#Aether know these ghouls too well

[im-queen-of-the-black-forest]

Swapped it…

Swiss:*strolling casually into the ghoul common room*

Aether: *without even looking up from his book* Hey Swiss. What did you do?

Swiss: I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about?

Aether: You’re doing your smug walk, I could hear it from halfway down the hall

Swiss: I don’t have a smug- wait, do you have like, a mental Rolodex of how each of us walk?

Aether: Don’t change the subject, what did you do?

Swiss: *grinning* Weeeeellll *pulls something from behind his back*

Aether:… that’s Nihil’s mitre**.

Swiss: Yup.

Aether: How did you get it?

Swiss: Swapped it.

Aether: *deep sigh* With what?

~~~~~~Meanwhile~~~~~~

Sister Imperator: *walking into Nihil’s office* Papa I have some papers for you to si- *looks up to see Nihil sitting behind his desk wearing a huge paper hat with “ASSHOLE” and a giant penis drawn on in black marker*….

Nihil: *oblivious* Yes Seestor?

Sister:…*drops files on the desk and leaves*

(**mitre= pope hat. I had to look up what the damn thing was called)

[cumulo-ghoulll]

Feral Ghouls HCs

(hunting season pt. 5)

Copia baby talks all of his ghouls when they're feral

If any of them come up to him (and doesn't look too aggressive) he squeals "my baby!!", or "oh! a lil ghoul!!", or "look at that lil creature!!"

He leaves out food for all of them every night, it's usually a selection of their favourite snacks and whatever was left over from dinner

Copia likes to eat his lunch outside as well

He usually ends up sharing it with Dew or Swiss

Dew in particular is very vocal when he's 'found' food and ends up attracting at least seven other ghouls

By the time Primo's or Secondo's ghouls have come to see what's going on, Copia's already dropped his lunch and has ran back inside

Occasionally, Copia will spot Terzo's ghouls

They're very rarely seen but will sprint over to Copia if they see him

Alpha is usually the only one to come over

He likes being around Dew, and since Dew is usually with Copia, he'll run over to Copia

He's a pretty big ghoul, certainly bigger than Aether, so having a giant, unglamoured, feral hell beast running full speed at him always scares the shit out of Copia

Sometimes, he gets circled by Terzo's ghouls if they haven't seen him in a while

They'll all pace round him and sniff as they decide whether to maul him or not

Copia is, by this point, screaming for Terzo to do something

His brother will lean out of his window, complain that he woke him up, and tell his ghouls to leave Copia alone

They usually all go scampering back into the woods

The ghoulettes are also very rarely spotted

Cumulus is very trusting of Copia when she's feral and likes to find him on her third or fourth day of the season to have her hair brushed and plaited to keep it tidy

She'll purr the whole time and Copia pulls her curls out of her face and ties them back neatly

By the time, she's usually fallen asleep in his lap

Copia doesn't dare move in case he wakes her and has been stuck for hours before

Once Lus lets him go, he has to go and get his lint roller and roll all the hair and fluff off of him (Lus sheds like mad when she's feral)

If Rain goes to Copia, he likes to greet him by shaking pond water onto him

Everyone knows that Copia was with Rain when he comes back inside soaking wet

Rain also likes to bring him fish he's caught and tries to get him to eat it

Copia will then pull the good old "look over there!" trick and throw the fish back into the pond while Rain isn't looking

Copia's been bitten by Rain a lot too and had tiny scars on his hands because of it

Rain never bites him out of malice, it's usually when Copia's trying to get some algae or fish scales out of Rain's hair

Rain thinks it's a game and will nip at Copia's hand when it goes past his mouth

To Rain, he's only biting softly, but he forgets he has serrated teeth which hook into flesh so they'll catch and tear Copia's hand when he bites

Copia's brothers and most of the siblings of sin criticise him for still visiting his ghouls during hunting season but he pays them no mind

He did try to keep away from them once, but they all managed to break into his room and destroy the place while he was out because he wasn't giving them any attention

Copia learned his lesson that day.

[mak-be-ghouled]

The Sound of the End of Day

2.1k Words of Angst/comfort

Mountain/Dew (and a bit of Aether)

Terzo, Copia, and other ghouls mentioned

A huge thank you to @nastylittleghouls and @divine-misfortune for their thoughts under this post:)

the tittle being from Monstrance Clock only felt right

When Copia is lifted by the Skeleton Dancers during Dance Macabre, Mountain and Dew are taken back to one of the worst days in their time topside. 

They had officially made it to the final leg of the Re-Imperatour.  

Unfathomable hours were poured into rehearsals long before the tour was even announced. Any one of the ghouls could've played the show forwards, backwards, and in their sleep. They knew the order by heart, had already performed it more times than they cared to count. 

But this one was special, Papa was adamant about how important the shows in LA would be, and the ghouls were determined to do their part for their Papa. Hell, they even had choreography coordinated with real dancers. 

And so, more rehearsals were called, plugging in the Chamber Ghoulettes and the Skeleton Dancers. Sure, the ghouls weren't exactly used to sharing the stage with so many others, but they couldn't deny the sheer talent of the new additions. They rehearsed until every moving part was perfect. Until they were certain there would be no surprises. 

But something about the crowd’s screaming, the blinding lights, the shadowy figures, the music, the lift.  

The fucking lift.  

Mountain and Dew hadn't made the connection until now.  

The audience screamed, their Papa was in the air, and the music was still going.  

But Mountain and Dew were back on that dammed stage. 

That Gothenburg stage where they were promised they’d never have to return to. That stage where they saw their former Papa for the last time. That stage where Terzo was ripped from them before they even processed what was going on. That stage that haunted their nightmares and the darkest corners of their minds.  

Papa was in the air and Mountain was stuck behind his kit. He was frozen, just like last time. Just like he had sworn he wouldn't allow himself to do ever again. It's a wonder he only stalled for a moment. Straining to focus on Rain’s base line, to keep up. His head was swimming and he was drowning. 

And yet, no one else seemed phased. Swiss was still singing, still dancing--well moving his hips in a way that could maybe be interpreted as dancing. Aurora and Cumulus were still singing and dancing together, mimicking the Skeletons from earlier. Phantom was still working the audience as always. Cirrus was still playing. Rain still stood strong, was still in time. 

But Dew.  

Dew saw it too. The moment Papa was in the air his eyes fled to Aether. But Aether wasn't there. Aether wasn't on tour. There wasn't anyone to run after Copia. Dew’s heart stutters as he scans the stage. 

Finally, his eyes land on Mountain. Just like they had that night.  

Dew was certain they’d lost another Papa. He turned to run backstage. To follow those shadowy figures this time. To do what he hadn't then. What he beats himself up for not doing. What fuels that nagging voice in his mind.  

Dew is in auto pilot. He’s straining to find tempo again. To find the right notes on his bass. Dew’s hands are shaking so hard he's not sure any of the notes he's played in the last minute have been even remotely correct. He doesn't recognize the song anymore; this isn't Monstrance Clock and his bass feel wrong. Too Small. Too Light. 

Dew sees the fear behind Mountains eyes. Knows it's the same fear that is clouding his vision too. Dew watches Mountain shake his head, desperately trying to clear the fog.  

After what feels like an eternity Mountain returns Dew's gaze. Mountain gives him a firm nod and a half smile. It's so incredibly forced but that doesn't matter. Not right now. Somehow it makes everything okay. Confirms that Mountain saw it too.  

That it's not real this time. Papa is okay this time. He won't have to watch Aether run after him this time. He won’t have to run after them both this time.  

Finally, Dew can feel his hands again and The Forum isn't spinning quite so fast. He looks down. He’s not holding a bass. Fucking of course he isn't, he's got his guitar in his hands. He thinks he might hear Dance Macabre echoing in his mind. But it's so distant. A dream maybe? This certainly wouldn't be the first dream Dew’s had of this moment. 

And then, everything goes quiet. Copia is back on the ground. He isn't shouting or fighting. He’s singing. The crowd isn't screaming in fear, they're cheering. Those shadowy figures have disappeared. The Skeleton Dancers are still surrounding Copia, but he's still there. Still standing. Copia isn't being dragged off the stage kicking and screaming. He’s safe. He’s alive. 

Mountain can barely hold his drumsticks and Dew is sure he would've dropped his guitar if it wasn't for the strap on his shoulder. They shoot each other a final glance before Square Hammer starts. Before they have to pretend like they didn't just watch their Papa get pulled from the stage, leaving them helpless.  

And yet, by the looks on everyone else's faces, they hadn't. No one seems to care.  

Dew’s stomach twists and he's positive he's going to throw up. 

Mountain’s not much better, swaying slightly behind his kit, dizzy. 

They want nothing more than for this fucking show to be over with. To know that their Papa is okay. That they didn't fail him again. To call Aether.  

As soon as Copia finishes his farewell speech, Mountain and Dew are flanking his sides. This isn't their normal spots for bows, but they have to be around Copia right now. To hold his hand. To know that he's alright. They don't want to overwhelm him. They don't want to do anything too drastic; they know how important this show is for him. But they have to know he’s okay. They pull Copia into a bone cracking hug, and while Copia appreciates their affection, something neither Dew nor Mountain are particularly fond of sharing in front of this many people, he can't help but wonder what has prompted it. 

The ride to the hotel is a blur. Mountain vaguely remembers Cirrus’s questioning glance and Swiss’s hand on his back, leading him towards the bus. 

Dew thinks he hears Rain’s voice send comments and compliments his way, the beginning of a call and response of sort, a habit they’d fallen into after Rain’s first ritual. But this time Dew’s response is just a nod, hardly even perceptible had Rain not been burning holes into him with his stare since he caught whiff of Dew’s distress during Dance Macabre.  

When they arrive at the hotel, Dew is a bit more present. Asking Copia to ensure he and Mountain room together. He reassures the pack that him and Mountain are okay. Drained, but okay.  

He tries his hardest to guide Mountain to their room. To be the life preserver he knows Mountain needs right now. But fuck does he need one too.  

He feels bad calling Aether without checking what time it is over there, but doesn't even have the time to consider anything else before his arms are moving on their own accord. Pulling out his phone and finding Aether’s contact. Mountain needs Aether right now. Dew needs Aether right now. 

Dew knew how much Mountain still thought about that night. Mountain had confided in Dew shortly after it.  

In The Pits, Mountain was ridiculed for being a plant-specialized Earth Giant. Others thought that made him soft, pointless. Earth Giants were meant to be geological, what good would a giant with a knack for plants be, that job was for the little ones. 

Mountain was paralyzed with fear. He was stuck behind his drum kit. Forced to watch as Terzo disappeared. He was helpless. Years of working on himself, his self-image, his confidence, flushed down the drain in that single moment. Again, Mountain began to wonder if they were correct. Maybe he really was soft. Useless. A sorry excuse for an Earth Giant.  

“Hi Sweet Thing. You with us?” 

Mountain is ripped from his thoughts as he hears Aether's voice. It’s crackly and a bit robotic through the speakers of Dew’s phone, but it is undeniably Aether.  

“Hmm?” 

Mountain hums, his eyes finally focusing on something for the first time in hours. 

Dew is holding his phone in front of his face, Aether is dimly lit on the other end, smiling softly at them. 

“There he is.” 

Aether's eyes light up as Mountain acknowledges him for the first time since he'd answered Dew's call.

“Wasn't right without you Aeth. Fuck. Kept looking around for you. Imagined you running after him”  

Dew laughs dryly to himself but tears fill his eyes. 

Aether wishes he could just crawl through the screen and hold his boys. He knows how much they love Copia, how much Terzo's death affected them. How much it affected himself. But he’s on the other side of the fucking world, so he just hopes his words and presence, even if though a phone screen, can provide them enough comfort to get some rest before they have to do this all over again tomorrow. Without him. Again.  

“I know baby, I'm so sorry. Wish I was there too”  

Aether smiles sadly though the phone. 

“Guess neither of us made too big a fool of ourselves though, maybe those pointless rehearsals weren't so pointless”  

Dew tries to joke, but Aether can see right through him. 

“Why didn't I see it?” 

Mountain mumbles into the space between Dew’s neck and shoulder that he’s crammed himself into. 

“What was that Hun?” 

Dew asks, rubbing the back of Mountain’s head where his hair had been tied back for the show. 

“The lift, I mean why didn’t I see it before. We practiced--Satan knows how many times-- just like you said, and I never once thought anything of it until tonight. Why'd it have to hit me in the middle of a fucking show. Probably made a dumbass of myself up there loosing time during the second to last song of the night... Was supposed to be perfect for Papa.”  

Mountain whispers the last part, but Dew and Aether are still able to catch it.  

Dew pulls Mountain closer to himself and Aether’s heart breaks, longing to reach out, to whisk those worries away. 

“Mountain, I didn't make the connection until tonight either. It was different. I dunno how, but it... was.”  

Dew silently curses himself for his lack of explanation, he knows that's what Mountain needs right now. Mountain needs logic. Something that tells him why something happened so he can avoid it next time. But truthfully Dew doesn't know. He doesn't know why tonight was different, but it was, and it fucked him up too. 

“I'm sure it had something to do with the crowd and the stage lights. I remember those helmets; you can't see shit in ‘em. Hearing people screaming, being blinded and burned by those lights, watching someone you care about, who holds the same title, in the same spot as one of the most traumatic events of your time topside. That’s probably why it was different. I know that doesn't change anything, but it does make a difference.”  

Aether adds.  

And logically Mountain knows Dew is right, that Aether is right. That it was different. But he still hates himself for faltering, even if no one else noticed.  

“Plus, I'm sure if you really did mess up, anything noticeably at least, we all would've gotten a smartass text from Swiss. I'm thinking something along the lines of ‘The All-Mighty Mountain Crumbles at the Sight of a Dangerously Handsome Multi's Hips"  

Aether jokes while drawing a rectangle in the air with his hands, mimicking a news headline, hoping to bring his mates back down to Earth.  

Dew giggles, a genuine giggle and Mountain huffs out a laugh. It isn't much, he knows that, but Aether has never been prouder of himself.  

They talk for a bit longer, until Mountain and Dew’s minds have cleared a bit and their eyes have returned to that deep forest green and the vibrant copper and ocean blue Aether had fallen so in love with, before any of this mattered.  

Mountain and Dew finally settle into their bed. Their position is awkward at best but they’re comfortable. They're Here. They have each other. Copia is alright. They're alright.  

And that's all that matters right now. 

All that can matter right now. 

[multi-fandom-of-madness]

Nameless Ghouls X Angel!Reader Headcanons

These are headcanons of how you - an angel - would meet the ghouls, and them realizing you were their mate.

Ghouls included: Dewdrop, Rain, Mountain, Swiss, Aether, Phantom, Cirrus, Cumulus, Sunshine, Aurora (if you want other ghouls, feel free to request)

Warnings: Injuries, mentions of blood

Notes: So these are a bit long, but I'm also going to make this into a series - read here on Ao3 - once the little stories have been written, I'll link them to each ghoul and put a color on each name, so you'll know who has a little story written

Dewdrop

You disguised yourself as a ghoul to get close to the Church, saying that you were a ghoul from another ministry sent to help around.

Once in, you met Dewdrop.

He was already suspicious, but he recognized you as his mate immediately. Thank Lucifer his mate was a ghoul.

Slowly, he started to realize how weird you acted. You tried explaining that you were just new to Earth, and that you were still figuring things out.

But he caught you.

He saw you alone, in the spot of the gardens where you two would hide, wings stretched out with an ethereal glow surrounding you as you prayed to God.

He is not happy about this at all.

What do you mean he’s mated to an angel?

The argument he had with you was one for the books. He was beyond upset, and you didn’t know how else to react, so you argued back, desperately trying to explain that although you lied, you truly loved him.

He will literally do everything in his power to avoid you until he physically can’t resist you, and once he does run back to you, you’re so kind to him, which stuns him.

He eventually softens and welcomes you into his life with hesitantly opened arms.

You’re very curious about his lifestyle and other things on earth that you’ve never seen from your above view in Heaven.

He actually explains things to you in such a gentle manner.

After being kicked out of Heaven, you immediately run to find him.

He’s shocked. The only bad thing you ever did was hang around him.

He was responsible for your fall, and this hurt him. He tried avoiding you again, but you wouldn’t let him.

He held you so tight every night, especially the ones where the memories of Heaven would flood back in.

You were his angel, and he wasn’t letting you go now that he’s let you in.

Rain

You weren’t even at the Abbey. You were in the middle of a random city because you were following Ghost’s tour.

One of the head angels sent you to keep tabs on them, which, looking back on it now, was a big mistake.

You were at a small, local coffee shop when you caught that first whiff of petrichor.

Oh, you were head over heels immediately.

Rain noticed you, but tried his best to keep his attention off of you. No way did he just catch the eye of an angel.

He left the coffee shop as soon as his order was ready, trying so desperately to escape your intoxicating scent, but it followed him.

Well, technically you followed him. You weren’t sure where he was even going, but you followed him anyway. And he let you.

He knew he would get in so much trouble, but tempting an angel? Now that was too good to pass up.

Once he put an end to the game, he confronted you. He explained the feelings both of you were hardly fighting, and you just kind of stared at him like a lost puppy.

He was so confused by you. Why are you – an angel – so entranced by him? Shouldn’t you be running? Shouldn’t he be ripping you to shreds? Apparently, neither of you cared enough to find out those answers.

You continued following him from city to city in a Romeo and Juliet kind of way.

Your secret meeting spot was coffee shops. It was away from ghouls, from angels, from anyone. The only reason the ghoul’s figured out what was up was because Rain always came back smelling…ethereal.

You fell once the head angel realized what happened when you kept visiting him after the tour ended.

You immediately ran to him, and he held you while you cried.

He was going to help you adjust to your new life, and he would fight for you to stay with him.

Even fallen, he loved you far too much to let you go.

Mountain

The most collected about this.

At first, he was so put off by it, but once he realized he wasn’t going to escape his feelings, he wanted to keep you.

His only concern was your purity. He didn’t want anything bad to happen to you, so he pushed you away.

It was such a conflicting feeling, and as much as he wanted to make you his, he just…couldn’t hurt you. He didn’t actually hate you of course, but he couldn’t see you ruin yourself for him.

He acted as though he hated you, so you pushed him. This was affecting your purity, and every visit made your feathers darken (metaphorically).

You fell on purpose, and he almost resented you for that.

Your life had been so good, why would you push yourself to him?

Heaven wasn’t as kind as people assumed, but you never told him that.

You just wanted to be near him, but Heaven was holding you back. Why couldn’t he see that?

He wanted to pull you close and protect you, but he was so conflicted.

He couldn’t decide what to do, and he punished himself by staying away, and punishing you all the same.

Once you told him about Heaven and how it wasn’t what was good for you, he was shocked.

He was angry.

He couldn’t believe that anyone would do anything so cruel to you…until he realized that he did.

He isolated you when you needed him the most, and that rubbed salt in the wound.

He held you so close and vowing never to leave you and that he wasn’t going to let anything hurt you again.

Swiss

He’s so protective of you.

Probably the most protective actually.

He couldn’t sleep. He just didn’t have a good feeling about the day.

So he went for a walk in the woods, which is where he saw you all bloody.

You were so scared. Scared of being kicked out of Heaven, scared of the ghoul you heard coming closer, scared of where you were, scared of everything.

Swiss couldn’t hurt you. You were his mate. You were in too much pain to put two and two together.

He brought you back to his room to patch you up. He was too hesitant about everything, but cleaned you up and even allowed help from some of the others.

He growled, snarled, snapped his fangs, and whatever else he could when any ghouls who weren’t actively helping you got too close.

You were his angel. Even if you were technically a fallen angel, you were his angel.

The other ghouls were ready to get on his ass for letting an angel in, but

Aether

He full on panics

He’s Papa’s favorite. He’s righteous. He hasn’t done anything for this to be his fate.

An angel? His mate? Wrong. Absolutely not.

You felt a pull to him. Like you just had to be next to him at all times.

He didn’t like it at all and constantly tried to force you away from him.

But you stuck to him like a fly in a glue trap.

He would snap his fangs, snarl, growl, show his claws, and even threaten to use his quintessence.

But you stayed for no reason other than to feel that static you felt when you were around him.

When Heaven found out about your attempts at getting closer to Aether, you were cast out.

And he…didn’t help. He freaked out again and left you.

It was a lot to pin on him, but he felt that he did this.

It might not have fully been his fault, but he believed that he was the cause of your misery.

He wanted to help, but he could feel every ounce of pain that Heaven inflicted onto you, and he couldn’t stand it.

It wasn’t until one of the other ghouls forced him to see you that he really let himself try to patch up his mistakes.

He was absolutely terrified seeing how much pain you were in, but he slowly began to help.

But trusting him was hard…it happened slowly, but he helped you and you couldn’t help but let him in.

And he promised never to push you away. He promised to never let you get hurt. He promised to never leave you again.

Phantom

Once he finally got control of his glamour, he was allowed out of the Ministry.

Swiss had taken him to a shopping mall, letting him explore and choose his own style (on Copia’s dime of course).

They were taking a break at an Auntie Anne’s when he smelled something absolutely fantastic – and no, it wasn’t the cinnamon sugar pretzels.

Even as Swiss tried to reel him back, he walked over to you. Apparently he needed to get more than just his glamour under control to hide his ghoulish tendencies.

He came up and sniffed around you, making sure that the scent was indeed yours.

He was intrigued, and began asking you millions of questions in the middle of the mall.

Swiss finally pulled him away and took him back to the Ministry, and you…you didn’t know why, but you followed. Secretly, but you still followed.

You roamed the gardens at night, and he came out when he realized that the smell wasn’t just in his imagination.

His ghoul form entranced you, and you decided then and there that you wanted to fall.

There were nightly visits for about a month before you got the warning from Heaven.

He didn’t want you to fall. You were so pure and beautiful…but then he thought about you being a fallen angel. No limitations to your relationship.

So you fell. It was a painful break, but he was there for you.

He held you as you cried, did his best to cheer you up, and helped you find your place in the Ministry. He helped you find your place in the world.

Cirrus

It’s a situation similar to Mountain’s.

You were trying to fall. Trying to give God a reason to cast you out.

When she meets you, she’s confused and doesn’t know what to do.

She doesn’t know whether to push you away or pull you in.

It’s a lot of fighting and a lot of back and forth.

The two of you almost hated each other, but you couldn’t stand to be away from her.

You had already fallen, but there was something about you that was still so heavenly, and she couldn’t stand it.

She was one of the toughest ghouls, but slowly, her hard exterior began to chip away.

You broke her down and forced her to show her vulnerability.

And when she did, you saw just how scared she was.

But you were there to help her, and she was going to help you.

Cumulus

You were just a curious little thing, and she was excited to help.

Everyone thinks Cumulus is soft, but she was beyond thrilled to make you fall.

She’s decently possessive, and Heaven had their claws on what belonged to her.

She helped you learn Earthly ways while sneaking in her own corruption.

But when you did fall? She was terrified.

You were hurt, and she caused it. She didn’t want to see you.

She let the pack tend to you and your wounds.

She only saw you again when you made your way into her room, nothing but a blanket covering you.

She sobbed at the sight of you, and held you so tight.

You were her angel, and she messed up. Even though you’d forgiven her, she felt that she messed up, and she wasn’t going to forgive herself.

Sunshine

This happened in the weirdest way.

She was literally watching Lilo and Stitch, and that one scene where Lilo is praying. Sunshine thought it would be funny to try it out herself.

Walking over to the window, she kneeled down in front of it. “Maybe send me an angel. The nicest angel you have,” she repeated, folding her hands and giggling heavily.

Well giggling until she heard a very chipper “hello” from her bed.

And there you were: wings, golden glow, even pretty robes.

“What the fuck!” “Well that’s not very nice.”

There is an angel. On her bed. And a really really pretty angel at that.

She’s insanely curious as to who you were, and why you chose to come to the call of a demon in a satanic church.

You explain that you were sent to help the sinner in question (her) repent. Because obviously that's why she called you.

She had to explain that she was just joking of course, and that honestly just confused you.

You were very curious about the demon, and she was very curious about you.

There were visits at least once a week to each other after that.

You were given a warning, which is extremely generous of the head angels to give. They only gave you one more chance to stop your visits.

You began feeling guilty about lying, but you stopped visiting. Until you heard that same call. How could you resist?

You came back to her, and she managed to get you to stay the night.

You woke up earlier than her, and quietly rolled out of bed. As you looked in the mirror, you saw the feathers in your wings. Some still white, others graying, and others pitch black. You had fallen.

She felt so guilty, but honestly was more glad. No more restraints from Heaven keeping you from her. She was going to be your forever protector.

Aurora

Similar to Sunny, she summoned you on complete accident.

Sometimes, ghouls will read the bible for shits and giggle, and she was reading random scriptures. In between the pages was a random paper scribbled with incantations on how to summon an angel.

She watched Hocus Pocus one time, and decided that being a witch was her new favorite thing, so of course she decided to play around.

She was curious, and wanted to see what would happen.

So she summoned you on a random Tuesday.

Your curiosity matched hers perfectly.

She taught you all of the human things that she was taught. 

She was so proud of herself!! She even showed you off to Cirrus. 

Cirrus gave her a look of “what the actual everloving fuck?” and told her that you had to go.

Both of you refused, but soon, you felt a tug pulling you back to Heaven.

It was months before you returned.

Aurora became very depressed, only coming out of her room when forced. Heaven realized that you were feeling the same way over a demon.

They kicked you out immediately.

Cirrus was the first to find you after you fell, and immediately took you to Aurora.

Aurora immediately curled around you, keeping you protected and safe from the atrocities Heaven committed against you.

You were pulled from her once, and it would not happen again.

[hypnoneghoul]

absolution live 2017/2023

here I am with my over 1,5k word autistic ramble about the differences between absolution live from 2017 and 2023. at the end there is an audio file of both versions put together, if anyone would be interested in that. it sound very cool heh

also tags for people who showed interest in this: @forest-rot @ghuleh-recs @counting-eyerolls @ngnt-writes @ghnosis @rain-ghoul-appreciator @sister-rosemary-marie

anyway, under the cut

I will start with an analysis of instruments and players separately, one by one, and then I’ll talk about the whole thing a little bit. Also I’m using only ghoul names in there, but when I’m talking about styles and skills I obviously mean the unmasked folks.

Both in 2017 and 2023 we have Mountain on drums, which gives us a very fun comparison opportunity. In 2017 he goes heavy on the cymbals—according to the original version of the song—but it makes the whole thing a bit too crashy and too clogged. The drums are very widely mixed and set—slightly focused on the left side following the stage layout from then—but I think the cymbals could be a bit quieter in comparison to the actual drums, especially the floor tom. In general we can hear how smaller Mountain’s kit was in 2017. In 2023 the entire drum part is sharper and deeper, more bassy and it’s focused more in the middle. The way it feels to me, in 2017 the drums are the background and in 2023 they are the core. Mountain has better fills in 2023, he obviously got more comfortable just jamming in there and having fun over the years.

Dewdrop on bass in 2017; we can hear (or at least I can) that he is not a bassist. He scrapes his pick on the strings a lot which is connected to him being primarily a guitarist—it’s about the picking hand placement and angle. The bass is pretty quiet and it has overdrive on it. It helps conceal his buzzing a little bit, because it happens a fair amount for Dewdrop. Again—bass is not his main instrument. We can also hear exactly when he slams it, like we know he loves doing. In general sometimes he’s quieter and sometimes he’s louder and it’s mostly caused by his picking; how he angles his hand in certain moments and how much strength he puts into it. At the end he goes absolutely feral. Not surprising.

Rain in 2023 is amazing. He’s very skilled, and it’s a huge shame Ghost doesn’t have any songs that could really allow him to show off. He hit his cue a bit too fast at one point, but it might as well be intentional. He’s so much clearer and cleaner, both due to his skills and the settings. Rain has more drop, he most likely has his bass on a different pickup setup than Dewdrop, plus they used different basses—Rain’s with additional mods. One of those mods is a very heavy bridge—Badass Bass—and I bet we can thank that piece for the sustain and note definition in Rain’s playing. In general it flows more, fits into the whole image better. His changes in volume are controlled, not accidental like it happens for Dewdrop. Rain puts more slides, tiny additions and note changes into his live playing, it makes it a bit more lively to me. He’s put perfectly in the middle, nicely blended with the drums.

Unfortunately there isn’t much I can say about Ifrit, Dewdrop, Aether and Phantom mainly because “Absolution” isn’t really a guitar focused song and so it isn't the best song to compare guitar skills, either. The most interesting part—guitar wise—is the solo and little fills on the rhythm now and then.

Ifrit is very precise, I couldn’t hear any mistakes from him, but also the lead is surprisingly quiet in general. His palm muting is on spot, pull-offs and hammer-ons both in the chorus and the solo are very clean and he is simply a pro, he’s got super skills and I wish we could’ve gotten more (</3). He makes the whole song as lively as his stage personality, it sounds flowy but packed with emotions and still so precise it hurts.

Dewdrop’s sound is way better, though he and Ifrit are close skill wise. The difference between Hagstrom Fantomen and Fender Stratocaster is a big one, the main aspect that we can hear is the sharpness of the former and more grounded sound of the latter. Those two guitars also have a very different pickup arrangements—Dew’s strat has SSS (3x single-coils) pickups and he uses the bridge one (which is a Seymour Duncan Hot Rail), and the Fantomen’s has HH (two humbuckers that can be slip, but as far as I’m aware no ghoul used that feature), also with the bridge one used more frequently. In “Absolution” Dewdrop doesn’t add very much—as he does to some other songs—so it’s pretty much the same as the original version. There are small differences that inherently come with his style and that is what makes his version differ from both Ifrit’s and the album's, but it’s all very slight. Dew also makes a very good use of his pedals, mainly wah—especially at the end.

Aether is a bit off tempo in some parts. He plays well, mostly clean, but we can pick out some slight mistakes—mostly sounds that aren’t supposed to be there. His palm muting is a bit too light. He goes heavy on the pick which makes his part of the solo a bit sharp (especially that he’s playing the higher harmony) and square-ish. The sharpness is, again, something we can partially blame on the Fantomen. Only partially because both Ifrit and Phantom prove that it’s manageable. 

Phantom is very clean, he adds a lot of slides which is a feature of his personal style. Said style of his is very lively and fun, to me it sounds and feels like a slinky (don’t laugh at me it’s the autism). He’s more fluid both in the solo and the rest of the song than Aether, but makes one—barely noticeable—mistake in the solo where he misses a note.

Also Phantom and Dewdrop in 2023 are more in sync than Aether and Ifrit in 2017. For whatever reason.

Now keyboard; Zephyr goes absolutely ham on the keys, but it is a piano song so that’s not only understandable, but also desirable, I would say. Key’s are in the right ear with slight migration to the middle when it matters, again according to the stage layout. Their precision and speed and overall skill is insane, the ending when they go wild is the most impressive part, because the song itself doesn’t give many opportunities. If you haven’t seen a video of Zephyr playing that ending you gotta do it now because it really is insane (RIP to that Nord Stage 2 though). The synth fill before the solo in 2017 is played back, in 2023 it’s played live by Cirrus.

In 2023 Cirrus plays the main chorus keyboard part, it can be heard easily on the left side (so once again stage layout accordingly). It’s clean and precise, she’s also very skilled, but unfortunately doesn’t really show off at the end like Zephyr does. Cumulus plays some chords before the solo while Cirrus plays the synth fill.

Vocals are not my thing so I’m only going to say what most of us can hear; Terzo is very nasal, but cleaner, and sings a bit higher. Clear pronunciation, good flow. It’s closest to Tobias’ normal singing voice. Copia is even more nasal, more growly and raspy. They’re both, obviously, in the middle in case of mixing.

Backing vocals in 2017 are all play-back for obvious reasons—pretty simple, taken straight off of the album recording. It’s put on the left, but it could be more favorable in the middle. 2023 is way more spectacular thanks to—mainly—the backing vocals. They are 90% Aurora and Cumulus, with lower levels of Cirrus and barely anything of Swiss. He’s louder by the end. I’m still conflicted about the growls—if it is Swiss or Papa’s play-back—but it’s a great addition that was very mild in 2017’s play-back. The backing vocals are on the sides, accordingly to the stage layout. It all just adds more spice, I adore them.

Sound engineering and mixing is so much better in 2023. We can easily tie it to the budget (though I’d like to “blame” it on Hayden’s part in the engineering, he’s a mastermind, too). The sound is much clearer and fluid than in 2017, it highlights all the instruments perfectly at the same time. Mixing in 2017 is more blunt, it’s a bit duller and some changes in volumes and placements of instruments could—or even should—be made. It doesn’t mean 2017 sucks—far from it—it’s just a technical difference which actually warms my heart if we look at how far has Ghost come. So, once again, considering the budget in 2017 vs. 2023 it’s all understandable. Also the crowd sound control in 2023 is very fun; it makes a great use of all the yelling causing the whole song to sound warmer and fuller.

Both 2017 and 2023 are on the exact same tempo, they can be put over each other perfectly (which I did). They slide apart at the end and the break before the outro is longer in 2023. The 2023 outro itself is pretty boring in comparison to 2017, most likely because in 2023 it’s not a closing song. Below there’s both “Absolutions” over each other; 2023 in the left and 2017 in the right headphone.

[xxcallmemaryxx]

Hi!! ^^

May I request the Ghouls with a s/o (masc or amab pref or gn!) who often times struggles to sleep with nightmares/night terrors and heavy insomnia? Where it’s come to the point reader would rather just stay awake than trying to sleep? (Comfort fluff with this prompt just sounds edible to me..)

Thank you, have a good day!

OH HEY MARY WRITING FOR GHOST AGAIN ITS BEEN A WHILE!!!

The Ghovie has breathed life into my love for Ghost again, what can I say.

Nameless Ghouls x GN reader

Reader that struggles with nightmares ~ headcannons.

Under the cut <3

Mountain tries to let you deal with this on your own at first. He wants you to know you can have the space to deal with your troubles in your own time and process them how you need. Ultimately though, if you don’t say anything after a while, he steps in. He’s noticed you’re just not sleeping and it’s upsetting him. Humans need their rest more than ghouls do, his human needs their rest and he will make sure you are getting it. He makes the most lovely balms and oils, the plants he uses sourced right from the greenhouse on the church grounds. He has good intentions, you know he does. When he tells you all about the plants he used to make them, and how they’re proven to help humans sleep. Or, at the very least, to relax their bodies and minds enough to welcome sleep. But you’re still a little skeptical and he can’t blame you. He runs you a bath and adds his oils into the running water for you, lets you soak it up and breathe it in for as long as you like. He gets you out of the bath himself, dressing you in his clothes and rubbing his newly made balms all over your warm skin. If the balms themselves don’t work, his hands massaging your body certainly does. His presence is relaxing enough, but his massive warm hands on you, kneading into your tired muscles is what quiets your mind a little more. He catches the droopy look in your eyes, your heavy eyelids and sleepy smile on your face. He gets you all tucked in and cozied up against him after pampering you all night, and he’s not shocked to see you’ve fallen right to sleep.

Your mind is quiet all night long and you get your first full night of rest in a long time. He feels better now, knowing that this worked and you now have a little solution. He reminds himself to thank Aether for using some of his Quintessence on the herbs Mountain used, it was a shot in the dark but it seemed to seep into your skin and do exactly what it needed. Now his little human will be well rested.

Rain gets it. He’s been there. It takes you a little while but you open up to him about your struggles and he’s all ears. He’s holding your hands in his and he listens to every word. He wraps you up in big cuddles when you’re done, thanks you for trusting him. But then he shocks you by telling you he’s experienced the same thing before. Nightmares of being sent back to the pit. Of disappointing Papa and losing his pack. They kept him up for days and he was too afraid to sleep, terrified of reliving the nightmares again and again. Sometimes he even still has them, but he’s better about dismissing the nightmare for what it is and reminding himself he’s not going anywhere. That alone takes a big weight off your shoulders, knowing you’ve got someone so close by who knows exactly what you’re going through. And Rain is so kind and gentle with you. He never pushes you to elaborate on your nightmares, or tell him every detail. But the promise alone that he sees you, and he understands, almost brings tears to your eyes.

He lays awake with you all night after that. Never pushes you to try to sleep but instead, he stays up with you and keeps your mind a little busy. He thanks Him that ghouls don’t really need as much rest as humans, embracing his ability to stay up for longer amounts of time. He lets you fall asleep whenever your brain and body finally give out, but he stays awake with your sleeping form even then. Determined to be there and ready to comfort you should you awake after another nightmare. He presses kisses into your warm skin the whole time, hoping your brain will subconsciously recognise his calming presence and give you a damn break for once.

Dewdrop is a little pissed that you’re just awake all night while he’s conked out beside you. Kind of kicks himself for not noticing it sooner, but gets even more annoyed that you’ve just been awake and alone all night dealing with that. You’re telling him that his human has been struggling without him? Yeah, it takes a few for him to process that. The thing about Dew is that he doesn’t really know how to help. He wants to, so bad, but he’s a bit awkward when it comes to helping humans… he’s never really cared that much until he met you. Nighttime rolls around and he just doesn’t go to bed like he usually would. Plays it off as if he just doesn’t feel like going to bed right now and continues lounging around next to you. It’s 1am and he’s still up with you, he decides he wants something to eat and pulls you through the abbey corridors until you reach the kitchens. He whips up some kind of mess of eggs… he tried to fry them but mid way through they all broke and so he scrambled the yokes trying to fix it. You eat them anyway, a full belly doing you some good. He’s happy he was successful in distracting your mind a little bit, he’s learning as he goes with this and he suspects there’s much much more to learn after this too, but for now he’s a little happy he’s doing at least something.

He doesn’t let you see the mess he leaves, instead he leaves the dishes for the kitchen Ghouls to find the next morning and ushers you out of the kitchens and back to his den. It’s then where he pulls you back into bed and just lays with you for a while. He secretly really enjoys moments like this. When it’s quiet and you’re both settled, when he can share secret moments with you that nobody else will ever know of. He ups his body heat to get you cozy, pulling you close and just encouraging you to enjoy it. No pressure at all, just enjoy being with him.

Aether cheats a little. Your beautiful Quintessence Ghoul can’t just stand around while you struggle to have a full night of rest. No way. Not happening. He spends hours upon hours relaxing your mind and body to his liking. A nice evening walk around the abbey gardens. A big dinner that hits the spot perfectly. A long, warm bath paired with the most wonderful massage this ghoul could ever give. And finally, you’re in his clothes and being tucked up into his bed. He asks you first, never wanting to overstep any boundaries with his magic. You give him his green light, you trust him. He never uses it unless absolutely necessary, but tonight he feels his capabilities with his quint magic will be put to some very good use. He starts by carding his claws over your scalp, a few times… to relax you even further. Before he settles them nice and snug pressing into the base of your neck. He focuses, and he worms his way into your mind. You can feel him there, his warmth present within every crevice of your being sends you into slumber faster than you’re ready for, and he uses his abilities to flood your thoughts with (selfishly) images of him. He stays there for a little while, he knows that once he does pull away and gives your mind a rest, his quint will linger for a little bit.

He ends his night lying next to you, eyes on your beautiful face. A face that finally seems relaxed. A face that finally tells him you’ll feel better in the morning. Any guilt he had of using his quintessence for this vanishes, knowing that he did it for something good and his lovely little human will finally have a night of peace.

Swiss is a little less inclined to be upfront about his use of the little bit of quintessence he has due to his multi ghoul abilities. He finds the things he can do with them to be fascinating, but his favourite thing to do is use this ability on you when you least expect it. He knows you’re okay with it, a big talk was had about them a long time ago with promises to speak up should your feelings about him using it change. It’s apart of him, and he enjoys finding new ways he can mess around with you while using them, but sometimes he finds himself in situations where you need them for something a little more mellow. He’s known for ages about your nightmares. He’s seen a few of them while visiting your mind during your sleep to poke about in your dreams. He offered you a world of comfort and distractions, everything you ever needed to take your mind off it and feel better. But the moment he caught on to you being up all night, from struggles of even falling asleep in the first place, he was one unhappy ghoul.

He gets you into bed nice and early the next night, after locking you up in his den and not allowing the world outside to sway him from his plan. You don’t think a thing of it when he pulls you close and gets his claws in your hair. Nor do you realise what the sudden warmth flooding your mind and body is until you’re struggling to keep your eyes open. You’re out like a light within minutes, and you have the most peaceful of sleeps you’ve had in weeks. Swiss’ quint can only go so far, he uses all he can muster to keep your mind quiet and blank for the night to allow for a nice sleep. You’re all wrapped up in him, in his bed, in his den and you’re as safe as physically (and now mentally) possible. He plants big wet kisses on your face, excited to see you well rested in the morning.

Phantom woke up in the middle of the night to find you still awake. He immediately knows something is wrong, you smell different… like how you do when you’re irritated with something. And he thinks it’s him that you’re irritated with. He shot up with about a million questions and didn’t relent until he got some kind of answers from you. He listens to every word you speak so intently, taking it all in and trying to figure out where to go from there. The minute he processes you not being able to sleep he’s already planning about a hundred different ways to tucker you out. He’s pulling you out of bed and getting you into his warm clothes. You’re both out the door of his den and embarking on a nice long walk around the abbey grounds. It’s the super early hours of the morning, none of the early risers are up yet so you both have a few hours to enjoy the stillness of the church you both call home. He keeps you so close, tells you it’s for warmth but you know he’s a big cuddle bug and can’t keep his hands off you for more than five minutes. He talks to you the whole entire time. About everything he could ever think of. He has lots of stories from touring with the band, seeing so many new parts of the world and just things in general he’s learnt after being summoned. He finds human life fascinating and is always telling you new things he’s discovered.

He keeps you busy this way until the sun comes up and the kitchen ghouls are up preparing for breakfast. He walks you slowly back to his den and back to bed. There’s no pressure to fall asleep, but you smell like normal again, like how you do after a lovely little mid day cuddle session, and he knows he must have done something right.

.

.

.

Please excuse any typos or complete nonsense sentences. It’s 1:30 and I was struggling to keep my eyes open while writing the second half of that.

But I’ve missed writing for the ghouls, and watching Rite Here Rite Now made me realise how much I miss that world and writing for it.

I think it’ll take me a little while to rediscover the ghouls and the way I used to write them, but this was fun.

Enjoy my loves.

[phantology]

pet names

— the pet name that the ghouls call you most often. [swiss, dewdrop, phantom, rain, aether, mountain]

a/n: this is my first time writing for ghost, so apologies for the short length. just wanted to get a feel for it before i started writing longer things :)

DEWDROP ━━━

you could hear the half-walk, half-run of your favorite ghoul before you heard his voice. his gate told you he was happy about something, whatever it was.

your theory was confirmed a few beats later as he walked into the room, guitar in tow.

“i take it practice went well?” you smiled.

“tiring, but it went well.” dewdrop set his guitar down, then made a beeline for you. “although, you know that i missed you, doll.”

PHANTOM ━━━

the word that slips off of phantom’s tongue is… foreign, to say the least. it almost felt heavy. he seemingly said it without realizing it, tagging it on to the end of his sentence as though it was your name. whatever he had said to you doesn’t even register.

“what did you say?” you finally ask.

“i asked what you were up to?” he responds, sounding a little confused.

“no, what did you call me?”

he seems to think about it. after a few brief moments, he finally looks back up at you. “i called you… i guess a translation would be something like ‘my darling?’”

AETHER ━━━

“good morning, darling.” aether’s voice was starkly chipper to how you felt. it was a little too early in the morning for you taste, but sleep evaded you.

despite the tiredness still clouding your mind, you smiled at the ghoul. you plopped yourself down beside him and laid against him, allowing him to maneuver the both of you so that his arm fell across your shoulders. as he began to rub small circles into your skin, sleep finally found you.

RAIN ━━━

it was quiet. not that you minded it, just that most days spent around the ghouls were the very opposite of quiet.

“hey, sweetheart?” the familiar, calming voice of rain caught your attention. you looked from the reading you were engrossed in to the ghoul who offered you a small smile.

“hey,” you responded. “where is everyone else?”

he shrugged absently. “out. doing something or the other. i figured we could do something? stay in, if you want, or we could go find something to do. whatever you wanted.”

SWISS ━━━

“baby..” swiss dragged out the name, purposefully making his voice whiny to get your attention.

you looked up at him. you didn’t say anything, but the look on your face communicated what you meant. in all honesty, you’d forgotten what you were feigning being upset about, but swiss’ attempts at earning your forgiveness were becoming comical.

MOUNTAIN ━━━

the mug made a clink noise as mountain set it on the desk. inside of it was coffee, made just the way that you always liked. mountain had a weird way of remembering little things like that: the way you made your coffee, the way you wrote certain letters, the way you organized. it was odd to you sometimes, but other times it was useful.

“hopefully the coffee helps.” mountain started. he paused for a moment before continuing. “but… you need sleep, my love. you’re sure there’s nothing i can do to help you finish your work?”

[genderlessghoul]

Okay there's too much elemental transition Dew angst on this app. And I mean that in the most affectionate way possible, I swear to god y'all who write it always manage to make my heart ache in the worst/best possible ways. But I am a simple, soft creature so I present to you : Dew who actually accepts and recieves well his elemental transition.

Dew who's skeptical of the idea at first because water is all he's ever known. He turns the idea in his head over and over again until he realizes how tempting the offer feels to him. Yes, water is all he's ever known but he doesn't really feel attached to it like he should. The more he thinks it over, the more it feels like a blessing. A new start.

Dew who talks about it beforehand to the rest of the pack. They're worried, rightfully so, but they listen to his explanation. And they agree with him in the end, he should do it if he feels like the right thing for him.

Dew who goes throught with the transformation, and it hurts like a bitch and he's sick for a good two weeks after. But his pack is there to take care of him. He doesn't like depending on others but he lets them, secretly loving how everyone offers to carry him everywhere, how it feels to have people wash his hair and bring him food.

Dew who connects with fire as soon as he's better. The element truly calls to him, pulls him in, welcomes him. It's warm and intense and it's home. Finally home. He learns his fire ghoul duty in no time under Ifrit's teaching.

Dew who doesn't resent Rain at first for being the new water ghoul, quite the opposite. Aether's the one who was supposed to be in charge of putting a cloak over him, charming and comforting as ever. But the second Dew saw that water ghoul, folded in on himself in the middle of that summoning circle, he took that cloak out of Aether's hand faster than he could think about it. Walked up to the shaking Rain, wrapped him up tight and told him it would all be okay, that he's safe. Dew takes him under his wing, teaches him all about being a water ghoul, as well as he can without being one himself anymore.

Something in Rain calls to him, he knows it's the water. It's not mad at him for pulling it out of his body, it knows it was the best decision for him. But it still misses him. And Rain shows him all the love that water ever had for Dew, a love that was never meant to be in him but rather with him. (And also sometimes in him, if you catch my drift.)

Dew who learns to love his scars, to accept them as a part of his story and his journey, rather than a heavy anchor to his past. He doesn't shy away when Phantom sees them for the first time. Doesn't try to hide or to make up stories. They're a part of him. And they're beautiful.

Aight that's my self service for the night, good byyyyye

[skele-bunny]

So I seen this post about ghouls just being demonic cats but it made me start thinking LMAO it reminded me of red pandas doing that when they get scared.

Swiss is hard to scare. You can't sneak up on him whatsoever. Since he's a shadow walker he can physically feel someone approaching constantly, and if anything he's the one giving out all the spooks! Just pops his head out to scare someone. He's done it to Rain too many damn times. He'll just turn his head all creepy as the other approaches him with that big smile. "Yesss?" Literally fucking boogyman that has glowing eyes under the bed.

Rain who's susceptible to getting scared easily, but always gets his revenge when they go swimming. See, the fun thing about sirens is you don't know they're there until they're right on you. Cirrus just floating before feeling hands yank her down, screaming only to be cut off from the water. Rain just in a giggling fit as she whines about her hair being wet and coughing out said water. Loves grabbing ankles and hearing shrieks.

The others know better than to scare Mountain as he goes STRAIGHT to fight mode. Aether scared him once during movie night, right at the climax and Mountain shrilled like a teenage girl and whipped around, and socked Aether right in his jaw. He felt TERRIBLE afterwards and just held him so tight EJJSJD. Then Phantom didn't know any better when he hid under the table and grabbed Mountain's hoof... It's impressive that quintessence can reattach teeth after being horse kicked!

Cumulus and Dewdrop who LOVE banding together to freak the others out. When you have a ghoul that loses his face when he's in a true form and a ghoulette that can set the mood juuuust right with ominous wind and croaks? YEAH. Imagine the pure scream Sunshine did when she looked up to see a faceless being staring down at her from the corner of her room. Ohh those two didn't hear the end of it for DAYS.

But also!! Dew who's very sensitive to being scared. Loves horror movies, loves the darks, and gore. But a person scaring him? He'll stiffen up instantly and eventually just start silently crying. Fists clenched SO tight and just staring at the other before he's able to break from his trance and just yell how it wasn't funny, but he'll eventually start laughing about it, too.

Cowbell and Special who are masterminds during Halloween and Halloween only. They're very sweet during the day as it's usually trick-or-treating time with the kits, children and siblings of sin, but nightfall? Ohh it's free range. Bell is tall as FUCK. She knows that very well. Have you ever seen a giant skeletal being standing in the treeline just staring you down and eventually stalking you the further you go in? Phil using the fact he can seperate himself into two... Ever had the shadow in your peripheral look like it's going to touch you but the moment you turn around nothing's there, but then when you turn back around it's right in your face? YEAH!!!

[st-danger]

pls pls pls give us a little taste of how aeon’s heat goes and how the other ghouls handle it (from ur free use ask) i’m begging

-crookghoul

Oh how good of you to ask as I just spent time texting @miasmaghoul about what it could look like not a few hours ago.

It starts in the most embarrassing, borderline juvenile way possible, and for a very long time after, Aeon feels shame and arousal in equal measure when he revisits the memory. The shame he could probably do without, but the others seem to enjoy that slice, and their continued reaction to it ensures it'll always get him going again, even if it makes him cringe.

Nastiness under the cut.

Edit: Free use ficlet here.

To put it frankly, Aeon loses his mind. It's overwhelming in a way he has nothing to compare to, and because of that, it's almost intolerable.

They're all curled up on the couches in the common room, watching some movie Mountain chose. He can barely pay attention, and to be perfectly honest, stopped following it roughly twenty four minutes past the title screen. He feels weird in a way he can't quite quantify, and curls himself into the blanket a little further. Squirmy.

"You good?" Aether murmurs and Aeon startles, oddly enough.

"Mhm," he replies, and Aether nods his assent and turns back to the screen.

And then he feels it. Out of nowhere, apropos of nothing he feels hot from his toes to the points of his ears and the tingling that settles into his belly and creeps lower, lower, makes his stomach clench. Everyone's been, well, accommodating doesn't seem to fully define it, but usually it's kicked off by something. A dream. Dew looking at him like he means to consume him. Aurora having a little fun, unable to stop from teasing him, standing near and brushing her tits against part of him, braless, mock accidental. This is out of the blue.

This is the part he's not proud of, and cannot for the life of him, when he looks back, understand why he didn't excuse himself. He thinks he can get away with it. Not that he needs to hide, clearly not- but he feels funny about it now, nervous, and he doesn't know why:

Under the blanket, he lets his hand wander. As still as possible, slow to not rouse suspicion, he shifts again, makes it seem like hes just repositioning himself under the blanket. Innocent. But now he reaches for himself and slow and careful as he's able to avoid giving anything away, plays with himself. Pets at his shaft through his pyjama pants in long runs of his fingers, and feels his face heat. Grateful for the fact the lights are off. So, so grateful. His cock is sticking straight up before he knows it, pressing against his pants and he begins focusing on the head.

Tickling it. Giving all the attention to the tip, the underside, and while pretending to watch the movie, toys with it incessantly even as his eyes go blurry, too out of focus to catch much of what's happening on screen.

He misses the sidelong, careful glances from the others. Of course he does. He's throbbing and twitching and he has to figure out a way to pull it out so he can touch it for real. He barely registers Mountain standing up, until the lights are flipped back on. Beside him, Dew leans in and rests his chin on his shoulder, smiling. Too close for comfort and Aeon freezes.

"What are you doing down there?" Dew asks, silky and deeply amused. Aeon blanches and jerks away, hands freezing, but the giggling that echoes from Cumulus and Aurora, the knowing chuckle from Aether lets him know he's screwed. He opens his mouth to say something, flounder for some excuse, but Aether's reaching to pull the blanket away and Dew howls.

"No fuckin' way," he laughs, and Aeon feels another wave of pleasure roll off him, even as his head swivels and he stares at everyone looking back at him, looking at his lap, looking at the way he-

"Can't help yourself, huh?" Dew says, leaning in again to rest his chin on Aeon's shoulder once more, laying a hand on his knee that feels like heated steel. "Look at you go. Can't stop rubbing that red dick raw, huh?"

"I can't- help it," Aeon squeaks, looking to the others for some kind of validation, apologetic. "I don't know what's wrong, it just-"

"Came out of nowhere?" Mountain offers and Aeon nods. They all share a knowing look that makes Aeon feel he's missed something important. That they are aware of something Aeon is not. It makes him feel uncomfortable. Nervous. Incredibly nervous.

"You're in for a helluva night," Dew says, into his ear. He can feel his breath against his neck, and has no idea what he means, but suddenly the urge- the need, the absolute need, struck with a certainty that if he doesn't get a hand on himself right this second he'll discorporate- is too great and he cringes and shoves his hands down his pants to pull it out, with everyone watching.

Everyone.

"Fuck, I'm sorry," Aeon stumbles, like he hasn't been using them to get off whenever possible for weeks now. Like it's something they haven't seen. Well, not like this. Not everybody all at once, staring at him hungry and appraising while he loses his goddamned mind. He wraps both hands around himself and starts to jerk himself in quick, short pulls, frantic and stupid and fast. Singleminded intensity to cum. He hears a groan from one of them, and another round of giggling and cringes again, full bodied as he leaks a shining pearl of pre from his tip.

"Oh, don't be," Dew purrs and Aeon screws his eyes shut and pants and jerks and jerks-

He's there before he realizes what's happening, and now, unlike what's been happening earlier, he feels the base of his cock, the one he's been rubbing red sore any chance he gets, on anything he can, begin to swell and apparently everyone notices it too, because there's a chorus of sounds, approving and nasty from his audience.

"He's gonna pop it," he thinks he hears Swiss say.

He doesn't understand but it makes everyone laugh again and suddenly his orgasm is upon him and he knows on instinct he has to squeeze himself there, hard, now-

He uses both hands to wrap around and milk the bulge, hips thrusting forward, and watches, mortified and keening, as it tries to bounce out of his grip and spit out rope after thick rope, and he cannot let go of the fat bulge, has to pulse it rhythmically, just knows he has to-

"Unholy shit," Dew cackles, "he actually, oh. Oh unholy shit look at that-"

He finishes cumming, eyes watering while he looks around at the others, still unable and unwilling to loosen his hands- he just knows if he does it'll be unbearable. Doesn't know how he knows, but he knows. He takes in the delighted, hungry looks from the others and the nerves come crashing back, accompanied by deep embarrassment and excitement.

"Welcome to the club, sweetheart," Swiss grins, standing up. Aeon's stomach lurches when he sees the outline of his cock pressed against his pants.

[chapel-of-rizztual]

Cw: oviposition, tentacles, breeding, med kink

Something something Mountains heats being so intense that the only thing that helps him is being tied to a breeding bench and letting the other ghouls in the ministry run him through. They make a line, they have to to stop them from fighting over him, from smallest to biggest.

Dew goes first. They all watch as Dew struggles to Mount him, growling impatiently. Thankfully Dew never lasts long and his knot never does either, too small to stay locked inside Mountain especially with how wet he is.

Auroras next, eating out Dews load out of him and making him cum with her very skilled tongue. Cumulus goes next, using her equally as skilled fingers to pull another orgasm out of him. Phantom follows, he has the eagerness and grace of a newborn giraffe and, like Dew, struggles to mount him. But that doesn’t stop him. He fucks him twice, growling at Mist when she tries to pull him off but he’s so desperate to get his knot into him. And just like Dew, he can’t get it to stay locked for more than a few minutes.

Mist follows, fucking him with her tentacle for a bit before she can’t take it anymore and pushes four of her eggs into him. That satisfies Mountain for a bit but it doesn’t matter because Rains next and he gets three more eggs pushed into him, along with a load of thick black slimy ink to go with it. He can feel it all dripping out of him and running down his thighs.

Cowbell helps him push them out. Squeezing his tummy from behind and watching as each egg stretches his cunt out before popping out. He pushes a few back in, fucks him with them a little before he’s getting shoved out of the way by Swiss. Swiss fucks him hard and fast, two fingers in his ass because he knows Mountain goes crazy for it. Swiss doesn’t last long, not when Mountain is so wet and sloppy. The barbs on his dick dig into the soft walls of Mountains cunt and lock them together in way that’s so painful it has Mountain cumming over and over.

Zephyr follows Swiss. He’s evil and fucks Mountains ass that Swiss had so nicely prepped for him. He’s uses the this spade of his tail to flick at Mountains clit, making him clench tightly around him. He fucks him slowly, his stamina impeccable. He doesn’t knot him, not with two impatient quintessence ghouls growling behind him. Instead he pulls out and cums across Mountains back, watching as his back muscles move and twitch as his load lands on him.

Second to last is Aether. He kneels down and with one gloved hand probes around his hole. He scoops up some of the mess that had spilled out of him and pushes it back into him. He uses a speculum to stretch him out, watching in awe as as all the cum pours out of him and into the floor below. He takes two of his fingers, pushing them in with the speculum and pokes around at Mountains cervix, telling him how well he’ll breed and ripe and ready he is and that he’s literally perfect to be bred and that his womb is begging to be filled with kits. He watches as Mountains cunt twitches around the speculum and he can feel as his cervix pulses as he cums.

Once Aether is done it’s Omega. The one Mountain had been dreading and hoping for at the same time. He’d once jokingly compared Omega to bull but now that he was pushing into him and stretching him out he doesn’t think it was much of a joke. He folds himself over Mountains back, biting as his neck. He reaches under him so he can grope at Mountains tits, pulling and twisting his nipple while he whispers how good they’ll feel all full and leaking with milk. He tells him how he’s going to breed him, how he’s not letting him go until he can smell his littler in his belly and see him bulging all fat and round with the evidence. He knots him three times, making Mountain beg for it each time, before he’s finally satisfied. And so it Mountain.

Sometime later, Copia wanders into the ghouls den, oblivious to what they’ve been up to and just curious as to where all the ghouls have disappeared to. He walks into the site of a very satisfied and blissed out Mountain, still tied to the breeding bench and several glowing eyes of the ghouls looking at, telling him it’s his turn.

[cumulo-ghoulll]

Ghoul Pack HC 📱

When Copia introduced the ghouls and ghoulettes to ✨ technology ✨ he learnt very quickly that they needed screen time limits and parental controls.

Dew was hooked within the first 10 minutes of using his laptop and stayed on it for 3 days straight. He hissed and scratched when Copia tried to take it off him. He now has a screen time limit of 2 hours a day.

Rain, after being given access to Copia's Netflix account, locked himself in his room with Mountain, all the snacks in The Kitchen's cupboards, and binge watched Every. Single. Nature documentary they could find. They're both only allowed to watch 2 documentaries a day (providing they can find one they haven't watched yet).

Aether was, thankfully, quite sensible. For about a week. At first, he just used his phone for Google and WhatsApp. Searching up medical conditions and sending a screenshot of the description to the other doctors working in the infirmary to confirm if a patient has that illness or not. One day, he noticed one of the nurses wearing a digital watch that counted their steps. He wanted one desperately and asked how he could get one too. He was then shown how to order things offline and he bought his watch shortly after . . . as well as 87 bananas, banana toothpaste, banana socks, a banana phone case, banana shaped earrings, a matching banana necklace, banana shorts, and a plethora of other banana related items. Copia now has to personally approve of anything Aether wants to buy.

Swiss became addicted to his phone solely for the fact he could listen to music whenever wherever. This was not really a problem until he started complaining that he couldn't hear people when they were talking. Aether checked him out and found that he had partially damaged his ears from blasting music 24/7. He now has to wear kids headphones that cannot be turned up to the max. Swiss is not happy.

Cirrus, Cumulus, and Sunnie are no longer allowed to go on Amazon as they bought at least a dozen cans of silly string each and sprayed Sodo's room as payback for screeching at Aurora when she interrupted him on his laptop.

Aurora refused to use Google ever again after Copia found out she had Googled 'boobies'. He wasn't mad, she was just embarrassed. Swiss has offered to teach her how to delete her search history but she never wants to go on the internet ever again.

Phantom doesn't really know how to use technology, even after being taught by Copia. Rain did show him how to print off pictures and that is, so far, the only thing knows how to do. He is no longer allowed to go anywhere near the printers, however, as he managed to print off 103 baby bat pictures from EVERY PRINTER IN THE MINISTRY. The printer code has since been changed.

[endless-weightless]

Nameless Ghoul NSFW headcanons

Got Ghost tickets and now I’m gonna be autistic about this band. Also kinda on the shorter side because I’m SO BUSY rn but the autism will pull me through 💪

CHARACTERS: Swiss, Rain, Sodo, Aether, Mountain, Phantom, Omega, Ifrit

TAGS: Smut, reader insert, BDSM, monsterfucking?, afab and amab!reader, lingerie, marking, switch!reader I guess?, switch!Swiss, soft dom!Mountain, mean dom!Omega

🌙Swiss

Kinky. We know this. He’s willing to try just about anything you’re comfortable with.

His personal favourite kinky things include bondage, spanking, gags, some dynamic play, marking and a sprinkle of dacryphilia.

He’s such a power switch and I will not listen to anyone who disagrees. Sometimes he wants to dick you down and sometimes he wants to be dicked down. Is that too much to ask for?

REALLY FUCKING LOUD. If you’re making him feel good he’s letting everyone know.

“Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck~ baby if you don’t slow down I’ll cum- fuck!”

Has absolutely no shame walking around covered in hickeys, bite marks and scratches.

Swiss gets unbelievably horny when you touch his horns, like something in him snaps when you touch them.

Prefers cumming on you rather than inside you, like you’re a canvas and he’s the painter.

Don’t bully him he’ll cum :(

Nah but seriously, if you call him a slut at least once and pull his hair he’ll absolutely melt.

🌙Rain

Pretty vanilla compared to Swiss, but has his kinky moments.

Prefers sex to be romantic, so expect lots of kisses and hand holding.

Speaking of hand holding, he squeezes your hand when he cums. He just loves you so much and you’re making him feel so good.

Has cried on one or more occasions. It could be because he’s so in love or maybe because he just has a really sensitive cock-

Absolutely adores fucking in the shower or even outside in the rain. He loves it when you two are both in tune with his element and it just makes him feel safe being in water.

Doesn’t let out pornographic moans but rather soft gasps and grunts and if you’re really fucking him good then he’ll start whimpering the closer he gets to cumming.

Speaking of cum, he loves cumming in you and just having you cockwarm him (or the other way around). He also moans an “I love you” when he does so.

“I love you so much darling- oh satan.”

Always looks so goddamn pretty when he’s all fucked out and exhausted.

🌙Mountain

My fav ghoul 💜

Gives me soft dom vibes, but not crazy on kink or bdsm.

He’s fucking huge and uses it to his advantage.

Likes watching you squirm when taking him. The bastard will just watch you struggle as you try to fit all of his length in you while he just sits there doing fuck all.

Loves watching you ride him. If you have tits he’s automatically hypnotised by then jiggling as you bounce on his cock.

If you get too tired or overstimulated to keep riding him he’ll instantly flip you over so he’s on top of you and he’ll just pound into you at whatever pace you need.

Mostly grunts when you two are fucking, but he isn’t shy about moaning in your ear when he cums.

So much praise. Like a fuck ton of it.

“Look at you, taking me so well. You’re doing such a good job.

If you’re ever stressed he’ll instantly suggest a solution that involves his face buried between your thighs for the next hour or so.

Endless cuddles when you two are finished. He’ll have you wrapped in his arms until you’ve fallen asleep.

🌙Omega

Good LORD those fingers.

Mean dom. So mean :( (but very rewarding when he thinks you’ve been on your best behaviour)

I reckon he’s pretty well versed in the bdsm and kink world. Maybe even to the point where bdsm is part of his actual lifestyle outside of sex.

Fucks you absolutely silly and then mocks you when you’re too overstimulated to say a full coherent sentence.

If he’s feeling too lazy to actually fuck you or he’s busy he’ll beckon you over to him and have you sit on his lap while he fingers you into oblivion or jacks you off until you’re shooting blanks.

Goes feral when you moan his name, or just say anything along the lines of you belonging to him.

Cums where he wants, as long as you’re comfortable with it.

Not incredibly loud unless you’re sucking him off, then he’s getting a little slutty because he knows how turned on it gets you.

“Oh yeah~ use your tongue just like that darling. Fuck .”

He LOVES bending you over and pounding into you until you’re crying. He’ll even give your ass the occasional slap and moan an “atta girl/boy”.

🌙Sodo

Every time you moan his full name “Sodomiser” he instantly starts panting like a fucking dog.

Gets progressively hornier the more you feed his ego.

Likes nipping at your neck and wrapping his tail around your thigh when you’re fucking.

He tries stay quiet but ultimately ends up a whimpering mess when he cums. He doesn’t even have to be subbing, he just kinda whimpers regardless 🤷‍♀️

I feel like if you were about to suck him off he’d lightly slap you in the face with his dick because he thinks it’s hot 😭

Let you use a vibrator on him one time and he came so hard he was scared to let you use it on him again. He uses it on himself occasionally though.

“Nonono wait don’t turn it up I’ll- ngh~”

Like Swiss he loves cumming on you, bonus points if it’s your chest, ass or face.

One time you pulled his tail during sex and he let out such a load and sinful moan you had to pause before going back to fucking and then teasing him because of it.

🌙Aether

He’s hot and he knows it, the cheeky bastard.

Likes it when you caress his muscles. Fair enough though, if I was that buff I’d want everyone to touch my big strong biceps-

He loves just randomly picking you up and manhandling you.

If you’re a pillow princess or prince you’re in luck because he’ll do all of the work as long as he gets to hear you whimper his name and look at your pretty face.

His favourite thing to do is to buy you lingerie and the rip it off hours later. Sometimes if he’s feeling a bit silly n goofy he’ll buy it one or two sizes too small so he gets to see your tits and/or ass spill out.

Prefers cumming in you but doesn’t mind, as long as you’re satisfied.

Can and will fuck you standing up and it’s very scary because WHO THE FUCK HAS SEX STANDING-

He’s mostly quiet, but still very verbal if that makes sense. He moans a lil and also lets out these like sighs? Idk how to explain it but just know he’s enjoying himself 😭.

“Mm you look so- fuck, good like this.”

🌙Phantom

He’s like a very excited puppy when it comes to sex. Probably would be into puppy play too tbh.

Very easy to overstimulate. Just go for a second or third round with some edging thrown in and he’s putty in your hands.

He whines, moans, whimpers, cries, you name it.

“Please, I’ll be good, I just need to cum, please.”

Doesn’t understand his size or strength sometimes. You couldn’t convince him he had a massive dick until one time when you were riding him you put his hand to your stomach where he could literally feel himself moving inside you.

Doesn’t mind whatsoever where he has to cum, just as long as he actually gets to.

He has the most sensitive tail and horns ever it’s not even funny. He could probably cum untouched if you played with them enough.

Bites a fucking lot, like damn boy calm down.

Needs praise or he might go a little coocoo.

🌙Ifrit

This man is a SWITCH WITH A BREEDING KINK.

So obviously he loves cumming in you.

Gets so unbelievably worked up when he smells you.

Likes fucking you while your in his lap, like something similar to the lotus. He needs to be close to you.

(Afab hc) for some reason he can tell when you’re ovulating and it just sends him spiralling. He’s practically on his knees rutting into the floor and begging you to let him fuck you.

This when he gets the most vocal.

“Please let me fuck a baby into you. Mm~ I’ll do anything”

Bites hard. Like it’s a problem.

(Half afab) Insists on carrying you everywhere once you two are finished. His reasoning is because he might’ve hurt your silly little human body with his massive ghoul dick (his words not mine) and because you might be pregnant!

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

That's all, thanks for reading my lovelies!

[sentientgolfball]

Like the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars in the Sky

I'm absolutely sick for these two being soft for each other you have no idea

Read here or on Ao3

Pairing: Stardew

Word Count: 2735

Tags: self-deprecating Phantom, Dew is so very soft, mirror sex, teeny tiny twinge of body horror but that's only because Phantom is exaggerating their scars

Summary: Dew can see himself in Phantom for all the wrong reasons. He tries to get them to see what he sees.

Dew wasn’t always the confident ghoul who loved to flaunt and show himself to the world. He wasn’t always one to dress up in a tight little outfit that left absolutely nothing to the imagination. To someone on the outside, it would seem like Dew is one of the most vain ghouls in the Ministry but those closest to him know it’s quite the opposite. He clawed his way through fire to get to where he was. 

When he was a water ghoul he knew what he had. He knew just how pretty he was, everyone was always telling me so. He could bat his eyes and have Ifrit on his knees. If he flipped his long silver hair over his shoulder Mountain would be there with his lips glued to his gills. He’d stretch after a good nap, a little bit of his shirt riding up and Aether would be on him before he finished yawning. He would be completely focused on his music and Zephyr would wrap an arm around his waist and pull him into their side with a growl. 

He was a pretty, sweet, delicate little thing. 

He forgot this after his transition to fire. Oh, he had wanted the change sure, but some dark part in his mind would whisper to him. It told him he made a mistake, he wasn’t the same how could any of them love him anymore? He compared himself to Alpha and Ifrit, convinced he’d never look as gorgeous as two real fire ghouls. He saw the horrid scars that used to be his gills, his matte black limbs, and the sharp spines that used to be his fins. He knew he was being lied to when his pack still called him beautiful. Dew refused to look in a mirror for weeks after the ritual. When he finally did, it only made these feelings worse. He shattered the mirror when he saw one of his horns had broken when he realized even his curtain of now blonde hair couldn’t hide the gashes in his neck. He had wholly devoted himself to the Morning Star and what did it get him but a broken, mangled body? 

When Rain came along it was like something in Dew clicked into place. At first Dew had hated him, he was nothing more than a reminder of everything he had given up. That had changed the first time Rain saw him without a shirt. He had been going to the laundry room, fresh out of every hoodie and jacket he bundled himself in to hide. He didn’t think anyone was in the den. They had stared at each other like two frightened deer before Rain breathlessly muttered the word that altered Dew’s brain chemistry. 

Beautiful. 

Dew’s path was long, but it only got better from that moment on. He stopped constantly wearing layers upon layers of clothing to hide his scars. He finally let other ghouls take him to bed who weren’t Aether or Mountain. He finally allowed those two to fully undress him. When Ifrit kissed the fire symbol that had been carved onto his chest with the same reverence normally reserved for sacred objects Dew nearly wept. He finally felt like he belonged in his body. He finally felt like Dewdrop again. 

This is why it was so easy for him to spot it in the new ghoul. He’s not sure if he’s the only one who noticed, but he wouldn’t be surprised with how well they hide it. At first Dew thought he was reading too much into things, silently searching for something that wasn’t there. But the moment Phantom used their glamour for the first time Dew knew he was right. It was subtle but unmistakable the way their eyes fell when they saw their scars still covering their face. 

Dew had wanted to do something. He couldn’t let those feelings fester in the little bug. Unfortunately, Dew is not the best when it comes to these deep rooted feelings. He did his best to make Phantom feel appreciated, changing the strings on their guitar, giving them his extra pillow on the bus, and accompanying them to the mall that was near one of their venues. He had hoped Phantom would confide in him or at the very least make some off-handed self-deprecating joke that Dew could argue against, but it never came. Still, he noticed the way they avoided looking in the mirror for too long, the way they’d run their hands over the Lichtenberg figure scars every single time they had their glamour in place. 

Dew really couldn’t do anything about it until they were home from tour. Everything was too chaotic on the road for them to have any real heartfelt moments. That didn’t stop Dew from trying to figure something out. He had something planned, a moment where he’d steal Phantom away to go stargazing or maybe watch a thunderstorm roll in and Dew would whisper his adoration to them. 

That plan was thrown out the window though when Dew came into the kitchen for dinner this evening and Phantom wasn’t there. Dew immediately questioned the rest of the pack. 

“They said they were taking a quick shower before dinner” Cirrus supplies. 

“Yea quick” Aurora giggles “It’s been like thirty minutes.” 

“If we compare that to Rain technically it is quick” Swiss flicks the water ghoul with the end of his tail who hisses in return. 

Dew hums in acknowledgment before walking to his own room to get changed into something more comfortable. He stops though outside of Phantom’s door. He doesn’t know why, but something deep within was telling him he needed to check on them. He tried to ignore it, telling himself they’re just showering for Satan’s sake, but he already had the lock popped before he could stop himself. 

The scent of melted plastic nearly made him fall over with how strong it was. All the lights were off. The shower wasn’t running. The bed was empty. Dew peered into the bathroom to see if maybe they were hiding in there, but he came up empty-handed. That’s when he heard a small sniff from his right. He looked over only to see Phantom huddled up under their desk, knees drawn up to their chest and their face hidden. 

“Bug?” Dew crouches down to their level. 

“I’m sorry” they sob. 

“What? Why are you sorry?” 

“I know you’re only here to bring me out. I’m sorry I didn’t…I was going to take a shower honestly but then I just…I just—“ another sob wrecks their body and the space is momentarily filled with purple light as quintessence jumps from her Lichtenberg figure scars. 

Dew shakes his head, tentatively reaching out to place a hand on their arm. When they don’t pull away he scoots closer. 

“No Phantom, buggy, I came to check on you.” 

“Why?” 

“Just had a feeling” Dew shrugs “what happened?” 

It’s quiet for a moment as Phantom takes the time to find their voice. They slowly look up, eyes shining and puffy. 

“I’m disgusting.” 

“What?” 

“Oh come on Dew look at me I’m covered in scars that I can’t hide no matter how hard I try! I’m shattered! Hells even if I could hide the scars there’s no way to get rid of this!” They let the tips of their fingers slip into the empty void that should’ve been their left eye. 

Dew gasps and grabs their wrist quickly, stopping them from going any further. They let him guide their fingers away from their face as more tears start to fall. 

“Phantom…” but Dew doesn’t know what to say. 

He knows words won’t do anything. He could call them beautiful until his vocal chords gave out and it still wouldn’t clear the fog from their mind. Maybe that’s a blessing, Dew has never been one with words. He does his best with his body, so that’s what he does. He gently pulls Phantom out from under their desk. They thankfully don’t resist, allowing Dew to drag them out and into his lap. He holds them there, pressing their ear to his chest and wrapping his tail around them. He lets them cry for as long as they need to, gently rubbing their back. 

When their shoulders stop shaking Dew cups their face, softly guiding them to look at him. He brushes his thumb across the underside of their eyes, wiping the stray tears away. Dew pressed his forehead to theirs and sighs. 

“You’re beautiful to me Phantom.”

“Liar” they let out a halfhearted whine. 

“Trust me…” Dew whispers before gently pressing a kiss to their forehead. 

He travels down, kissing the corners of their eyes, then their nose, their cheeks, and the corners of their mouth. He pulls away only for a moment to stare into Phantom’s eyes, hoping to the Lords Below they’ll be able to see every word that gets caught in his throat. He leans back in slowly, giving them plenty of time to stop him, before capturing them in a kiss. 

It's soft for only a moment before Dew is pressing more insistently against their lips like this kiss alone could get them to see what Dew sees. To feel what Dew feels when he looks at them. He’d give them the breath from his lungs if it meant they would know how radiant they look. 

Even when they part they still close, lips ghosting over each other’s when Dew speaks. 

“Please believe me when I say you’re beautiful.” 

“I can’t…” 

“Let me show you what I see then.” 

Dew scoots back until he’s pressed against the end of Phantom’s bed. He turns them so they’re both facing the floor-length mirror in the corner of their room. Phantom keeps their face tucked into Dew’s neck. 

“Look” Dew gently urges. 

“Come on love bug look.” 

They hesitantly lift their head and turn towards the mirror. They put all their focus on Dew’s glowing eyes. He smiles in the reflection before pressing a kiss right below their ear. He peels their shirt off with no real hurry, dragging the tips of his claws over their skin to make them shudder. He kisses over every inch of skin that’s exposed to him, sucking lightly on their neck and nipping at their shoulders. They sigh and lean their head back against Dew’s shoulders. 

“Keeping watching Phantom. You have to watch me.” Dew whispers into their ear before softly rolling the lobe between his teeth. 

Dew doesn’t continue until he sees Phantom lift their head and make eye contact with him in the mirror. When he does, Dew laves over the branches of the scars on their neck, sucking deep marks over them as evidence of his love. He doesn’t stop until he feels a small spark of quintessence ripple through his body. 

“Sorry” Phantom tries to look away again but Dew doesn’t let them. 

“No more apologies.” 

They open their mouth like they’re going to protest before closing it and nodding rapidly a few times. 

“Good boy” Dew whispers before slowly trailing his claws down their body to hover over their hips. 

He goes slow, making sure they’re watching as he pops the button on their pants. He whispers sweetness into their ear as they pull their pants and underwear off, leaving them bare before the mirror. Dew takes only a moment to rip his own shirt off, exposing the worst of him. He grabs Phantom’s hand and rests them against the scars where his gills used to be on his abdomen. 

“Do you think I’m ugly?” 

“What!” Phantom tries to turn to meet Dew’s eyes. He holds them still. 

“Just look, it's okay. 

Phantom nods and swallows. 

“Good. Do you think I’m ugly Phantom?” 

“Of course I don’t! You’re one of the prettiest ghouls I’ve ever seen” they thumb over Dew’s scars absentmindedly as they talk. 

“Even though I’m covered in scars like you? Covered in the burnt remnants of what I used to be.” 

“I…well that’s different you can hide yours.” 

“Even if I couldn't, would you still call me pretty?” 

Phantom sighs “Of course I would. You’re you.” 

“Then do the same for yourself.” 

When Phantom doesn’t respond Dew removes one hand from their hips to slowly stroke their half-hard cock. Phantom gasps when those warm, lithe fingers wrap around him. He drags his fist over their length, squeezing gently with every pass over the head. Dew holds their hip still to stop them from bucking into his hand.  

“You’re beautiful Phantom” Dew kisses over their shoulder, minutely speeding up his hand over their cock. 

Phantom whimpers and shakes their head, yet his eyes fall to where Dew’s hand is working them. 

“Say it.” 

“Dew I can’t…please.” 

“Say it.” 

They gulp and shake their head with a whine. 

Dew lets go of their dick, letting it drop to sit heavy against their thigh. Their eyes shoot up to search for Dew’s in the mirror, concern and confusion written all over their face. Dew meets their gaze with intensity, determination set over every sharp angle. Phantom feels their resolve whither under those burning eyes. 

They mumble something and Dew wraps his hand around their cock, holding but not moving. 

“I didn’t hear you.” 

“Dew come on.” 

He waits, not dropping his gaze from Phantom’s reflection. 

“I’m…I’m beautiful.”

“Damn right you are” Dew starts stroking his cock again, thumbing at the tip to collect the pre beading there. 

“You’re gorgeous Phantom and I mean that. I can’t get enough of you. I would spend every moment tracing the paths of your lightning if you’d let me.” 

Phantom keens when Dew sucks another mark over their shoulder. They don’t want to believe him, they don’t want to accept what Dew says is true. But the conviction that he says it with makes it impossible to keep out. Their cock kicks in his hand, blurting a thick glob of pre over his knuckles as Dew continues his whispering of devotion. 

“Gorgeous. My gorgeous ghoul.” 

“Dew oh fuck Dew I’m gonna cum.” 

Dew hums in acknowledgment, setting a more steady pace. 

“Watch Phantom. I want you to watch and see how pretty you are. I need you to see it.” 

They couldn’t look now if they tried, eyes glued to the way the tip of their dick disappears and reappears in Dew’s hand. They glance away only for a moment to try to find his eyes in the reflection, but their gaze accidentally lands on themselves. They gasp a moan at the sight of their flushed cheeks and the small glow coming from their scars. When Dew notices he laughs and licks up the column of their throat to whisper directly into their ear. 

“I told you. Just look at how fucking pretty you are.” 

Phantom moans and bucks into his fist, spilling over his knuckles and onto the floor. Dew jacks them through it, muttering praise as he milks every last drop from them. He doesn’t stop until Phantom whines from the overstimulation, cock spent and sensitive. 

Dew buries his face into the side of their neck, kissing over their skin. They sit like that for what feels like an eternity until Phantom wiggles in his grasp. Dew loosens his arms enough to let them turn around to face him. They kiss him before curling up and burying their head in his chest, ear pressed right over the fire symbol. 

“Promise you won’t tell the others? I don’t want pity.” 

“Only if you promise that you’ll find me when things get too loud” Dew pokes the side of their head. 

“You’re really not gonna let this go huh?” 

“Absolutely not.” 

There’s a pause.

“Thank you” they mumble against his skin. 

Dew closes his eyes and buries his nose into their hair. His heart clenches thinking about what must’ve been running through their head before they finally broke. He hopes that maybe just maybe he’ll be able to break through to them. He knows that feeling. Knows what it’s like to look in the mirror and not recognize yourself. Phantom doesn’t deserve that. He just hopes that whatever Rain was able to do for him, he was able to do for Phantom. Phantom deserves someone as soft as Rain and if Dew has to douse the fire in his veins to that then he will without question. 

He always will.

[hypnoneghoul]

Symbol on the Surface Chapter 1

WC: 1,4k

Relationship: SwissAlps

Tags: Transmasc Swiss, Early Pregnancy Symptoms, Fluff, Weight Talk, Brief Mentions of Vomiting

Soon after setting out for the second leg of the tour, Swiss starts feeling weird. His symptoms only make one thing come to mind, but, surely, he’s not pregnant… Right?

Notes: Here it is! Tysm to @jimothybarnes for beta reading :3

Read chapter 1 under the cut or on AO3.

Swiss didn’t rest well between tour legs, he must admit.

There was a lot of things to do; helping Mountain in the greenhouses and gardens, catching up with Aether and Sunshine, taking care of all the gear. He could have planned it all better, because before he realized he was waking up at three in the morning to head to the airport again.

Still, it doesn’t explain the way he’s been feeling lately.

Maybe he’s getting old? Maybe it’s time for him to retire, too? It’s all so weird, Swiss starts to actually worry about his health, but as long as he’s having fun on stage every night he won’t mention it to anyone. Even Mountain—at least not directly.

“Mounty…” he asks, walking into the back lounge in the tour bus where Mountain is occupying a couch, and it breaks off into a yawn, “have I gained weight?”

“Hmm, maybe a little bit,” the earth ghoul admits after cocking his head to the side to assess. “Is that bad?”

“No, I don’t know, just–unusual on tour, no?” Swiss stretches and looks down at his stomach with furrowed brows. 

“Hm, yeah, usually we gain weight off tour and lose it on the road,” Mountain admits, waving his mate over to join him on the couch. Swiss is happy to oblige. “Still, I wouldn’t worry much about it. And you know I love your tummy.”

“Mhm,” he hums in acknowledgement and snuggles into Mountain’s chest the moment he lays down next to him. The fact that he definitely has gained weight and is actively gaining more and more isn’t as alarming as other…things.

Swiss has been feeling really fatigued, most of all. He’s not really tired—he can’t sleep when he tries and even if he manages a solid eight hours, he wakes up without improvement. It’s really annoying, if you ask him. Another thing that’s annoying is how his nipples started hurting. He loves having them played with, but—for some reason—they’ve been too sore to even touch for the past few days.

But the absolute worst are the mornings.

It’s hard to hide getting sick every other day from a bus full of demons, but somehow Swiss has been managing well enough. The first time he thought it was the croissant of a questionable freshness that he ate at the venue they played at the night before. The second time he thought it was a suspicious looking hotdog from a shady food truck. The third time–and so on, but then the multi ghoul realized he’s been sick more that single week than his entire life Topside.

“Sleepy, my heart?” Mountain asks and Swiss will not admit it snapped him out of an already half-asleep state.

“A little,” he mumbles. Like a liar—there’s a tiny wet spot on the earth ghoul’s collar from Swiss’ drool.

“Just a little?” Mountain teases with a small smile, not believing a word.

“Only a’little,” Swiss sighs and absolutely does not chirp in the sleepiest possible manner. His mate can barely keep himself from audibly cooing over him at that.

The earth ghoul starts a purr deep in his chest and holds Swiss just a little tighter against him, surrounding them in silence for a moment. When Mountain goes to move again and get them more comfortable on the not-so-comfortable sofa, a rumbly snore escapes Swiss.

“Only a little,” Mountain giggles quietly to himself. He picks his mate up and walks over to their bunk to lovingly shove him inside and climb after him. Swiss sleeps like a dead man so the earth ghoul doesn’t worry about waking him up as he adjusts his limbs to his liking and ends up spooning him.

It’s Mountain’s turn to hide his face in the crook of his mate’s neck, inhaling his sweet scent deeply. It’s ever sweeter than usual, the earth ghoul notes as he drifts off to sleep, too.

When he wakes up, his arms are empty.

Mountain is always groggy for the first…hour after waking, so he just grumbles something under his breath and falls out of the bunk to go hunting for his lost mate. His nose and instincts take him to the bathroom and he’s knocking on its thin doors before he realizes he’s leaning against it.

“Swiss? Y’alright?” he mumbles.

“Fuck–” Mountain hears his mate swearing quietly, “yeah, just had to piss, I’ll be out in a sec.”

Swiss doesn’t sound convincing in the slightest, but the earth ghoul is way too sleepy to notice. He shrugs and gets back to their bunk on autopilot to wait for Swiss to return. He does, after a few moments, and tries his very best to seem just…fine.

He’s not.

Only one thing comes to Swiss’ mind when he puts all his symptoms together and considers the possibilities, but…it is not a possibility.

Is it?

Swiss’ ears perk up at the sound of the tour bus’ door opening and then shutting again. He sniffs the air and it confirms his suspicion—Mountain is back. The pack was craving pizza and he drew the shortest straw; he had to go out while it’s absolutely pouring rain.

The multi ghoul can hear Mountain all but dropping the stack of pizza boxes on the kitchenette counter and shaking the rainwater off of him like a dog—as he usually does. Swiss hopes no one’s in the striking distance.

He makes his way over from his bunk to the front of the bus with a grin and open arms, wanting a hug from Mountain as much as he wants that pizza he brought.

“Hi, darling!” the earth ghoul greets him when he sees him approaching. “Your favorite is on the top, help yourself.”

“I love you so fucking much,” Swiss sighs and hugs his mate with one arms; using the other to get to his pizza. Mountain laughs and helps him with the slightly stubborn box. Finally it opens; the multi ghoul rips away a slice and starts munching. He goes to sit on the couch and waits for his mate to join him as the rest of the ghouls filter in.

Mountain shucks off his wet pants and something falls from under his shirt.

“Oh, I nearly forgot,” he chuckles, walks over to Swiss and hands him the item. “Here, I saw it on my way back and thought you'd like it.”

It’s fluffy and black and white and–

“You…you got me a plushie?”

“That I did, do you like it?” Mountain sends him a sweet little smile. It’s a small panda bear, incredibly soft and absolutely adorable with its big eyes. Mountain watches as Swiss squeezes its body and notices just a bit too late that his bottom lip is wobbling and there’s tears in his eyes. “Hey, what–are you okay? Is there something wrong with it, do you not want it?”

“NO! No, it's–it’s good tears, I love it! I love it so much, thank y–you.”

“Oh, my heart,” Mountain sighs and brings an arm around the other to pull him into his chest. Truth be told he’s a little worried—while Swiss does cry from time to time, it’s not particularly often or over small things such as…a plushie—but he intends to blame it on his post-ritual exhaustion and whatever it is that’s been bugging him lately, “you're welcome.”

Swiss snuggles himself tightly into Mountain’s side and hides his face in the plushie. The earth ghoul looks down at him with his eyebrows furrowed and catches Dewdrop waving at him from the other side of the room.

“Is he good?” the fire ghoul mouths inaudibly and the rest of their pack have equally questioning looks on their faces.

“Not sure,” Mountain mouths back. He turns back to his mate as Swiss’ whole body begins to vibrate with the intensity of his purring. The earth ghoul leans down to whisper into his ear.

“Hey,” he pokes his nose, “I love you.”

Swiss can’t help but chirp happily before kicking the volume of his adorable purr up a notch. “I love you, too…”

He’s still hungry, though, so he goes back to devouring his pizza after a second. Mountain tries not to be offended by how the pizza makes Swiss’ purring stronger and louder than cuddling up to him.

Taglist: @arkeusruin @skele-bunny @everybodyshusband @ratsummer @jazz-bazz @mac-and-thefox

[mancer-in-the-abbey]

This thought has been rotating this in my, MODERN GHOULS (plus Aether) AND HOW THEY ACT IN A FIGHT LETS GO

Dewdrop: Strike hard, strike fast, don’t get hit, that’s the motto. In a brawl scenario he is the first to hit under the belt, dude LOVES to fight dirty and he’s hella resourceful. He doesn’t take hits as well as he used to before the elemental transition, but he’s been working on increasing his speed to make up for it. You cannot and will not see him coming if he decides to deal the first hit, Prefers hand-to-hand (claw-to-claw?) combat over ranged fighting or straight elemental fighting due to a harder time accessing his fire power, but when he does MANNN is it a DELUGE of fire. The whole house is burning down.

Aether: In a brawl scenario, being as big and physically strong as he is makes him excel at disbanding/de-escalating. Aether is really good at taking a punch and being just completely unfazed by it, which is useful in getting people acting a fool to knock it off. If it’s real life or death, though? Ohhhh buddy you done fucked up the minute you messed with the guy who stitches people back together with magic on the regular. If he can do that, how easy do you think it is for him to UN-stitch someone? He doesn’t even need to raise a fist for you to be done for.

Phantom: Phantom, I think, is flight over fight in most ways. If someone wants to start something, he just goes invisible and nopes out of there. Having said that, if he IS stuck in a fight, is the KING of improv. Where Dew can walk into a room and come up with 10 different ways the objects in it can kill a man, Phantom can be handed an object, ANY object, and he will make it work. Not necessarily out of skill, but just sheer blind panic and the need to arm himself. Real scrappy, that ghoul… he has thrown a knife at a toaster for going off too loud and scaring him.

Rain: Rain has VERY good control over his element. If he has a choice between fighting on land a fighting in or near water, he’s taking the water option. That said, water is slightly harder to come by in everyday life unless one is just constantly carrying a bottle of water with them at all times. That is, unless you want to burst the water pipes of a building, which he HAS done once by accident and it was VERY expensive to fix. Anyway, lucky for him Rain does tend to just carry water on him anyway. Man needs to be hydrated, and it also functions as his built in self-defense. You trying to fight? Get geysered with a Stanley Cup, idiot. Assuming water ISN’T an option at all, though, Rain is a biter. You will lose a finger and he will tell you what hot sauce he’d pair you with after. Just for the extra psychic damage.

Swiss: Call my man Rocky the way he didn’t hear no bell, Swiss is RELENTLESS. Stamina in fucking SPADES, it don’t matter how many hits he takes, he will Not! Go! Down! Him and Phantom are similar in that they’re both survivors by any means necessary. In Phant’s case, it made him the master of Ending Situations Fast. In Swiss’s, though, it’s made him durable as an anvil and persistent as a lion. Combine that with whatever element is closest at hand and he’s a force to be reckoned with. And if he has the time to get really creative with his elemental powers? Buddy, you are not leaving that fight the same man you came in, if you leave at all.

Cirrus: Girl was a brawler back in the pit, so to me fighting as a way of life followed her onto the surface. Every bit of her is a weapon. Her hands? Weapons. Her arms? Weapons. Legs? Weapons. Face? Weapon. She is so light on her feet, you will not be able to land a single hit on her. She can blow you off-balance or keep you at arms length, always giving her the upper hand in confrontations. She also knows how to handle actual weapons really well. It’s a hobby of hers, swords are her favorite for sheer cool factor but give that woman a quarterstaff and she will go to WORK.

Cumulus: That is a woman who has a mean, right hook, I just know it in my bones. She enjoys learning self-defense from Cirrus, though more for the exercise than the fighting capability. Cumulus, like Aether, is more a lover than a fighter. However, should the need arise, she is more than capable of stopping a brawl in its tracks. You wanna throw hands? Bam! Sudden atmospheric pressure migraine! What are you gonna do now, idiot? It’s a good way to get all parties involved to scatter fast, leaving her with a quiet evening to herself.

Aurora: Ranged! Fighting! Queen! Someone let her watch Hunger Games and she has been perfecting how to hurt people from a distance ever since. Her aim started out shaky but has gotten SCARY good, she can hit you in the head with a fastball special from a sports field away. Also, she uses her Quintessence powers to manipulate light. Usually this is just for doing cool tricks and making the space look pretty, but she WILL flash-bang you if provoked.

Mountain: Don’t. Just don’t! Mountain may be a gentle giant these days but he wasn’t always. If you like your bones where they are, just don’t fucking bother! He will avoid conflict if it is at all possible, but if he thinks you might be an actual threat to his family, there is nowhere on the continent you will be safe!