s red nails dug deeper into the boy’s chin. “Words. Now.”

“I…I understand,” Terzo whimpered.

“Good.”

With a friendly nod, Edelweiss Ghoul carried the boy into the Sanctum, Sister locking the doors behind them. The heavy slam echoed in the stone hallway. And so they waited for the ritual to be done.

Secondo steeled himself as Primo started to shift uncomfortably on his feet, tossing his head as if already in a conversation. His brother was a man who could not leave a single moment of air empty. It was as if silence was something he could drown in.

His mercurial expressions and small eager eyes seemed too close to their father Nihil’s mannerisms for Secondo to ever take him seriously.

“Listen will you just be nice to him? For once?��� Primo ejected an exasperated huff of air that ruffled Secondo’s hair but not much else. “He's your brother.”

“He never learns.”

“Because nobody ever—” Primo grumbled under his breath, searching for what to say next. “When I was growing up I wanted a brother so badly…” His confession was met with stony silence. “He's got nobody, Secondo. And I can't be there for him like you can.”

“What does that even mean?” To Secondo it meant that Primo was passing a buck. Saddling him with caring for a person who barely cared for himself. Who was too stupid to assess even the most basic of dangers. Secondo was rising, ever rising from the efforts of his own sweat and will. Terzo’s foolishness would just hold him back.

“He's the loneliest person I've ever met,” Primo confessed. “And he's only nine. Don't you find that…sad?”

Secondo refused to budge. All his life he chose his words, his actions carefully. And that urge for correctness was a deafening roar in him at fourteen. Sidestepping the question was the best course of action. Questions were just traps, after all.

“I need to be left alone.”

Primo opened his mouth, but then thought otherwise. He made a show of shaking his head, crossing his arms. Secondo observed Primo’s eyebrows furrow and shift, choosing to continue his brotherly rant inside his own mind.

Victory.

Short lived. “So, uh…what are you going to do for your summer vacation?” Primo attempted a different route at a bond. “My friends and I would pack a canoe with old tarps and our fishing rods and beer and—”

The heavy door unbolted and opened once more. Sister emerged, breath trailing out of her mouth in unusual wisps. Terzo followed wide-eyed and stunned, gripping Edelweiss Ghoul by the hand. He was released with a soft pat on his head.

“Secondo,” said Sister with a small nod.

Secondo straightened up to full height immediately. Terzo ambled over to stand beside him, clutching his newly healed arm.

“Don't let him put weight on it for a few days,” Sister ordered Primo, then cast the full intensity of her stare directly into Terzo’s eyes. Her subject properly cowed, she turned on her heel towards the direction of her office and was gone.

Sister had spent a fraction of a second regarding Secondo but that single glance would be in his thoughts for some time after.

“We can go? No one is going to be climbing trees once we turn our backs?” Primo tousled Terzo’s hair, exchanging smiles. “And Secondo—” Primo shrugged at Secondo directly, gesturing subtly towards the youngest with a rough hand. Remember.

The ghoul Edelweiss threw out some quick hand gestures, winking. “Haha, right, exactly,” chuckled Primo and then they too left the kids alone in front of the Sanctum doors.

Terzo continued to shiver in place in the center of the hallway, his eyes darting to Secondo. Secondo was lost now staring into the elaborate archway carvings of the Sanctum doors. Masks of ghouls nested amongst delicately carved cinquefoil. Thorned branches encircling howling wolves. Hands pierced and bloodied, pointing to the sky, pointing to the earth. The archway always mystified him and he often took time to examine it whenever he walked past.

And beyond those doors? The Altarpiece, the knobs tied shut with red silken cords. In his mind’s eye he imagined Sister’s clawed hands slip the knot loose, tease the door to Hell open. Reaching into the infinite, pulling out strands of arcane energy. She had seemingly unlimited power at her carefully manicured fingertips. Her hands laid upon Terzo’s body and soothed torn muscles, knitted bone. A healing touch that could also kill in an instant.

“What was it like?” Secondo spat out the question in an attempt to disguise his true enthusiasm. Terzo blinked stupidly at him, taken aback by the sudden show of interest.

“Hm?”

“When the Altarpiece opened.”

Terzo shook his head. “Howling…voices but not really voices. A cold wind that wasn't cold. Like…when your foot falls asleep. Yeah. That's what it's dreaming about, yanno.”

“You felt it?”

“Felt what?”

“The Void.” Secondo had forgotten his aloof act as he stared wide-eyed, waiting for a scrap of anything.

Terzo's tear-stained face stretched into a grin. “You want to know so badly, doncha. You're dying to know.”

Secondo felt that rushing sensation of blood in his ears. No one taught him but one day he'd know it was the feeling of shame, of getting caught in a moment of vulnerability.

Terzo’s toothy maw widened and he wiggled his fingers into Secondo’s face. “Break your arm and find out,” he laughed.

My Fic List | My AO3

[ghuleh-recs]

Working on this request from the lovely and talented @anamelessfool was a treat to my heart. I absolutely LOVED the fanfic it is inspired from, The First and The Last, one of the most original Terzomega stories I have read so far.

Take some time to read it, you will be mesmerized by the imaginary of anamelessfool’s world, I promise.

Ps. I still have some requested I’m working on but I’m pondering if closing them as I have a lot of wips in my hands atm. If you have requests to make please do it from now to the next couple of days 🌹

[ghuleh-recs]

you know that it takes two

or a swissdew fic I wrote after haphazardly tailoring some ghost pants bc I am incredibly short and I ate shit when I tried them on.

Contains some light feminization and a semi-public handjob. This got a lot dirtier than I intended lol

The rising sun filters in past the blinds, casting long shadows and catching the dust motes in the air. The tv in the common room is on, playing some baking show Swiss isn't quite awake enough to process, volume too low for him to really make out without subtitles. He's sprawled on his back on the couch, one foot hooked over the back, eyes half open.

He's awake earlier than normal and he's not sure why. Not that it matters. His body must've just decided it was time to be awake, so he had made his way out here, waiting for any of his packmates to wake up and join him.

Swiss lays there for a long moment before the sound of padding feet makes his gaze snap to the doorway. Dew steps into the common room, stretching with an audible crack that makes Swiss groan in sympathy.

He's a vision, even bedraggled, and Swiss offers him a lazy smile and waves the hand that had been idly scratching at his stomach. Dew hums in acknowledgment, quietly making his way over to the couch.

As he gets closer, Swiss gets a better view of what the fire ghoul's wearing: a shirt that's obviously Aether's by the way it comes down to mid thigh, sliding off his shoulder and exposing a sharp collar bone. More interesting are the lounge pants, cuffs rolled up three times, and Swiss could bet that the drawstrings are triple knotted so they don't slip down Dew's narrow hips. There's a pattern, and Swiss cocks his head as he takes in the Cardinal's face, the ghoul masks, the band's logo and Grucifixes.

"Didn't think you were a merch of your own band kind of guy, spitfire" he chuckles, stretching and baring his fangs as he yawns.

"Fine, I stole them a few weeks back, need to hem them. Might talk Rain into doing it," Dew says, hissing as his foot catches on one of the pant legs and he stumbles. Swiss reaches out on impulse, but the fire ghoul rights himself with a grumble. "Shut up, 'm fine. they're comfortable."

"You do look comfortable," Swiss concedes. “C'mere,” he says, patting his chest in invitation. Dew accepts almost eagerly, laying down in the vee of Swiss's legs.

Dew rests the back of his head on Swiss's chest, and Swiss sputters teasingly as he overemphasizes spitting out Dew's hair, falling out of its bun.

"Knock it off," Dew slurs as he gets comfortable, a rusty purr rattling his slight frame. If he's unusually snuggly, neither of them mention it.

Swiss noses at Dew's hair, wrapping an arm around his waist, getting a good feel of the pants, the sharp hipbones underneath. "I get it," he whispers, half paying attention to the tv. "Those feel soft. Think they might fit me?"

He doesn't need to see Dew's face to know he's rolling his eyes. "Mine," he says in lieu of an answer. “You can get your own.”

He hums, idly playing with the waistband, the drawstrings (he was right, they are triple knotted). He means nothing of it, content with a lapful of fire ghoul, but then his hand trails just a little bit lower and he finds it.

A small, plastic button right over the front of the pants, where the fly in a pair of boxers would be. Swiss's fingers fiddle with the button, and the next thing he knows, there's claws pressing at the back of his hand. Not piercing skin yet, just warning.

"Swiss, what're-" Dew stammers, stiff as a board as he turns to look up at him.

He blinks, glancing down at the smaller ghoul as he realizes what he's doing. "Shit, Dew-" he goes to apologize, but there's an undeniable throb underneath his knuckles, a damp spot growing in the soft fabric of his pants. A shit eating grin splits his face and he noses again at Dew's hair. It smells of Mountain's shampoo, bergamot and tea tree. It suits him. "Say the word and I'll stop. Promise."

They lay there frozen, eyes locked as the silence says more than either of them could. Dew lets go of his hand and Swiss smiles, kissing him.

Swiss plays with the button until it slips out of the buttonhole, and he slides his hand into the fly. They both groan at the touch of skin on skin, Dew having forgone underwear. He's so warm between his thighs, especially the line of his cock, already desperately hard and leaking.

He presses the heel of his hand against it and Dew jerks in his lap, cock blurting precum. He's seen Dew worked up enough times to know what it looks like, the tip ruddy and shiny, dripping into the coarse curls at the base.

“Easy, spitfire,” Swiss whispers in his ear, nipping gently at the point of it. Dew makes a hurt little noise, head tipping back against his chest. His own dick throbs, filling out and pressing against the small of Dew's back.

He doesn't wrap his fingers around Dew's cock, just gently pets up and down the shaft, slicking it with his own pre. Every so often he brushes a calloused fingertip down the seam of his balls and Dew hisses, turns his face to hide in Swiss's chest. Swiss can feel his pulse already, little cock throbbing in time against his palm. A wave of scent, woodsmoke and spice, hits him like a bus.

“So worked up, sweetheart, aren't you?” Swiss coos, his other hand coming up to grab at Dew's jaw. He tilts the fire ghoul's face up, makes him make eye contact. Dew's eyes, normally like shiny copper pennies, are engulfed by blown pupils.

“Swiss-” Dew chokes out, but then Swiss is kissing him, all filthy and far too hungry for this early in the morning. Dew's pliant, sleep still clinging to him, and he yields immediately, letting Swiss lick into his mouth like there's something sweet at his center. And there is, isn't there? Not awake enough to put up the front, stripped bare to the softest version of him?

Dew moans frantically into the kiss, and Swiss pulls back, golden gaze hardening, lips spit-slick. “Quiet, spitfire,” he whispers, squeezing his stiff little cock. “You don't want the rest of the pack finding you like this, do you? So damn easy, with my hand in your pants?”

Dew groans, a little quieter. “Lucifer, fucking- Swiss,” he shudders in his lap as the multi-ghoul finally wraps his fingers around him properly.

“Yeah, sweetheart?” He coos, squeezing Dew's jaw a little, dimpling his cheeks as he fishes him out of the pants, not bothering with pushing them down, just pulling him through the fly. Just as he thought, the head is cherry red and shiny, the same color that his cheeks have turned, the blush spilling down past the collar of Aether's shirt.

“Fucking- shit- make me cum,” he sputters.

“Is that how we ask, pretty girl?” Swiss growls low in his throat, but he starts jerking him off anyways. The slick head of his dick peeks out from his fist, but it covers the rest of him.

Dew groans, hips bucking up into Swiss's fist, drooling precum over his knuckles. He fights against the hand on his jaw, trying to hide, but Swiss won't let him. He stills his hand, and Dew makes a noise like he's been punched in the gut.

”Ask nicely, sweetheart," he says, their foreheads pressed together, unable to look anywhere but at each other.

Dew's breathing is uneven, chest heaving. Except for his panting, there's silence for a long moment.

“Please make me cum, Swiss,” Dew almost whimpers.

Swiss grins, a blinding flash of fangs as he jerks Dew off. His grip tightens ever so slightly and the fire ghoul keens, tail wrapped tight around Swiss's thigh as he fights to lay still.

Every jerk of Dew's hips ruts him against Swiss's cock, painfully hard in his sweats, but he ignores it for the squirming mess in his lap. He rucks up Aether's shirt, exposing his nearly concave belly, his nipple rings glinting in the early sunlight. He was right. The blush goes down past his nipples, makes the silver jewelry really stand out.

“Such a good girl for me, Dewey,” Swiss says, punctuating it with a kiss to his cheek, oddly tender compared to the way he jerks him. “Lettin' me touch you like this out in the open, where anybody could see you this needy. They'd want you like this, spitfire, such a pretty little mess for me. You'd let them watch, wouldn't you?”

Dew's breath hitches, writhing in Swiss's lap as his free hand snakes up to play with the silver rings threaded through his nipples. His spindly fingers catch around Swiss's wrist, not trying to stop him, just desperate for something to hang on to. His other claws at the couch cushion, puncturing the fabric with his needle sharp claws.

“Will you say it for me, spitfire?” Swiss asks, speeding up the hand on Dew's cock.

Dew swallows hard, making aborted little thrusts up into Swiss's hand.

“Say what?” Dew asks through grit teeth, eyes half lidded as Swiss moves his hand down to roll his balls in his hand.

“Oh, sweetheart,” Swiss says, and Dew just barely bites back a cry as he squeezes ever so slightly. “You know what I want you to say. Say it and I promise I'll make you cum so hard, make you make a mess of yourself.”

Dew makes another hurt noise, mumbling something under his breath.

“Ah-ah, baby, I can't understand you, use your words,” Swiss says. He knows it's cruel, but Dew's dick jerks in his hand and he can't be damned to care. “What are you, spitfire?” he prompts, giving his dick a little squeeze in encouragement.

Dew cries out, too far gone to even try and muffle himself. “'M your girl, please just fucking make me cum, Swiss, please!”

His voice hitches deliciously, and Swiss smiles, unable to deny him anything.

“So good for me, sweetheart,” Swiss coos, starting to jerk him off, picking up the pace until Dew's writhing frantically in his lap again. “So fucking good, Dewdrop, such a good girl for me, that's it.”

He feels Dew's cock stiffen impossibly harder in his hand, feels his balls draw up against his knuckles. “C'mon, baby, cum for me, make a pretty mess for me.”

Dew wails, dick throbbing in time with his pulse as he spills, shooting over Swiss's knuckles as cum splatters across his belly, all the way up to his pierced nipples. Swiss doesn't ease up, cooing in his ear the entire time. “There it is, that's it, doing so good for me, spitfire, give it to me.”

He peppers little kisses over the side of Dew's face as the fire ghoul writhes, the stimulation pushing into too much. He doesn't try to stop it, lets Swiss keep jerking his spent little cock, fangs sinking deep into his lower lip.

His entire body goes slack when Swiss eventually lets him go. ”Fuck, Swiss,“ Dew laughs incredulously, narrow chest heaving as he comes down.

Swiss can't help but return his grin. ”Yeah? Good?“

Dew smacks him with no real heat. “No fucking shit, Swiss.”

Swiss kisses his temple, reaching around to wipe Dew's cum up with his fingers, sucking them into his mouth with an obscene groan. Dew's cock kicks weakly.

“You want me to-?”

“Nah, I think I'm good,” Swiss says, pulling his fingers out of his mouth with a wet pop. “More than satisfied with this, spitfire.”

Dew's blush hasn't receded yet, but he settles down against Swiss's chest, yanking his shirt down and getting comfortable again.

Swiss laughs, pressing one more kiss to Dew's temple. He reaches down, tenderly taking Dew's cock in hand, tucking it away. He grins as he does up the little button.

[ghuleh-recs]

the goobers just smacked lips!!! will they hit it off? or it will be just a casual fling?

[ghuleh-recs]

When the Cardinal got the call about the attack on Mouse and the sibling, do you think he reacted sharply over the phone to whomever he spoke with, or cooly responded and waited until he hung up to go ballistic? I’m curious about his initial reaction to the news. 🫢

The Cardinal sat there, alone in an unfamiliar office, and thought about the changes so close at hand. It had been a long time coming, he supposed; the steadily ticking clock on the wall kept his toiling years in the forefront of his mind. All the bustle and the striving, the whole dogged pursuit of his own dark papacy, might actually be soon behind him. Copia relaxed back in his chair for a moment, admittedly irritated at the gentle ticking, but grateful nonetheless for this brief respite. The Ministry could be a tumultuous place, but for now, all was quiet, and he was ready. 

His door was open, and an assistant poked her head in. “My apologies, Your Eminence.. you have a phone call,” she said, gesturing towards the phone upon his current desk. He noticed a light blinking there. “Sister Imperator.”

Giving the girl a nod before she left, shutting the door behind her, he reached out for the receiver. “Pronto, eh… Hello?”

Sister’s voice a bit tinny over the antiquated line. “Cardinal. I trust you’re well?”

“Yes, Your Dark Excellency.” Imperator wouldn’t have called without a reason. “What’s this about?”

“I’m calling about the girl you’ve been tutoring.” The leather of his glove tightened more firmly around the receiver with an audible sound.

“What about her?” Imperator didn’t answer right away, and Copia felt a surge of something like a panic forming deep in his chest. “Sister—”

“Oh, she’s quite all right, Cardinal. Don’t worry, honestly.” Don’t worry…

“What—”

“She…” Her voice sounded pained, and he heard her take a little breath. “There was a fair bit of trouble up in the old cemetery today. Some kind of a transient was… bothering her and another girl. They’re a bit rattled, naturally… fought him off and ran. Nothing beyond a mere scuffle happened, they assured me, but…”

“I’ll be there shortly.” He could feel the blood rushing in his head, and he fought to remain calm.

“Your Eminence, you do understand what you’re meant to accomplish over there?”

“I do, Sister.” He let the weight of his decision hang for a moment. “I should be able to manage arriving back at the abbey… tomorrow at the latest.”

“The girl is perfectly fine here; a few abrasions… I only thought you’d like to know as a courtesy. Considering the time you’ve spent together.”

A few… abrasions. “Please expect me tomorrow, Sister. Thank you.”

“Cardinal.”

“Yes?” The word came out heavy with concealed rage.

“She is perhaps not perfectly fine. If I’m being honest with you.”

He hung up the receiver without another word, and he watched his hand shake, threatening to splinter the plastic. Taking a steely breath, he extricated his fingers from the thing, and then he methodically began to pack up his desk. As he worked, measured and silent beneath it, the soft and steady ticking of the clock on the wall threatened to drive him insane; a horrible reminder of how far he was from her. This was hell, truly; right here in the passionlessly beating heart of the Satanic Ministry. Copia gulped, fighting the hot fury rising inside him, the urge to retch out the pit of ice settling in his stomach. He wouldn't waste any time; he would not give in to his inner torment here. How was she faring with her own?

When he was done, he reached out for the phone again, his hand now steady.

“I want a car waiting for me downstairs. Ten minutes.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On his way down the hall to her room he bumped into Terzo, exiting his papal chambers.

“How is Mouse?” Copia queried, without thinking.

“Who?”

“The girl!” he snapped, ready to lose it.

“Shhh…” Terzo was carefully shutting his door, “Sophie’s still sleeping…”

“The other girl! I hear she’s injured? Why aren’t you with her?”

“I only have one dick, Cardinal.”

Copia pondered on how exactly his life would change if he snapped Terzo’s neck right there in the hall. 

Terzo chuckled for a second at his seething expression, before getting serious again. “She’s got a nasty scrape on her head, poor thing. I tucked her in earlier, no fucking involved, Cardinal… She’s resting, says she’s fine, but…” Terzo frowned further. “She’s quite shaken up, I believe, contrary to what she’ll tell you.”

Not bothering to converse any further, Copia continued on down the hall. When he finally reached the door to her dear little room he paused for a second, gathering his scattered thoughts. 

It was darkening inside, and he let his eyes adjust for a moment, though it was hardly needed. He knew the room well; how many times had he let himself in here, just to look upon her? How many times had he done much more than look? 

She lay on the bed, curled up in a fretful slumber, and the icy rage he had carried all the way here to lay at her feet began to melt at the piteous sight of her. His poor sweet Mouse! 

Reaching out, he arranged her blanket a bit more snugly around her, and he noticed then what she was clutching in her fingers; a swathe of red that left his swelling heart bleeding. He lay down beside her. 

He wanted to hold her close, desperately, but he would not yet allow himself that gift. She needed to sleep; she needed to be safe. She needed to be loved. And for all the ways he had failed her, he could at least do that, effortlessly and beyond severe. He would love her beyond his last breath, he thought, watching over her precious ones, her fragile chest rising and falling softly.

After some time, he noticed her begin to stir, and eventually she reached out for her light. 

“Dolce,” he said, gently. She whirled around, and the look in her dewy eyes at the sight of him made him want to weep. 

Finally, he held her. 

link to ao3

[ghuleh-recs]

Yesterday I went on a lil trip to see Zbigniew M. Bielak's art exhibition currently being held in Poland. Majority of it is dedicated to Ghost. I didn't capture it all on photo, but the first room has all these huuuge, beautifully printed covers and artworks from every era Bielak has contributed to, from Infestissumam to Impera, so you can marvel at all the details from up close.

There was also a section with sketches and early concepts for various Ghost (and Darkthrone, I believe) artworks. I believe some of them were shared recently on ZMB's Instagram.

What I found particularly neat was that hidden between the artworks were what seem to be e-mails from Tobias with motif suggestions for Meliora and Prequelle's art. There were also some rough ideas for Impera handwritten by Zbigniew - possibly from some kind of a brainstorming session between them?

Overall a fun exhibition for a Ghost fan to see, though I wish there was some more behind-the-scenes stuff as that's what always excites me most. But still I had a blast during the whole trip, and hope to see Ghost and Mr Bielak cooperate again in the future!

[ghuleh-recs]

I threw this in Comet’s ask box for comfort ghoul thoughts a little while ago but it is pretty much my Zeph characterization. I guess I rambled about Ifrit a lot more.

560 words no big CWs just Zeph in pain and Ifrit and Omega hunting him down and forcing him to accept help.

His joints very angry, and very swollen. His thumb is practically locked in place, as though the cartilage cushioning his bones has dissolved and his fingers are fused in the 36251 progression position.

He doesn’t play nearly as much as he used to. Only Sundays, forgoing the weekday morning and evening mass. He isn’t that pious. But the weak heat being pumped into that old building seems to be desperate to escape the cracks in the vaulted ceiling as soon as it’s released.

Ever the stoic ghoul, he never complains. He just retreats to his quarters and soaks his aching hands in hot water, massages salves made by Ivy into his skin.

He thinks no one notices. But his pack would notice a single hair on his head out of place, and they certainly notice the way his spine favors leaning to the left when he plays, and the way his hand shakes when he grips his fork at dinner.

This particular Sunday was the coldest yet. He could be seen shivering in between psalms. And most shocking, his timing was off. Maybe not to the pedestrian ear of the siblings, but certainly to the trained ones of Ifrit and Omega.

As soon as his part in the service was complete he snuck away through the concealed door normally reserved for Sister and Papa.

He would’ve ran to his room, if he was capable of more than anything but a lopsided hobble.

He told himself he wasn’t going to break but as soon as he closed the door, ever so softly as if he didn’t even want to alert the mice to his presence, he slumped against it and the dam broke.

They were right. He just needed to stop. Or at least he would, if he continued to politely balk at the help offered.

Before his body could touch the ground, he found himself being lifted back up by two sets of strong arms. Arms belonging to Ifrit and Omega.

“Oh, I’m fine - “ the countenance of bravery was essentially transparent and he was hushed with a single finger to his lips.

“Not now, we can talk later. Let us take care of you.”

He wasn’t sure if it was defeat or surrender, but he just let them.

Let Ifrit force warmth into his body, let Omega pull the pain away, offering soft grunts of concern at the sheer amount of it. Omega himself would need to be cleansed after this.

As they continued their ministrations, he felt some mobility return to his hands, he was able to straighten his spine where he lay in the warm cove of Ifrit’s chest.

He gave his fingers an exploratory wiggle, and if he were sobbing from pain before, now he was sobbing from relief. He forgot what the absence of pain felt like, had become the default.

“Thank you,” two small words that meant something big when it came to Zephyr, at least when it came to this. This acknowledgment that he needed their help. He needed them.

“Think nothing of it, until next time, when you need not wait until we all have to watch you suffer, and force ourselves on you.” Omega’s lecture sounded severe, but he lighted the mood when he gave Zeph a peck on the cheek.

For good measure, Ifrit added, “Yeah, you stubborn old goat.”

[ghuleh-recs]

Okay okay got the zephrit brainrot now take this sloppy sketch of sleeping zephrit snugs

[ghuleh-recs]

Into The Gaze Ablaze

Okay look, I know I said I wasn't gonna do this. But @forlorn-crows said she wanted it for her birthday and I was powerless to refuse her. So enjoy the scene I said I wouldn't write: Dew and Father Aether's first time.

You don't need to have read the priest AU to read this. If you're not following that storyline, basically Aether is a priest who just accepted he's been gay all his life and Dew is the demon who tempts him to the Other Side. Very simple concept, very convoluted fic.

6.1k of Dew and Aether's first time. Shyness, inexperience, handjobs, fingering, anal sex, very light mentions of inhuman biology, no lube (except there is lube, it's called "water ghoul genes"), cumming early if you want to read it like that, and Dew having the filthiest mouth imaginable. Light blasphemy, I guess.

Enjoy, you heathens.

The next few moments were a blur. 

Aether was vaguely aware of more kisses, hot and fast and needy. Of overwarm hands touching him everywhere, cradling his cheeks and squeezing his sides and tracing over his chest. Catching on his nipples and drawing from him the most embarrassing noise he’d ever heard from his own mouth. Of the sharp graze of fangs over his bottom lip, followed by the bright sharpness of blood against his tongue that Dew chased with a hungry groan. At some point the rest of his clothes vanished - or at least, one moment he was wearing them and the next he wasn’t - and part of him was glad he hadn’t noticed them go, because he wasn’t sure he’d have managed to keep his sanity if he’d been aware it was happening. 

“Don’t say a word about my underwear, please,” he groaned into Dew’s mouth as soon as he got a chance, and Dew laughed between kisses. 

“S’alright, I’m not even wearing any,” he replied breathlessly, and Aether nearly choked on both of their tongues at that thought. 

He whined pitifully when Dew pulled away at last to get rid of his own jeans, still clutching at Aether’s cheek as he tugged one-handed at the button and zip. Eventually, he admitted defeat and scrambled off the bed with an annoyed groan, and Aether followed him, rucking the blankets up as he shuffled to the edge of the mattress to lend his inexpert but eager assistance to the task. 

Four hands, in fact, were not more efficient than two. 

“How the fuck did you even get these things on this morning?” he panted as they both tried to shove the faded black denim down Dew’s skinny thighs. The ghoul tried to growl in irritation, but the sound emerged as a reluctant giggle as he stumbled and had to steady himself against Aether’s shoulder. Despite himself, Aether found himself laughing too as they struggled together.

“Didn’t have a horny priest trying to help.” 

And then Dew’s hands were on his cheeks again, tilting his face upwards to steal another hurried kiss, and for a moment the stupid fucking jeans were the last thing on his mind because all he could think about was filling his senses with more of that smokey honey scent. 

“Is it weird to tell you that you taste good?” he asked, breathless, when they finally pulled apart, and Dew’s answering grin was sharp as a dagger and as bright as the sun. 

“Can’t speak for everyone, but I’m never gonna be mad if someone I’m about to fuck tells me they enjoy my body,” he replied, and Aether felt his head spin. His hands grasped blindly at the waistband of Dew’s jeans, now wedged a few inches down below the jut of his hip bones, and through a lucky combination of movement from his hands and Dew’s hips, the faded fabric slipped down at last. 

Aether glanced down, almost accidentally, and the world ground to a halt. 

Dew… really wasn’t wearing underwear. 

Including Dew’s and his own, the number of cocks he’d ever really seen in his life totaled three. He was vaguely conscious, even in his limited and purely academic experience, of the fact that the one before him now wasn’t anything special in size or form. And yet he was already certain that it was the best he’d ever seen. The dark gray skin was flushed almost the same shade of orange at the tip as his cheeks when he blushed, and curved just the barest amount up towards the sparse line of hair tracing a trail from his navel to the thick thatch of dark curls at the root of it. Already the head shone with a wetness that some part of him longed to taste, memories of the bliss on Dew’s face as he knelt between his feet filling his mind tauntingly. 

If he had any lingering doubt about what he was, it evaporated like drops of dew in the morning sun as he stared. 

He let Dew’s fingers settle under his chin and tilt his head up, looking up into those bright fiery eyes with what he knew must be a truly embarrassing expression on his face. “What?” Dew asked softly, and he shook his head, forcing himself to swallow. Dew’s lips quirked upwards. “Were you expecting spikes or something?” 

“I mean…” He let out a long, shaky breath, his hands flexing involuntarily on Dew’s thighs. “Sort of, yeah.” 

Dew laughed softly and bent down to kiss him, slower and softer now but no less full of desire. “Touch it,” he murmured, gentle and encouraging. Aether felt his hands freeze in place at the thought. “Go on, it’s not gonna bite you.” 

“No, but you might,” Aether shot back, and Dew laughed again. 

“Only if you want me to.” He laid one warm hand over Aether’s, pushing it gently towards his cock, and Aether swore he felt the finest little tremor in those long fingers. “Go on. Touch me.” 

There was a please hidden in his tone, and Aether was utterly powerless to deny him now. 

He dragged his fingers slowly across Dew’s hip, through the coarse curls that somehow felt damp but not sticky as he expected, lingering just at the root before, carefully, cautiously, trailing his fingertips up the first couple of inches. Dew hissed at the touch, shivering as his fingers tightened on Aether’s shoulders. “That’s good,” he breathed before Aether’s nerves could get the better of him. “Now wrap your hand around it.” 

Aether swallowed nervously. “I… I don’t want to hurt you.”

Dew clicked his tongue and tilted Aether’s head back until he had no choice but to look right into those bright orange eyes. “You won’t hurt me,” he promised. “I told you, I can take anything you’ve got to give me.” He leaned down and pressed his lips to Aether’s, a gentle touch but one that thrummed with intensity and hunger. “C’mon, priest, stroke my cock.” 

Aether heard himself chuckling shyly at the words, so ridiculous, so wrong, but they spurred him into movement all the same. Dew’s answering giggle broke off into a shuddering gasp as the grip around his cock tightened and began to move at last. “Is that -” 

“Good, so good,” Dew hissed as he threw his head back for a moment. When he looked down again, Aether shivered at the intensity in his eyes. “Fuck, you don’t know how often I’ve thought about this.” 

He ducked his head self-consciously, under the pretense of watching his fist work slowly over Dew’s cock. “Yeah?” 

Dew made a soft noise of agreement. “You wanna know a secret?” he asked, and even without looking up, Aether could hear the smirk in his voice. He gave an encouraging little hum, not daring to try and form actual words. Dew leaned down just a little, until his breath tickled Aether’s ear when he spoke. “I’ve got myself off almost every night thinking about you.” 

Aether’s hand stuttered to a halt as he coughed in shock, choked on air and surprise. When he looked up at Dew he was biting his lip in the most delicious combination of embarrassment and shameless lust, the point of his fang digging a tempting little divot in the kiss-flushed skin. 

“Does that bother you?” 

“No, no, I just…” He swallowed nervously. “Why?” 

Dew’s chest rumbled with what Aether could only describe as a purr. “Oh, my pretty little priest,” he sighed, draping his arms around Aether’s shoulders. “You have no fucking idea what the thought of you does to me.” As if to prove his point, Dew’s cock twitched in his grip, and the weak little whimper he let out made his cheeks burn. “Shall I tell you some of the things I’ve imagined?” he whispered, and Aether’s mind filled with images of serpents and gardens as he nodded helplessly. 

Dew’s hand brushed over his hand, silently encouraging, and he picked up the slow, shy pace of his fist again as Dew began to whisper again. 

“The first day we met, I thought about how sweet you’d sound if I bent you over the back of one of your own pews,” he began, and Aether groaned softly at the thought. “Kicked your feet apart and really took my time opening you up, until you were begging for me to fill you up and fuck away your faith.” 

Aether whimpered softly as his cock kicked between his legs, neglected and forgotten and so achingly hard he could feel his sanity leaking away. “Oh, God…” 

“I thought about fucking your mouth.” Dew hissed out a soft fuck as he steadied himself on Aether’s shoulders. “About replacing all those false prayers with my cock, pouring sin down your throat instead of the lies you’ve been feeding yourself all these years. About spreading my legs in your lap and stroking us both until I could swallow down your screams as I dragged the sin out of you. Fuck, Aether, I fucking dreamed of it…”

Aether’s hips twitched, bucking his cock uselessly against empty air in a fruitless search for friction, and his free hand grasped desperately for Dew’s forearm to hold them both steady. “You make me sound like something desirable.” 

With a wild groan, Dew grasped his jawline and tilted his head back, crushing their lips together in a desperate kiss that had them both whining into each other’s mouths in seconds. “You don’t fuckin’ get it yet, do you?” he panted when they finally tore themselves apart to breathe. “You’ve been the only fuckin’ thing I’ve desired since the moment I laid eyes on you.” 

Aether gasped sharply as he felt his back suddenly hit the mattress, and before he could get his bearings Dew was on top of him, spidery hands braced in the blankets next to his head and lean legs bracketing his hips. He looked down at him like he wanted to eat him whole, and Aether couldn’t think of anything except how he’d bare his throat for those fangs without a second thought. 

“The night I kissed you?” he hissed, breathless. “I thought I was gonna go insane. I couldn’t sleep. All I could think about was laying you down on that shitty little bed, peeling all those layers of repression off your body and worshipping you like you fucking deserve. I was so hard, it hurt, and I couldn’t even do anything about it because I knew nothing my hand could do would take away the burn, with you so close I could smell every breath.” He hissed sharply as Aether’s hips twitched up against him, and Aether’s mind went blank for a second at the sharp sting of pleasure of Dew’s cock sliding slick against his own. “Now do you believe you’re something desirable?” 

Aether didn’t answer. He couldn’t have answered if he tried. All he could do was shove Dew off his hips and pin him to the blankets, revelling in the satisfied moan that Dew let out, muffled against his own mouth. “Please,” he panted against Dew’s lips at last. “Please, Dew, I need… I can’t wait anymore, please…” 

Dew hushed him quickly and wriggled up the bed until his head was on the pillows, long gray hair spread out like an unholy halo as he looked up at him with so much desire Aether could feel his blood burning in his veins. He grabbed Aether’s wrist and, without any hesitancy at all, guided it between his legs. 

Aether froze. Reality and half-forgotten memory slammed into him like a brick. “Wait, don’t we need… I mean, I don’t have any -”

Dew shoved himself up onto one hand and silenced him with another scorching kiss. “We don’t need them,” he hissed. “We’re not gonna catch anything from each other, I swear. It doesn’t work like that.” 

“I mean - okay, but don’t you at least need some -” 

With a frustrated groan, Dew grabbed his wrist again and pulled it insistently into place between his legs, and Aether swore the world dimmed at the edges just a little at the sensation of wet slick skin just behind Dew’s balls. 

He stared at Dew with eyes he just knew were too wide with amazement to be dignified. “How -” 

Dew growled out a low impatient noise. “Do you want a ghoul biology lesson, or do you want to fuck me?” 

“Oh, God, I want to fuck you.” 

A sharp, wicked glint sparked in Dew’s eyes as he let himself fall back to the pillows with a grin. “Then stop bringing Him into it and get to work.” He wriggled his hips until that hot slick skin brushed against Aether’s fingers again, and his body obeyed of its own accord. 

The moan Dew let out as his fingertip pressed cautiously into him would be seared into his mind for the rest of his days. 

He moved slowly at first, terrified of hurting Dew, but the way the ghoul arched his back off the mattress and ground his hips into the touch couldn’t be misinterpreted. The noises he made as Aether watched his finger sink into his body were utterly sinful - lascivious, luxurious moans and whines, bitten-off curses and the occasional word in that sharp, unfamiliar language that Aether could only guess at the meaning of. 

“You okay?” he asked at last, as his knuckles finally pressed against Dew’s body. His free hand came to settle on Dew’s hip, more to ground himself than to offer any reassurance, and he tried hard not to think about how much of the narrow body below him his hand covered up without even trying. 

Dew gave a breathless laugh and brushed a strand of hair back from his forehead. “Fuck, your fingers are so fuckin’ thick,” he panted, grinding his hips down against Aether’s knuckles. 

“Is that a good thing?” Aether asked cautiously, and Dew laughed again. 

“Very good. So fucking good, fuck…” Aether watched, entranced, as one of Dew’s hands drifted from the pillow beside his head to his own chest, toying absently with one of his nipples. “You ready for another one?” 

Aether gave a shy little huff of a laugh. “Feels backwards, for you to ask me that.” 

“I’m used to this, you’re not.” Dew’s whole body trembled for a moment as a shiver rippled deliciously through him, and he forced his eyes open with an obvious effort to hold Aether’s gaze. There was a surprising softness there, and Aether found he was grateful for it. “You can go at your pace, I’m ready whenever you are.” 

Aether hoped the shake in his breath wasn’t obvious as he nodded. 

He felt himself flinch as the tip of his second finger slipped inside to join the first. Dew just shivered again, letting out another long, low moan and plucking a little more firmly at his nipple. “You’re doing good,” he breathed, pulling his feet up a little closer to himself so he could rock his hips against Aether’s hand, and Aether nodded again with a tight little hum of acknowledgement. He didn’t trust himself to open his mouth, because if he did he knew damn well he’d spill every thought on his mind, and most of those thoughts were about how hot and soft Dew was inside. His memories were hazy with passed time and purposeful suppression, but he was damn certain Zeke hadn’t been so hot around his fingers. And granted, Zeke wasn’t a demon, but -

“Hey.” Dew’s voice dragged him back to reality with a jolt. He gave him an apologetic smile, ducking his head a little in embarrassment, and Dew abandoned his chest to cover the hand on his hips with his own and give it a reassuring squeeze. “I told you, stop running off where I can’t hear you.” 

“Sorry,” he murmured ruefully. “But if I stay here, I might go insane.” 

Dew gave an amused little huff as he arched into the pleasure again. “I know what you mean,” he murmured, and this time there was a very obvious hint of a whine to his words. “C’mon, more, please…” 

Aether didn’t bother to question him this time, and the keening moan that he drew from the ghoul with the stretch of the third finger inside him went directly to his own cock - probably never to leave it. Fuck, he was aching. Harder than he’d ever been in his life, harder than he’d even known it was possible to be, and the only thought in his mind stronger than the urge to bury himself inside Dew and never leave was the horror he felt at the prospect of hurting him. 

He wasn’t afraid anymore, he realized. There was no guilt, no shame. Only desire. 

God, if his head had been clearer, he would have laughed in relief. 

Dew whined again, canting his hips desperately against his knuckles as his free hand grabbed at his own hair. “Fuck, Aether, c’mon, please…” He forced his eyes open again, and the intensity of the look he fixed Aether with made his stomach twist. “Please, I fuckin’ need you, I’m gonna lose my mind if you don’t fuckin’ fuck me.” 

Aether felt the sting of the half-dozen little scratches on his bottom lip as he bit it hesitantly. “You sure? Are you ready? I don’t -” 

Dew growled out a frustrated noise as he clenched tight around Aether’s slowly-moving fingers. “I swear, I’m ready, I just - a-ah-!” 

All at once, his words cut off into a sharp, almost pained yelp of pleasure unlike anything Aether had ever heard before. His eyes flew open, wide and shocked, and his back arched so hard against the sheets Aether pulled his hand back in fear. 

“Are you okay?!” 

“Eshtak, Uzmodeuuz yon Mamuun…” Dew collapsed back onto the mattress, eyes wide and wild as he stared at Aether. “You don’t even fuckin’ know what you just did, do you?” he demanded incredulously, his narrow chest heaving under the thin sheen of sweat that Aether hadn’t even noticed until now. 

“No, but it sounded like it hurt!” 

With a disbelieving laugh, Dew pushed himself up onto shaky elbows and hooked one hand around the back of Aether’s neck, tugging him closer as he dropped back to the pillows. “Exactly the opposite,” he promised as his legs wrapped around Aether’s hips. Entirely on instinct, Aether closed the distance between them to claim another heated kiss, and Dew groaned appreciatively into it. He indulged him gladly, letting the human lick into his mouth in a clumsy search for his tongue as their hips rutted against each other, a blind quest for pleasure that neither of them had the willpower to fight. 

When at last they had to pull away to breathe, Dew pushed weakly against Aether’s shoulder, urging him onto his back, and although Aether let himself be moved, he stared up at Dew in bemusement. “I thought you said -” 

“Shh.” Dew silenced him with another brief, desperate kiss. “You’ll thank me later.” 

Without another word, Dew threw one leg over Aether again, straddling his lap with a wanton ease that made something buried low in Aether’s gut burn. His hands settled almost naturally on those narrow hips, thumbs brushing absent-minded little half-moons into the skin, and when Dew was settled and looked down at him at last, he felt the world stop spinning for just a moment. 

He looked incredible. Long hair mussed and unruly, haloed around his head in the dim lamplight, with the points of his ears parting the strands at either side. That orange blush high on his cheeks, lips bitten to darkness and parted with his ragged breath, fangs just visible behind them and shining with a temptation that Aether desperately wanted to surrender to. 

Hot, elegant hands settled on his chest, trusting its strength with the promise of Dew’s whole weight, and for just a moment he forgot how to breathe. “You sure?” Dew asked, almost a whisper, and he felt himself nodding before he could even think of doing anything else. “I just don’t want you to rush into something you’ll regret.” 

Aether tightened his grip on Dew’s hips for a moment, silent reassurance for both of them. “I won’t regret this, Dew,” he promised. “You’re not the only one who’s wanted this since the moment we met.” 

Something passed over Dew’s sharp features too quickly for him to catch, gone as soon as it arrived. The ghoul simply nodded, before lifting up on his knees above him. Inexperienced as he was, Aether still understood what was expected of him. He wrapped his hand around his achingly hard cock, gave himself a few quick strokes just for the sake of it, and pressed the head of it gently against that slick, burning-hot place behind Dew’s balls. 

“Give me your hand,” Dew breathed, and without thinking Aether let him wrap their fingers together. 

Dew closed his eyes and muttered something under his breath, too quick and quiet for him to make it out. He opened them and caught Aether’s gaze just at the moment he began to sink down. 

The first press of Dew around him set the stars alight behind his eyes. 

It was so much. Too much. Not nearly enough. The hot, clinging grip of Dew’s body sinking down his cock knocked every breath from his body, forced his eyes closed and his head back into the pillows until he felt his neck strain with the pressure. 

It was incredible. Unbelievable. There was no way it had ever been this good, no way that anything in his limited experience could ever compare to this. He dimly felt his chest vibrating with his low, pained groan of ecstasy, but he couldn’t hear himself over the rush of blood in his ears. A warm weight pressed gently on his chest, and he covered it with his own hand before he could think. 

A voice dimly pierced through the haze of his pleasure. The words were unclear, but every nerve in his body screamed for him to listen to it. It took more effort than he thought he had in his body to drag his mind back to clarity, but when he managed it and forced his eyes open, the sight of Dew almost knocked him right back out again. 

Dew laughed breathlessly as he threaded his fingers through his long hair to push it back from his forehead. “Stay with me, priest,” he purred, so low and seductive Aether felt his sanity erode. “You’ll miss the best part.” 

Aether swallowed shakily. “It… gets better than this?” 

Dew’s chuckle became something almost predatory, even as Aether felt his legs trembling finely against his hips. 

His hand grasped just a little at the softness of Aether’s chest just before he sank down the rest of the way, and Aether sobbed as every inch of him was enveloped in that tight, burning heat. 

"You see?” Dew gasped as he rolled his hips minutely down, a sensuous grind that Aether knew he would never forget as long as he lived. “You see how good it is to let go of all that shame and just fuckin’ feel?" 

Words were so far beyond Aether’s capabilities, it would have humiliated him if he’d been capable of processing the fact. All he could do was moan helplessly and grasp at Dew’s hips like a drowning man to a raft. Fortunately, Dew didn’t push him for a response - he was happy to roll his hips again, slow and languid, and let out a shameless moan as he reached up with his free hand to pinch his nipple again. 

“Fuck, I’ve dreamed about this,” he murmured, almost to himself, as his hips picked up a lazy rhythm that knocked the wind from Aether’s lungs. “So good, so fucking good, Aether, fuck…” He cracked his eyes open with a visible effort and looked down at Aether, and all at once his hips stilled with a suddenness that made Aether wheeze. “I - shit, is this okay?” 

All Aether could force out was a choked Don’t fucking stop, and Dew chuckled guiltily as he picked up the slow rock of his hips again. Aether felt his whole body melt into the mattress a little in relief. “Please don’t fucking stop, this is… oh God, Dew, fuck…”

Dew made a quiet little noise of amusement as he scooped up Aether’s hand and pressed it to his own chest, holding it there until the message finally reached his hazy brain and his fingers began to pinch hesitantly at the nipple between them. “Don’t worry, I’m not stopping until both of us are done,” he promised. Aether shivered at the tone of his voice, like black silk wrapped around a red-hot blade. “Is it good?” 

Aether forced out a wounded groan and cautiously rolled his hips up into Dew. However inexperienced he was, he understood the pleased little hiss and the toss of Dew’s head the movement earned him. “Better than I ever hoped,” he breathed, and Dew smirked proudly. “How is… oh fuck, how is it so much better now?”

With a delighted giggle, Dew braced his hands on Aether’s chest and gave a very purposeful roll of his hips as he leaned down to brush his lips against Aether’s ear. “Because I know what I’m doing.” 

And then his hands slipped apart on Aether’s chest and Dew went tumbling forward with a startled yelp and Aether only just twisted his head to the side in time to avoid their skulls cracking against each other like stones in the tide. 

For a moment, everything was painfully, deathly still. 

And then, in the exact same moment, they both burst into the most embarrassed, gleeful giggles Aether had ever heard from himself or anyone else. 

His arms wrapped instinctively around Dew’s shoulders, cradling the back of his head even as their bodies shook with laughter against each other, and Dew burrowed his face into the pillow at the side of his head, his giggles becoming more and more muffled by the fabric. “Are you… fuck, are you okay?” 

“‘M fine,” Dew groaned between gasps of laughter. He planted his hands firmly in the blankets and pushed himself up, and even through their embarrassment, Aether was struck by just how beautiful his sharp, flushed face was. “You good? I didn’t twist your dick or anything?” 

Aether chuckled and gave an experimental roll of his hips, and Dew’s laughter broke off into a sharp gasp for just a moment. “Dick’s fine, I think.” 

“Mmn, good.” Dew sighed out the last of his giggles as he straightened up and settled back into position, Aether’s hands a little tighter on his hips to steady him as he carefully began to rock them again. Now that the tension was broken, somehow the pleasure was a little easier to bear, Aether found. It didn’t feel like  he was drowning in it anymore - now, he was floating in it, hand in hand with Dew as the tide rose slowly around them. “Fuck, that was humiliating.” 

“Yeah, what were you saying about knowing what you’re doing?” Aether grinned. Dew clicked his tongue derisively. 

“Fuck off.” 

“I’d rather fuck you.” 

Dew’s eyes flashed dangerously with his sudden, feral grin. “Alright.” 

All at once, the steady roll of his hips stopped dead, dragging a pitiful little wheeze from Aether which he ignored entirely. “Wha-” 

“Fuck me, then, if you’re so cocky,” Dew challenged, and slowly, purposefully, he rose up on his knees until he was hovering above Aether with only the head of him still inside. He giggled again at the look of absolute dumbfounded confusion on Aether’s face, and bucked his hips just a little, biting his lip at the way the cock still half-buried inside him dragged along his walls. “Come on, priest…” He rocked on his knees a little, wiggling his hips tauntingly and smirking as Aether wheezed at the sensation. “You’ve got a demon on your cock, now make the most of it and fuck me.” 

Dew had barely finished speaking when Aether’s hips bucked up into him, hard, breaking his words off into a choked moan as the air was knocked out of him with the force of the thrust. Aether stared up at him, almost in shock at himself, but Dew just huffed out a breathless laugh of satisfaction and steadied himself with one hand on Aether’s chest. 

“That’s it,” he purred. “Keep going.” 

He moaned long and low as Aether picked up a slow, cautious rhythm, adjusting his position minutely in between inexpert rolls of hips against hips until, at last, they both gave matching groans of pleasure as he finally found the right angle. Aether felt his teeth dig harshly into his lip to stave off the quickly-building pleasure. “Oh, God…” 

“Yeah, tell Him how it feels to turn your back on Him,” Dew panted through a victorious smirk, and Aether couldn’t help but laugh, a wild, unashamed sound fractured between his shaky moans. 

“God, Dew, you feel so good…” He tried to swallow and failed entirely, only succeeding in making a choked little click in his throat that had Dew grinning until his fangs flashed in the lamplight. “Am I… I mean, is it -”

“It’s good,” Dew moaned, and he looked so blissful with his head thrown back in pleasure, lips bitten dark and parted with his ragged breath, that he couldn’t even begin to doubt him. “So good, fuck, you’re… shit, you’re so deep inside me, I -” 

Dew twitched his hips the most minute amount, and Aether felt his cock shift ever so slightly inside him just before Dew’s body suddenly snapped as taut as a guitar string and he all but screamed out that same sharp, startled sound from before. 

“Dew, are you -” 

“Don’t you fuckin’ dare stop,” Dew hissed. All the languid sensuousness in his bearing was gone, replaced with desperation as he ground their hips together harshly. His moans were different now, somewhere between a growl and a whimper, and Aether couldn’t do anything except stare and let his hips move of their own accord, carrying him along on their quest for his pleasure and Dew’s. “Fuck, Aether, don’t fuckin’ stop, please, fuck me, just like that -” 

Aether bit back his instinct to ask if Dew was okay and forced himself to trust the moans, the frantic speed of his hips, the beads of sweat glittering at his hairline. And God above, the fluttering of that oppressively tight heat around his cock - that was enough to drive him mad. “Do you -” 

“Touch me.” 

Aether didn’t wait for more. He forced one hand to release its grip on Dew’s hip and wrapped it around his cock instead, and Dew keened at the touch like he’d been stabbed. 

“Oh fuck, Father Below, yes…” He tried to buck his hips into Aether’s fist as it began to move over him, his movements clumsy and uncoordinated in his pleasure, and Aether couldn’t do anything except watch him, wide-eyed and enthralled at the beauty before him. Dew let out a shaky, disbelieving laugh and met Aether’s eyes, a moment of crystal clarity in the heart of the storm of his pleasure. “I’m gonna fuckin’ cum.” 

Aether swallowed. “Yeah?” 

“Yeah.” Another laugh, almost hysterical now as Dew ground his hips down, fucking himself on Aether’s cock like the roll of their bodies was keeping him alive. “You’re gonna make me cum, fuck, I’m gonna -” 

Powered by an instinct he couldn’t place if he tried, Aether let go of Dew’s hip and laid his hand flat on that narrow, heaving chest, Dew’s own spindly fingers covering it in an instant as their eyes met and filled Aether’s soul with fire. “Cum for me, Dew.” 

Dew’s eyes went wide, and his whole body stuttered to a halt as his mouth opened in a silent scream. He let out a low, broken whine, his body tensed like his bones had turned to stone, and then his cock was twitching in Aether’s hand, his muscles fluttering wildly around him as spurts of blood-hot wetness streaked over Aether’s stomach. 

Part of him mourned the fact that he hadn’t seen it happen. But he knew that nothing could have compared to the look of sheer, blissful shock on Dew’s face. 

Nothing would ever compare to that. 

His hips began to slow almost at once, and Dew all but snarled at him. 

“I said don’t you fuckin’ dare stop,” he hissed. He blinked up at him, lost and confused as if he was the one who had just cum. 

“But you -” 

Before Aether could say another word, Dew had rolled them over without ever letting Aether’s cock leave his body. He looped his arms around Aether’s neck and his legs around his waist, and rolled his hips up into him even as Aether felt his body start to shiver. “Keep going.” He leaned up to steal a messy, uncoordinated kiss, and Aether simply let himself be carried along by it. “I said I’m not stopping until both of us are done, and I mean it. If I don’t feel you cum inside me, I’m gonna explode.” 

The words spurred Aether’s body on before his mind could catch up, fucking into Dew’s oversensitive body with a single-minded purpose. He groaned sharply against the ghoul’s lips, and as their tongues grazed against each other again and he felt the pair of points in Dew’s mouth wrap around his own, he felt the knot inside his stomach tighten so quickly he nearly choked on it. “Dew, I -” 

Dew groaned out a vaguely affirmative sound into his mouth, jerky and broken by the force of Aether’s thrusts. “Cum, Aeth,” he gasped against his lips. “Show Him who you’ve always been and cum.” 

When he’d cum down Dew’s throat, it felt like he left his body. Now, it felt like he left this world for a few moments. Nothing existed, nothing mattered, nothing in the world had ever mattered except the white-hot burn of Dew wrapped around his cock and the supernova of ecstasy that swallowed him whole and spat him back out again, a whole new man. 

When he floated back into himself, there was a soft pressure at his back, a comfortable warmth pressed into his side that vibrated softly against him, and it took him a long, long time to realize that he was on his back, in his bed, with a purring demon curled up against him. The demon he’d just fucked so hard, he could still feel his soul reverberating with it. 

Dew’s voice floated into his ears, indistinct at first, but soon solidifying into gentle words of praise and affection. He heard good, amazing, proud, and in that moment, nothing had ever mattered more. 

When he could finally turn his head towards Dew, he felt the sharp ridge of a nose pressed against his cheek, and tried to chuckle weakly at the sensation. He felt a puff of breath across his neck as Dew echoed it, soft as a feather. “How do you feel?” 

He groaned and tried to lift the arm that wasn’t wrapped around Dew’s shoulder. He managed a couple of inches before it flopped back to the bed again. 

Dew made a soft noise of understanding. “Anything hurt?” 

This time, he managed to make a mostly coherent noise that he hoped Dew understood as a no. 

“Good.” Dew’s weight shifted against him and a moment later he felt the soft warmth of blankets settle over his body. 

He didn’t remember the last time anyone had pulled a blanket over him. 

He forced his eyes open and tilted his head until he could meet Dew’s gaze. The ghoul looked as worn out as he felt, but there was a steadiness to the fire of his eyes that he somehow knew instinctively was a good sign. 

Dew smiled shyly for a moment. 

He opened his mouth to speak, but a warm pressure settled over his lips before he could get a sound out. “Don’t,” Dew murmured. He nodded obediently behind Dew’s fingertips. “We should get some sleep.” 

A long moment stretched between them, sated and tired, before Aether leaned in and pressed a clumsy kiss to Dew’s lips. 

His eyes were already closing as he pulled away and laid his head in his pillow. 

He heard Dew whisper something, just at the moment he drifted off.

[ghuleh-recs]

omg hi I missed seeing u on my dash!!!

I MISSED YOU TOOOO HYP ♡♡♡

[ghuleh-recs]

Happy to see you back💕

I put all the mail on the kitchen counter and watered the plants while you were gone 😌

What would I do without you!? 🥲 Best house-sitter a girl could ask for ♡♡♡

[ghuleh-recs]

Chapter 19: Stop My Dreaming (link)

AO3 Link 18+ MDNI (Whole Fic Link Here)

Young Primo x OC Papessa, Primo &"Emeritus" Family Tags: 1970s, Satanic Panic, Dark Magic, Bodyguard/Musician Romance, Noir Mystery, Assassins, NonVerbal Ghouls, Nameless Ghouls OC, Moving on OR ARE THEY?, I researched how to set up a home shooting range for this chapter and now my algorithm is fucked, Don't Worry Copia is in this one too

Primo settles in to his new life as a Sibling of the Church. A new life where he's supposed to ignore the doubts that remain. But there's a hidden cost to understanding the truth.

Taglist under the cut! Please kudos, comment, and reblog we loves it

Taglist: @historian-crown @monkberryghouldelight @ghuleh-recs @fishwithtitz @can-of-pringles @in-cardi-c-we-thrust @riptide-kid

@thew0man @kabukiaku @saintbowie

(Let me know if you want to join!)

[ghuleh-recs]

Decadence

A (late) birthday gift for the incredible, amazing, fanatsic @forlorn-crows. Love you, Crowwwww. Happy late birthday ♥♥.

Rating: Explicit Pairing: Cumulus/Mountain Featuring: A slow lazy afternoon, cuddles, oral sex, vaginal fingering, Mountain being down bad. Cumulus letting him take care of her. Decadence. Kind of edging? I guess? I don't know man they're just really really into each other. Soft. God it's so soft. Word Count: 3.2k

Mountain and Cumulus share a lazy afternoon.

“Careful,” he mumbles.

And she doesn’t want to be. Not after months on the road and cramped bunks and uncomfortable hotel beds. She knows he’s trying to preserve this, mostly for her. To let the afternoon stretch and contract. That the only way it stays endless is if they never move, never shift–never evolve.

And Cumulus, despite the sleepy weight in her limbs, wants very badly to evolve.

Read it all on AO3.

[ghuleh-recs]

Napping in the Clouds

This is for @megachaoticstupid who wanted a nap in my Steampunk Verse between little Copia and his big brother Secondo 💙

Huge thanks to @tasty-ribz for the art and to @ghuleh-recs for my steampunk dividers!

This technically takes place after Building A Family but it can be read on its own. There are also two other fics in this universe: Capitano Copia and Clockwork Friends.

Warnings: angst pertaining to Copia's time in an orphanage and Secondo's feelings towards his family otherwise it is very soft and fluffy, sfw, 2,600 words

They were running out of clocks.

Secondo brushed the toe of his boot against some of the debris on the floor.  The delicate metal parts scraped against the polished wood and he winced briefly at the scratch left behind.  Not that it mattered, Emeritus Manor had countless rooms that hadn’t seen a soul in years.  No one would care about the condition of the floor in some dusty study.  Secondo couldn’t even remember if he’d been in this room before.  Copia however had clearly been busy exploring.

Busy doing other things too.

“He’s up to three rats now.”  Alpha’s voice preceded him as he appeared out of the shadow in the doorway.  “And some toys.”

“Aren’t the rats toys?”

“No.”  Secondo turned with a raised eyebrow at the sharp quality of the ghoul’s voice.  To his credit, Alpha lowered his head briefly in apology before looking back up with a smirk on his face.  The red eyes of the demon glowed with mischief as he answered.  “They’re not toys at all.”

Copia was singing when he finally tracked him down.

He had a strong voice for his age.  Strong and bright Italian words drifted down the hallway and Secondo felt such an intense moment of something that he had to pause before he turned the corner to confront the boy.  Music hadn’t traveled the corridors of the manor for a long time.  Not since Terzo had decided he’d rather spend his time in the sky.

Or, as was the case lately, in prison.

Secondo turned the corner to find Copia hunched over something in the middle of the hall.  Parts and tools were spread out around him as well as what he assumed were the little clockwork rats Alpha had watched him build.  He was content to stay back and listen to his song but one of the rats twitched and turned his way.  Copia instantly quieted down, his head snapping back and his eyes widening as soon as he saw Secondo.

“I’m sorry!  I’ll put it back together!”

Copia stumbled onto his feet, grabbing an armful of parts and quickly going over to the quiet clock.  The rats were right at his heels save one.  This one went right for Secondo, pausing at his boots and gazing up at him.  There was a blue glow right below its chest, bright enough to illuminate the little creature’s eyes.  It was something that had Secondo holding his breath, memories of his own childhood here springing to his mind.

Memories of what he used to be able to build.

“What’s his name?”  His little brother turned his way, a small screwdriver clamped between his teeth.  Secondo crouched down slowly, not wanting to scare the rat away.  “Your friend, does he have a name?”

“Brizio.”  Copia timidly walked his way, the other two rats never straying far.  Only one of them had the same glow as the one Secondo was studying.  “I named him after a friend.”

“Friends are important, where is this friend now?”

“I-I’m not sure?  He was at the orphanage with me and got adopted…”  He dropped to his knees and reached a finger out to gently touch the rat’s back.  “I miss him.”

Secondo stayed silent as he watched the boy fidget, his little fingers tapping along his knees.  He could see a bit of himself in the boy’s features, the eyes being the most obvious thing.  The Emeritus family having had the white eye for generations at this point.  Nihil always claimed it was a gift but most of his sons at some point had considered it a curse.  Primo had hated it enough to replace it with one of his “enhancements”.

A tiny hand on his knee pulled Secondo from his thoughts.  Copia was looking up at him, his eyes wide and his face unsure.  

“It’s ok to miss friends and loved ones.”  He bit his lip for a moment, a memory from his own life here as a child coming forward in his mind.  “I used to have a pet rabbit, she was a gift from my mother.”

“What was her name?”

“Snowbell.  Because of her fur.  All white, beautiful and soft.”  He couldn’t help but smile softly, thinking of that first day he met Snowbell.  When his mother brought her into his room in her arms.  It was one of the last times he saw his mother healthy, before everything in his life changed.  He was so lost in his memories that he missed Copia saying something.  “What was that fratellino?” 

“Fratellino?”  Secondo found himself staring into a familiar set of eyes.  They shimmered in the gas lamps in the hallway, unshed tears threatening to drop.  “Are you…you’re one of my brothers?”

“Si, I am Secondo.”  He smiled when Copia reached a small hand up and Secondo gamely shook it.  “Primo is here as well, although he is rarely seen.  He likes to spend his time in his lab.”

“Do you have a lab?”

Secondo placed a hand on the floor to brace himself and then moved to sit cross legged.  Copia stayed close, his hand never leaving Secondo’s leg, almost like he was afraid that if he let go he’d lose the older brother he just found.

“I do, although I don’t use it as much anymore.  My study is where I spend most of my time, usually reading or designing things.”  Copia cocked his head and guessing the question he was about to ask Secondo continued,  “Designing things for my airship.”

“You have an airship?!”

The sheer joy on Copia’s face was infectious and he couldn’t help but match it,  “I do!  Secular Haze is her name.  She’s the fastest ship in the skies.”  Secondo made a show of looking around to see if they were alone,  “But don’t tell your brother Terzo that, ok?”

“Is Terzo here too?”

Secondo winced and gave a slight shake of his head,  “Unfortunately Terzo has landed himself in prison.”  Copia’s eyes widened comically, but he moved his head closer when Secondo leaned in.  “Piracy.”

“Wow!”

Of course to a child that was exciting and Secondo tried not to let his face fall and ruin the mood.  But Copia didn’t know what it was like dealing with the worry of how long Terzo would be gone this time.  About what sort of damage his ship Mummy Dust had taken.  Mostly though he was worried about what the city would find in the airship.

And what that would mean for the whole family.

He cleared his throat, taking a quick look around the hallway before leaning in close to Copia once more,  “I have an idea.”

“We ride around in your airship!”

“We will fratellino, I promise you that.”  Copia beamed up at him, following Secondo and standing up as well.  “But first we should clean this up, find something to eat and then maybe have a little tour of the manor, yeah?”

“Oh, yes!  Per favore!  Alpha showed me around a little but Papa Nihil caught us and made him take me back to my room.”

“Nihil is a dickhead.”  Copia’s little gasp had Secondo chuckling and he knelt down before the boy, his hands resting on his tiny shoulders.  “I will show you all the secret passageways, all the hiding spots.  I will show you how your brothers and I avoided him when we were your age.”  He stood up again, winking when he held out a hand for Copia.  “We still use them even now.”

He squeezed Copia’s hand when the boy reached out and then led him over to the silent grandfather clock.  Without direction Copia knelt down and began to put the old thing back together, his fingers quick and precise.  The little rats whirred at his feet, Brizio even picking up small gears and bringing them over to the boy right as he needed them.  Secondo chimed in whenever Copia held up something with a questioning look, helping the boy find where the part belonged.

When Secondo saw Copia’s triumphant grin as the clock came to life and a series of chimes rang out in the hallway he knew then and there that the boy was where he belonged as well.

From that day on Copia, and his rats, were rarely away from Secondo’s side.

Alpha and a few of the other ghouls had cleared out a space in Secondo’s study for the boy.  An area where he could work on whatever he desired, where he could build whatever he wanted, and Secondo was there to watch.  To lend a hand whenever Copia needed it.  It was amazing to witness the ease in which his fratellino could create things.  Amazing to see the familiar blue glow in each creation.  It was a special kind of magic the world didn’t see much of these days.

Secondo took a sip of his drink and continued to stare into the fireplace.  His study was quiet today save the crackling of the fire.  It was strange how fast he had gotten used to Copia’s chattering, to the sounds of the boy working as well as the sounds of his rats running about.  Copia loved to sing as well and Secondo found it hard not to join in when he did.  They made him ache for a home he had barely known but one he hoped to build here for himself and Copia.

Perhaps for Primo and Terzo as well if they wanted.

His ghouls had taken Copia out to see Secular Haze, something that the boy had been begging to do ever since he found out she existed.  He had also begged Secondo to come with but he couldn’t bring himself to go.  It had been so long since he had seen her, since he had last sailed through the skies on her, that the guilt for leaving her dormant was too heavy.  

He wasn’t even sure he could sail her again.  Wasn’t even sure if she’d let him.

“Papa?”  Secondo startled at the old honorific from Alpha, a title no one had bothered to use for years.  “We’re back.  Copia is in his room, he wanted to see you but he was asleep on his feet.”

“What did he think of her?”

“He was amazed, running around to study every part of her.  Asked a million questions.”

“I’m sure he did, I’ll have to dig out her plans so he can look at those.”  

Alpha stepped into his line of sight, the tall ghoul moving close to the fire and staring right into it.  He was far too close to the fire than most could handle but each ghoul had a specific element they called their own and fire was as natural to Alpha as breathing.  There was a tenseness to the ghoul’s shoulders, like he was debating whether or not to say something.  When he finally turned around Secondo set his glass down and crossed his arms.

“Is there something else?”

“Some of those questions were about you.”  Secondo shrugged, not really surprised at that.  The boy always had lots of questions for him.  Recently he had been mostly focused on the story Secondo told him of his rabbit, Snowbell.  “About what you were like at his age.”

“Too smart for my own good and desperate for someone to notice.”  

He froze after the words left his mouth, surprised he had said something so personal.  Although it didn’t really matter, Alpha had been there when he was young and angry at everyone.  Lost in the Emeritus Manor without another Emeritus in sight.  Nihil annoyed that Secondo even existed and Primo gone all the time for whatever reason.  

“I told him you were lonely.”

Secondo couldn’t shake Alpha’s comment.

The old ghoul was right, he was lonely.  It was just an odd thing to think about considering he’d felt that way most of his life.  While Primo had eventually warmed up to him, and Terzo had moved into the manor not long after Secondo did, they never truly felt like brothers.  Each was different enough in their attitudes and abilities that it had been hard to bond. 

It didn’t help that Nihil always tried to make things a contest between the three of them.  Who could develop something better, who could build something faster, who could propel the family further?  Those were the things Nihil cared about and if one of them failed at any of those aspects, or anything else, he was quick to lose interest and ignore them.  That in turn made the brothers quick to ignore each other, something that was easy to do in such a big house.

He got up to throw a few more logs into the fire, easing back into his chair as the loud popping sounds from the wood filled the room.  It was funny how quickly he had gotten used to Copia being in here because it already felt strange not to hear him tinkering away at something.  Ever since he had visited the airship he had been spending more time in his room.  Alpha said he was fine, just busy working on something.  The ghoul wouldn’t elaborate any further and when Secondo had finally decided to go to the boy himself Copia refused to even open the door.

Perhaps Copia had already grown tired of him.  The thought hurt and Secondo quickly took a swig of his whisky, wanting to bury that idea as deep as he could before it started to hurt worse.

“Fratello?”  Copia’s little voice had Secondo coughing mid swallow, the whisky burning his throat when it went down the wrong way.  He leaned forward with his arms on his legs, trying to catch his breath.  A small hand started to pat his back, the boy’s voice frantic when Secondo continued to cough.  “Are you ok?  Should I get Alpha?  Please don–”

“I’m ok, I’m ok.”  Secondo turned and placed a hand on top of Copia’s head, lightly ruffling his light brown hair.  “You just startled me, that's all.”  

He turned and set his glass down on the nearby table before looking at Copia again.  The boy had something in his arms, an object made of gold metal with a familiar blue glow shining bright in its chest.  At first Secondo thought it was Brizio but when he looked closer he realized the ears were much longer than what he was used to.  The body shape was different too.  Secondo straightened up in his chair abruptly, his eyes widening when he realized what it looked like.

“I made you something.”

It felt good to be in the sky again.

It felt good to have his ship under his feet, his ghouls at his side and the Secular Haze racing through the clouds.  This is where he belonged, the sky had always felt more like home than the ground.  The hum of his ship resonated through his bones and he didn’t realize how much he had missed it until now.  This partnership between him and the machine he had built.

The body next to him shifted and he looked down at a familiar mop of brown hair, his fratellino fast asleep at his side.  A small fist was latched onto his shirt, machine grease tucked under his nails like always.  Nearby Secondo could hear the familiar sound of small metal feet running about, the gentle whir of Copia’s creations ever present.  

When he looked over he met the gaze of one such creation Copia had made for him.  A gift that Secondo would cherish always, just like he planned to always cherish the small boy who made it.  Snowbell’s ears clicked as they moved around, the mechanical rabbit rearing up onto its hind legs when two of Copia’s rats ran by.  It soon dropped back down onto its feet, chasing after them around Secondo’s cabin. 

He leaned back and closed his eyes, soaking in the sounds of his ship around him.  Soaking in the warmth of being with his family, both old and new, as he began to drift off to sleep.

He didn’t feel lonely anymore.   

If you'd like to be added/removed from the tag list (or if I accidentally left your name off) of this fic or any of my others please leave a comment or send me a dm! Thank you 💙

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[ghuleh-recs]

Sundown: Chapter 2

WC: 1,3k

Relationship: Pre-relationship SwissAlps

Tags: Transfeminine Mountain, AU; Cowboy!Swiss x Barmaid!Mountain, Fluff, Dancing, First Kiss

Swiss is smitten. He realized it around ten minutes after Mounty left him in his room that first day.

Read chapter 1 here or on AO3.

Read chapter 2 under the cut or on AO3.

Swiss is smitten.

He realized it around ten minutes after Mounty left him in his room that first day.

He is fucked.

That first day was over a month ago and he doubts he’s ever willingly stayed at one place for so long. His…arrangement with Mounty was working, though, he was helping whenever, wherever and however he could and in turn his horse was getting food and water and he got to sleep in a nice bed. But most importantly he got to spend time with her.

He wasn’t complaining; far from it.

In the last weeks he’s met a few more people somewhat similar to the barmaid. His brain is a little slow, taking in how people can be so different, so unique, but he’s doing his best and his…friends—he thinks he can call them that—are understanding and happy to spend time with him, too. That’s not something Swiss is used to.

They have a little team now—he, Mounty, and a cute throuple that the barmaid introduced him to a few days into his stay; Dewdrop, Rain, and Phantom. They are more or less around Swiss’ and Mounty’s ages, and they live together in one of the brighter, more lively houses in the little town.

Phantom’s somewhat of a local doctor—having taken over his older brother when he left to get better education out in the world. Mounty sometimes helps them by making special herbal teas for their patients. As Swiss learned, Phantom is non-binary, which…confused the man at first, but he thinks he gets it now. They are neither a boy, nor a girl, and that’s easy enough to grasp now.

Dewdrop is a resident horse-carer. He’s a stable boy, veterinarian, farrier, and a cowboy all at once. Anything related to horses—it’s Dewdrop’s job. He’s also like Mounty, but the other way around (as Swiss is explaining to himself).

Rain, on the other hand, is like Swiss. He’s just…the default, in terms of gender. His job in the town is a cook in a pub next to Mounty’s saloon. That’s why it was Rain who Swiss met first—he just came over for a drink after work one evening.

They all liked each other and Swiss was truly happy spending his time with the four of them. He never had friends, not anyone he could just…be with.

He still didn’t tell any of them who he really is, though, or rather who he’s known as. Not because he doesn’t trust them—he’s surprised to find that he actually does trust them already—but because he’s worried that they’d stop looking at him like they do now. That it would be them losing trust in him.

Swiss hopes it will come to sharing his story, but not yet.

He doesn’t want to or need to worry about that now. He rests against the bar—in the very same place that he ended up the first day—and sips on his whiskey. Neat, of course.

There’s a small party in the saloon—the occasion is unknown to Swiss, but he enjoys the atmosphere. It’s a small crowd in there, but it’s not crowded enough for Mounty to be working her ass off. Swiss is eternally grateful for that, for being allowed the sight of her smiling brightly and loudly laughing and dancing alone without a care in the world.

Part of that would change if only the man wasn't such a cunt.

There’s nothing he wants more in the moment than to get off of the squeaky stool, walk over to the empty-ish space where Mounty’s swaying to the music, grab her and twist her in his arms and lean down and–

He takes a sip of his whiskey.

Swiss stares at her for a while, barely blinking. He’s only snapped out of his trance by Phantom padding over to him and draping themself over his back, their chin hooked over his shoulder. “Whatcha sulking over?”

“What? Oh, no, nothing. I’m just tired.” he shrugs and smiles. He is a bit tired, he was cleaning the stables earlier, so it’s a valid excuse.

Phantom isn’t having any of it, though. They’re more than a little bit tipsy and they scoff at his lie, “Nuh-uh! You’re yearning.”

“I–” Swiss hesitates at being so bluntly called out. He sighs, “Yeah, I guess I am.”

The other sits on a free stool next to him, effectively blocking the view of the dancing barmaid as they hover their face mere inches from his and stare into his eyes. It’s just a little bit unsettling.

“What…?”

“Why are you just sittin’ here and being a little bitch?” Phantom asks and Swiss nearly chokes on his drink. “You ain’t a little bitch, do something!”

“Tommy, I don’t–I don’t know if I can,” he chuckles sadly at himself. Pathetic. “She’s just…fuck, she’s perfect and I’m…I don’t know, but I’m nowhere there, ya know?”

“Bullshit,” Phantom sing-songs. They spit on him a little as they do. “I’ve known Mounty for a few years now and I’ve never seen her like that, she’s the happiest she’s ever been, man! Ask Dew, he’s known her for a decade, he’ll tell you the same. Just go for it, what do you have to lose?”

Swiss thinks about it. Phantom is somewhat right, Mounty seems to be happy, but he doesn’t have much comparison. And what does he have to lose? Well…not much, truth be told.

The man shakes his head, takes a big sip of whiskey and pushes Phantom back to stand up.

“Go get her, cowboy!” they call out after him.

The saloon isn’t big enough for the crossing from the bar to the dancefloor to be long, but Swiss still starts to sweat on his way. What is going on with him!? His eyes are fixed on how Mounty’s hair reflects the light and how her eyes glint and how her skirt spins as she twists.

Swiss has to shake himself out of it to not make even a bigger fool out of himself. He saunters up to her—plastering his signature grin onto his face—and reaches out to brush his fingertips against the flowy fabric of her dress. She stops her spinning and the sudden halt makes her stumble over her feet and fall right into Swiss’ arms.

“Careful, sweetheart,” he chuckles, looking deep into her fresh-grass-green eyes. Both of them blush as Mounty straightens up, but Swiss doesn’t let go of her waist. There’s a question in his eyes and as he puts his other hand in front of the barmaid in an invitation, she takes it without hesitation.

Swiss smiles so hard it hurts as they start to dance.

They don’t talk, but they don’t need to—their shared movement is enough. They laugh and spin and laugh and twist and they’re both the happiest they’ve been in a while, even if the other isn’t quite aware of that.

Swiss is worried about the song coming to an end, not knowing what Mounty will do—not knowing what he will do—but all that is forgotten when the barmaid presses her chest against his and smiles even wider than she already was. The man’s chest hurts and his heart pounds as he makes a very impulsive decision that can very well get him kicked out of there.

He tightens his hold on her and bends her whole body backwards as he kisses her with all the emotions that have been bottling inside of him for weeks. Mounty doesn’t flinch and doesn’t pull back—just clings to his arms and kisses him back.

Somewhere behind them Swiss hears clapping and a whistle that sounds suspiciously like Phantom’s.

.

.

.

edit: nono gave us art again!!!

[ghuleh-recs]

Well here’s the drawing I deleted. I couldn’t find a rb of it to rb again.

So oh well original post engagement( if it had any) Raindrop blood things

[ghuleh-recs]

I open the app and BOOOOOOOM post from one of my fav people. Hiiiiiii Lisssssss 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤 okay I’ll stop being creepy now. Missed you and your little pink heart eyes on my dash

HIIII MOTH ♡♡ promise you won’t be mad when I clog up your notifs reblogging everything I missed? 🥺 (I’ll use my queue I swear)