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slattern-femina · 3 months

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iris

A/N: originally on ao3 Iris - Chapter 1 - hiraethnefarious, lilsmutqueen - Ghost (Sweden Band) [Archive of Our Own]

Dewdrop nearly trips over Phantom when he tries to make his way to the tour bus bathroom at 3am. He should have turned on a light. But he’s a toughened fire ghoul- dammit- he can find his way to the bathroom fine without help.

Or so he thought.

“What the-“ he squeaks as his foot catches on the quintessence ghoul’s outstretched leg, and he feels Phantom recoil in on himself like a cat. It’s so dark in the tour bus that all he can really see is Phantom’s huge, watery, violet eyes.

Dew sighs and reaches over to sort of pat the area where Phantom’s head is.

“Why are you up this late, kid?” Dew asks gently as he can.

Phantom can only look at the bunk, with the curtain closed, with their resident water ghoul resting, but soft sobs and pants fill the air. “Rain is crying again,”

Dew frowns, also hating the noises. “Yeah, I know.”

Phantom wide, violet eyes are tearing up. “I don’t like it.” He says bluntly.

Dew can only nod. “Yeah… bug, I don’t either. I hate hearing him like that,”

Phantom states at the curtain- then at Dewdrop. “Can I stop it?”

“Ugh.. not unless he asks you yet. It’s okay- I think Mountain is with him right now,” Dew states, judging by the two tails curled around each other, slipping out of the bunk. One comes up and slaps him gently on the chin- as if to make him quiet. Definitely Mountain.

“Fucking ouch,” Dew grumbles and holds his cheek, before getting the hint and leaving. “Here come sleep with me,” Dew says to Phantom, and wraps an arm around the younger ghoul, half hauling him to the bunk. They can all be a cuddly group- but Phantom especially. And especially with him. It makes Dew happy; he remembers he was the same way with Aether- who seemed to never know a minute rest when Dewdrop was constantly at his side.

Phantom waits for Dew to slide in first then he crawls in, tucking his body around the fire ghoul- nearly purring immediately and relishing the heat that radiates off Dewdrop.

Phantom actually adores cuddling with Rain- even though Rain was a little standoffish, when the young ghoul was summoned. It’s not Phantom’s fault… none of them were good with change and not having Aether was hard.

But Phantom seemed to spark such an innocent joy, that no one could avoid him for that long. Soon- they were all over Phantom. Well- they’re all over each other, all the time, it just sort of happens when ghouls are in a sort of pack like this. Everyone fucks everyone and everyone loves everyone. Some ghouls just love a bit more.

Rain has been known to seek out the young ghoul- sometimes just flopping on him in bunks or in his room- and Phantom curls around him like a little, happy, koala. Which is why Phantom hates hearing him crying.

“Why is he crying?” Phantom asks Dew.

Dew quiets for a second and thinks, not exactly sure how to explain it. He’s not always the best with words. He can’t really just say; Oh don’t worry- basically he turns into a rabid sex monster for a week and his body is preparing for him that and it hurts him a lot and no one really knows why and he fucks all of us until we literally can’t move.

No. Be more eloquent than that, Dew- he internally scolds himself. Phantom has never seen this before- he doesn’t understand why his treasured water ghoul is hurting and no one can fix him.

“Ugh… basically. Um. Do you remember what Swiss was like two weeks ago?” Dew asks Phantom. Phantom nods, and a faint blush appears on his rosy cheeks- as he remembers having Swiss basically tackle him and they fucked for hours- while Dew and Mountain were catching their breaths in the same room. “That’s what is going to happen to Rain- but it’s just… hurts him more preparing for it,”’

“Why?” Phantom scowls at the thought of Rain hurting.

Dew can only shrug. “Everyone is different I suppose. Bodies and magic work differently in each form,” at Phantom’s still worried, wide eyes, Dew runs his fingers across the ghoul’s pretty jaw, smiling fondly at the sweet boy. “He’ll be okay- he just needs a few knots and he’ll be fine,” Dew jokes.

Phantom leans into his hand but knits his brows together. “What’s a knot?”

Ah, crap.

Dew stiffens. Shit. Phantom has never been knotted before. He forgot. Almost everyone wants to do it to him- but they’re waiting for him to decide who he wants to do it with for the first time.

“Ugh… knot is … um… okay- special? It’s still… fucking just you get stuck together after.”

Swiss- who Dew swore was asleep- can barely contain himself in the bunk above and pokes his head down into the curtain at Phantom and Dew. Aurora grumbles as he jostles her in the bunk.

“Jesus Christ , Dewdrop! Couldn’t you be a bit more romantic describing the beautiful experience that is knotting with someone you love?!”

Dew rolls his eyes and swats at Swiss angrily with his tail. “Oh, fuck off.”

Phantom stares at them. “… stuck together?”

Dew swears cheeks burn- more so than normal- for the fire ghoul. “Yeah- ugh. You’ll understand more when it happens to you,” he stutters and Phantom doesn’t push him anymore. He just stares at Dew with beautiful, big amethyst eyes.

When Phantom speaks again- his voice is so quiet, Dew can barely hear him. “Will that happen to me? Hurting… like Rain?”

Dew doubts that. If Phantom was going to go feral or rabid or in heat, he would have done it by now.

“Nah, bug. I think you’re good.” Dew says fondly and ruffles his hair. Phantom curls up and tucks his face into the crook of his neck, purring.

“Promise?” Phantom asks, looking at him with wide, purple eyes that makes Dew’s insides feel like they flipped. He really is so pretty.

“Yeah, yeah, promise,” Dew affirms.

They stay like that for a few minutes. Phantom seems so genuinely worried for Rain- but then he starts to relax and purr. A while later, once there is only calm breathing filling the tour bus, Dew is almost surprised when he feels Phantom’s erection tenting his pants and he has to bite back a laugh and endeared smile spreads over his face. He can’t fix Phantom's sad eyes- but he can make him feel good, right? He likes to think he’s good at that.

Dew glances up, hearing Swiss’s snores, and Aurora’s steady breaths. Phantom is already pawing at him, pressing needing kisses to the fire ghoul’s neck. Dew carefully maneuvers him, so Phantom is lying under him. Hell– He’s pretty. So pretty.

“Be quiet, kid, I’ll take care of you—,” his fingers curl around Phantom’s needy erection and the boy jerks against him, breath coming out erratically as he bites his lip to keep himself quiet.

And then Dewdrop jacks him, hard and fast, and Phantom is unsure if his can remain quiet. Dew is often gentle; but getting off hard is sometimes what Phantom craves and Dew seems to always know when that is.

Dewdrop’s hand feels a million times better than his own and he was already so, so close being so close to Dew. He really loves the fire ghoul.

“ Dew ,” he groans, gasping in pleasure when Dewdrop’s head dips down and nips at the junction of his neck, biting down but not hard enough to leave any evidence. The fire ghoul grins against his skin, soaking in all the beautiful sounds he’s making.

“God, baby, you sound so fucking good,” he growls, resisting the urge to grind his hips up against him. He’s not going to “Can you come for me?”

“Shit—Dew— I—,” he pants, legs beginning to shake, his eyes glowing a bright amethyst, and he presses more of his body against Dewdrop to steady himself.

Purposefully Dewdrop drags his thumb over the head of Phantom’s cock, rubbing into the sensitive slit, and Phantom nearly loses it.

“Dew—!” It almost physically hurts Dew to have to cover the boy's mouth; but he can’t risk waking anyone else up. Or … giving them more fuel to torture him with if they’re already listening.

“Come for me, baby,” Dewdrop growls, lowly, into Phantom's ear. It’s the last push Phantom needed, mouth opens in a nearly silently scream under Dew’s hand as he finally reaches his orgasm. His eyes roll into his head and Dew nearly loses his goddamn mind. God, this kid is unreal.

After Phantom finally regulates his breathing- Dew kisses him, slowly, before getting ready to clean him up.

From the above bunk- Swiss snickers. “That wasn’t a knot!”

✧.*

In unison- from both Mountain and Dewdrop in their respective bunks- a glorious “Shut the FUCK up!” Rings out in the air.

In Rain’s bunk- he is nearly curled around Mountain, also panting, and sweating, but not for the same reason as Phantom. Normally Mountain loved seeing him doing that- but not the time. It’s not because of pleasure, that Rain is doing this, it’s because of the unbridled pain he is in. Mountain grimaces and pulls the water ghoul closer to his chest.

Sure- some of them get… ugh. Well there’s no good way to describe it. Feral, heat.. whatever you want it to be called. Swiss and Cumulus are known to be nearly rabid when it hits them every few months.

It’s just Rain’s lead up to is always so painful for him. Waves of cramps and fevers rack his body- and especially when they’re on the road with no big bodies of water in sight- it’s difficult for the water ghoul to find any sort of comfort.

Rain has his face scrunched up; more sweat, and more water, dripping out of his body. Mountain slowly maneuvers around him to fish out his phone - seeing if there were any bodies of water close to them. He has no shame in asking the bus driver to stop and throwing (or gently laying, whichever is more efficient) Rain into water so at least he could have some of his element close to him; but Mountain can only scowl- no water in sight. Just trees and hills. Great for Mountain, awful for Rain.

“I wish I could take you home to the abbey, baby,” Mountain sighs and rubs Rain’s back.

Rain only grimaces. “Can’t… show,”

Mountain sneers. “Fuck the show. You’re in pain. And I hate it.” But he has to hold a certain resolve, if not for him then for Rain’s sake, since he will only be worse if he thinks Mountain is upset with him. Which of course he isn’t; but the water ghoul isn’t exactly thinking clearly right now. “Okay… just… let me know if you need anything?” Mountain says softly as Rain curls up in his chest- humming in response.

Somehow- in amazing strength- Rain played the show the next day, without much difference. He was definitely not as mobile as normal- but his skill was still out of this world. Only a few times did he have to duck behind the drum set, behind Mountain, to curse and double over as waves of pain hit him with unrelenting vigor.

The entire night; Phantom was close to him, barely letting Rain out of his sight for a second. Sometimes; Rain even leaned on him to keep him upright. The fans went insane.

Inwardly; Phantom was crying because Rain was in so much pain.

Finally- it's time to go back to the hotel they’re blissfully staying at for two nights- with no show tomorrow.

It still feels like shit for Rain. But at least there’s a bed and a bathtub.

On the bus ride there; Rain stayed curled up on Phantom, something about the ghoul makes him feel calm. The rest of them watch closely, as if to jump if they need anything.

It was not surprising that Ghouls became a pack like this. Being brought into this existence can be a lonely life if you don’t find comfort in your own kin. And here at the Abbey or on the road; they all rely on each other.

They had pulled into a hotel for the night and the other members wanted to go to the bar- with Rain’s request and approval. There’s really nothing they can do to help him right now. But Phantom refused and came into Rain’s room to help him.

He starts out so well, he really does. He gets Rain to drink water and eat something, run a bath when epsom salts for him which he soaks in for nearly two hours.

Phantom even got him heating pads and human meds for his cramps, he holds him as he falls asleep. Will human medication even work? Other substances work- why not those? Well they’re there for Rain if he needs them.

Phantom really wants his little group to be proud of him, and wants to show he can take care of Rain. He may still be young; but he’s not weak. And he loves Rain a lot.

For the first few hours he is a good ghoul. But then, later- when Rain is sleeping, Phantom feels restless. Like he’s missing something. So he lets his eyes wander, and spots Mountain’s sweater on the edge of the bed… but it feels out of place. Just slightly, but Phantom notices. And suddenly, it’s all clouds his mind. He very gently wriggles out of Rain’s tight grip, and manages to escape without waking him.

He goes to the bed and moves the sweater, holding it tightly.

Would Rain be upset with him for moving it, or touching it? That’s a weird thought to think, Phantom can’t help but to say to himself.

Rain will have to fix it up anyway if he doesn’t like it, right? Phantom decides he can apologize to Rain later.

But the next feeling that hits Phantom makes him hiss and his tail snap in discomfort. A burning, aching pain hit his gut. It didn’t do that before. It feels like it knocks his breath out of him, and he shakily reaches for the desk to catch himself.

He is still holding the sweater so he brings it to his face, inhaling Mountain’s scent. It makes his head a little bit fuzzy. With gentle hands, he folds it and places it on the bed in just the right spot.

He picks up a blanket without thinking, folds it in half and spreads it over the corner of the mattress. That’s so much cozier, and Rain will like it better like this anyway. Probably. He can’t help but chirp with satisfaction, until another wave hits him and he nearly yelps out in pain. What is happening to him?!

Dew said it wouldn’t hurt- not like Rain hurts. Did Dew lie to him? Why, why would he do that.

Tears pool in Phantom’s amethyst eyes and he chokes back a sob.

He forces himself to look at the room and… tidy it. Make it feel… good. Something deep inside him feels settled in a way he can’t describe when it’s down. He basks in the warmth of the nest borders, of the smoothed blankets underfoot. It just feels right… safe.

Or...no, not good. Not safe.

Not safe?

There’s a door right there, anyone could burst through, and Phantom and Rain’s human made phones still lay on the bed- what if someone tries to call, and wakes Rain? Rain can’t leave their hotel room… it’s not safe. The idea of stepping out of the room right now himself makes Phantom feel terrified and on edge, but he knows he needs to make this room safer for them.

His eyes slowly draw to the dresser against a connecting wall. That...that could work. It’s not screwed in to the wall like most hotels. He could move it.

His gaze flips to Rain, still asleep. If he’s asleep, he’s calm, which means Phantom is doing a good taking care of him. He’ll need to be quiet. As silently as he can, he drags the white wardrobe across the hotel room carpet to use as a barricade. It’s heavy- but no worse than a road case.

Once it’s in the spot, pressed against the hotel room door where it will stop anyone bad, at least a little bit. His chest feels so light, his gut hurts so badly...and suddenly, he’s so tired.

He stumbles back to the white hotel bed… and wriggles his way back into Rain’s arms.

✧.*

When Rain wakes, he feels several things all at once.

Confusion and he feels like he’s going to puke.

Hot. So. Hot.

Like his torso is inflamed.

The pain is something he has to learn to live with, because Rain’s lead up have never been easy. A schedule of pain meds, being submerged in his lake, and heating pads when he isn’t keeps him…Mostly sane, but the pain never fully goes away. He looks down and stiffens as he realizes why he is suddenly so hot.

The ghoul, cuddled into Rain’s chest, is sweating uncontrollably, pale lavender face scrunched up even in sleep. Is he sick…?

The sweat drips from Phantom’s clammy skin and seeps into Rain’s bed shirt. It’s already soaked.

Then the smell hits Rain. That’s from Phantom too. Rain doesn’t know how he didn’t notice the source of it at first, but it’s so strong. Sweet, but cut with copper- almost like… vanilla? No. He can’t place it. Phantom has never smelled like this before. Most ghoul don’t really have scents aside from when they go feral for a week. Swiss smells like cinnamon. Cumulus smells like honey suckle.

Rain doesn’t know what he smells like. No one has even really said. Rainwater maybe? That doesn’t really smell like anything. But- that doesn’t matter. He focuses back on his main worry of the absolutely ill looking ghoul on his chest.

None of the other ghouls even thought for a remote possibility that Phantom would get like this too; feral. And worse- it looks like it pains him, like it does for Rain.

Rain sighs heavily and puts his hand on Phantom’s head. “Sorry… if it hurts you too,”

He’s always smelled like… just him. The Sister’s that Phantom had spoken to had just told him that he was just a ghoul with a very weak, probably undetectable smell. That it wasn’t a problem, a lot of ghouls don’t have a strong scent. And yet, here he is, smelling… good? And all Rain wants is to bury his face in his neck.

So what the hell has changed? And why does the ghoul look so illl? The boy is asleep and fisting a handful of Rain’s shirt with white-gripped knuckles, like he’s afraid he might lose Rain if he lets go. Should he wake him?

It takes a second, a wave of cramps hitting with a hiss, before he can gather himself to gently sit up. Phantom doesn’t let go. Rain reaches to the nightstand to see what time it is, to text Mountain.

shit- where’s his phone? He had it earlier to play a game, it must be somewhere here. Maybe Phantom is sleeping on it.

He glances at the wardrobe to see what time clock reads, only to notice that the dresser has been moved to block the hotel room door.

Rain is so confused .

Why would that be pushed there?

What had Phantom been doing while he was sleeping?

His hotel room is completely different, carefully organized and folded clothing in neat lines along the edge of the bed. The change doesn’t bother him really but why would he-

Rain leans down- pressing his nose into Phantom’s neck, breathing slowly. His smell gives him away. The first feral space is always the most instinct-heavy, so these actions aren’t out of the ordinary. His instincts are telling him he needs to make the area safe. Logic isn’t easy when slipping into a feral headspace even for ghouls.

Rain almost cries out at the next wave of cramping, and his eyes water.

He finally reaches his phone under the sleeping ghoul. Phantom hissing and looking like he’s in pain.

01:12 am

To: Mountain

I need you to come back rn. Swiss and Dew too. Dont tell others. Something going on with Phantom

Not thirty seconds later, Mountain responds “ Coming ”

And then- only a minute later- he strokes Phantom’s hair until the boy drifts. Rain’s pain hits him like an absolute wave and he hisses- his hand stilling, and Phantom starts whining in his sleep, and Rain smells the rusty tinge of pain in his scent.

His thoughts are interrupted by a knock. “Rain— It’s us... why won’t the door open?”

Hm. Rain didn’t consider this. There’s still a huge dresser in front of the door, so the three can’t get in that well. “Um... there’s something in front of the door.”

“Huh- what did you say?” Mountain asks, but Rain already has his attention diverted because Phantom snaps up again. He looks dazed, not quite as immediately alert as he was the time previous. Rain stares at Phantom- worried he will start panicking and… yep, there it is. Sure enough it seems to hit the sleepy ghoul, and Phantom’s hands reach for Rain’s shirt.

“Phantom, you need to let go- I need to move the thing at the door,” Rain tries to say but a wave of pain makes him nearly crumple. Phantom looks startled but then he can hear Mountain outside. He likes Mountain, and Mountain loves Rain, so he should come in. Rain is in pain- so Phantom will need to move his little barricade.

Rain groans loudly, holding his stomach, and Phantom gently rubs his back. He knows they’re being loud enough for the ghouls to hear through the door, and they’re probably very confused.

✧.*

Mountain, on the other side of the door, has no clue what’s going on, even with this out-of-context conversation. He’d gotten an urgent text message from Rain and now he and Swiss were panicking, but none of them could open the door, despite Swiss nearly throwing his shoulder against it.

“What the fuck is against the door!?” Swiss snaps as Mountain tries calling Rain.

There’s something more there, too. Mountain can smell it even stronger now that he’s outside the room- it smells...it smells… weird? Sweet. It’s not Rain’s scent. Rain smells.. Clean for lack of better words. So where’s the other scent from?

Mountain can hear struggling behind the door, and he presses his ear to it, when a large thump as something is moved. “I... I can’t move it anymore… I’m sorry… Can you get in?” Phantom’s voice is muffled behind the door and Dew feels like something is physically compelling him to bolt through the door to get to him. “Please, I can’t-”

Phantom sounds like he’s sobbing. “Yeah, yeah, we’ll try,” Mountain reassures. He shares a look with Swiss and Dew, who’s just as stressed as he is.

Dew goes in first, since he's the smallest. He opens the door carefully, and it stops after about a foot- blocked by something heavy. It should be enough room… though Mountain will need to half throw himself in due to his size. First to squeeze through after is Mountain, closely followed by Swiss who fit much easier.

Dewdrop- who was unusually quiet during this whole event, felt like his heart hadn’t been beating when he read that something was wrong with Phantom. And when he rushed into the room; Swiss hot on his heels, as he saw Phantom curled in the floor, fat tears were rolling down his face, sparkling like crystals, but the pain was so… so obvious. Dew drops to his knees but Phantom flinches and cries as another wave of pain hits him. With every cry; Dew feels like his heart is being torn to shreds.

“You- you said it wouldn’t- wouldn’t hurt– me” Phantom chokes out in between sobs. Dew is crying now.

“Christ- kid- I'm sorry, I'm so sorry… I didn’t know it would hit you like this-” Dew can only choke, just running his hands through his sloppy brown curls, but Phantom just looks so devastated. He hates that he looks like that.

Before Dew can say anything else, Swiss has shoved him away from the quintessence ghoul and has Phantom scooped into his arms, carrying him to the bed, to be laid next to Rain. Rain is, unlike Phantom, completely silent and not moving an inch. But he is biting his lip so hard it spills blood onto his lip. It seems like if he moves, if he makes a sound, he is scared he will be in the same way as Phantom.

“Rain… baby, hey, can you speak? Is it that bad?” Mountain asks, terrified, at the absolutely and eerily silent and still ghoul. The water ghoul looks ghostly grey, like the blue hue of his skin has been evaporated.

Dew simply stares as Mountain holds Rain and Swiss is trying to calm Phantom down. Dew feels angry and lost- again.

Fuck. He hates this feeling. He especially hates the desperate look Phantom had given him with his huge, amethyst eyes, almost pleading for Dew to make this stop; make him feel good, like he always does, to fix this.

Dew had said it wouldn’t hurt- and he had lied to the one ghoul that trusted him so fully.

Another cry makes Dew’s heart shatter and he looks at his feet. Dewdrop always fucks things up, doesn't he?

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

3: 04 am

Finally- after a lot more tears from Phantom and horrible silence from Rain, they end up in a weird pile on the bed; Rain and Phantom in the middle, Mountain lying next to Rain, Swiss behind Phantom, and Dewdrop shoved right in the middle of Rain and Phantom because he acts as a physical heating pad for the cramping that the ghouls are experiencing.

Swiss is lying on top of Phantom- his hand rubbing the fragile ghoul's back as he whimpers and cries in his sleep and Dew feels like he wants to just keel over and die. Rain is asleep with his head buried into Dew’s neck and his body half sprawled on top of him for the heat he provides. A string from Rain’s hoodie is half in Dew’s mouth but he’s pinned between them- and all he can do- is spiral into pathetic self-pity.

“Oh - hell- I fucking suck,” he whispers into the void of darkness that he’s staring at. He’s lying straight as a board in between the quintessence and water ghoul, his red eyes simply staring at the ceiling.

“Dew, you don’t suck, but shut up,” Mountain hisses as he glances at Rain to make sure he’s still sleeping soundly. Normally he’d always try to comfort Dew in his moments of self-pity, but Phantom and Rain’s current states make Mountain very anxious and he wants them to sleep.

Dew barely hears him as he continues rambling. “… I lied to the kid…“

“Dew, I will rip your throat out if you wake them up,” Swiss snarls quietly. “You didn’t lie. You didn’t know .”

Dew is crying again. His tears fell into Rain’s cheek; making the water ghoul’s face scrunch. Swiss notices and hisses as Dew continues crying. “… And the kid trusted me and now he’s crying and…“

“Dew, I swear-“

“And did you see him?! He was in so much pain, I should have known-“

Swiss growls and it knocks Dew out of his self-pity for a minute. “But none of us knew. He didn’t show any signs like Rain does, he wasn’t moody or sore, and he was just himself like normal. It came out of nowhere,” Swiss whispers- still trying to comfort Dew, his love for him still trumping his annoyance that he may wake up the two sleeping ghouls. Swiss focuses on Phantom again and rubs the boys’ sloppy brown curls off his face as he says this; feeling an endearing adoration blossom in his chest for Phantom and Rain all over again. Swiss loves everyone. But Phantom and Rain are just… special, not just to him, but to everyone in the pack.

“Maybe being around Rain… sort of… pushed it? I don’t know. Maybe their magic just sort of… melded and Phantom was pushed into this state earlier than he should have…? Actually, scratch that, I really have no idea what I’m saying,” Mountain mumbles out loud, defeatedly. He does remember how much Phantom was glued to Rain’s side lately, but tonight especially. Mountain mentioned maybe calling Aether for advice, but they haven’t gotten to do it yet.

As if he can sense they’re talking about him, Phantom whimpers and his face scrunches in his sleep and he turns, burying fully into Dew, his arms wrapped around the fire ghoul- and he cries in his sleep. Dew wants to just… fix this. But he can’t. So he just lies there while Phantom almost looks like he’s trying to envelope himself inside of the fire ghoul for comfort.

A soft voice breaks through the air. “…. Mmm…. Pizza,”

Swiss, Mountain, and Dew all snap their heads to look at each other to see if they just heard right.

“Did he just say pizza?” Swiss whispers.

“Maybe he’s dreaming about it? I mean I dream about pizza all the time,” Dew adds.

Mountain huffs, his arm still wrapped around Rain. “Dew- stop saying you dream about pizza-“

Rain’s eyes finally fly open and he cracks his beautifully calm and still façade of control he was holding on to. He was in and out of sleep this entire time, but the pizza comment woke him up completely.

“Oh my fucking god, all three of you shut the fuck up and get him his fucking pizza!” Rain finally snaps the anger part of his lead up seeming to have kicked in. Mountain nearly rolls off the bed in surprise at Rain’s sharp voice.

Mountain turns and cradles Rain’s face while the water ghoul looks like he might rip his head off- or seems to still be weighing the consequences.

“Hey- what do you need? Bath?” Mountain asks but Rain looks at Swiss this time and his watery blue eyes prove that he wants Swiss to run the bath and take care of him, which is a typical request he has during his feral lead-ups. He’s not sure why - maybe it’s because Swiss makes him laugh when he’s feeling so miserable.

Swiss gets it immediately and gestures for Mountain to switch places with him, so the giant earth ghoul can cuddle beside Phantom- so the boy is protected by both him and Dew.

Ironically- despite being a bit shorter- Swiss can easily carry Rain, even with the water ghoul's gangly long limbs. He's so lithe and agile, that most of the ghouls can carry Rain if the situation warrants it. He scoops him up out of the bed and carries him to the bathroom quickly.

The bathroom is pearly white; a jar of Epsom salts still sitting at the edge of the claw foot bathtub. Swiss carefully perches Rain on the edge of the tub, and turns the water on, so steamy hot water begins flowing into the tub.

“How bad is it hurting, Rainbow?” Swiss asks him as he gently shrugs off the water ghouls damp shirt, then his black joggers.

Rain just shakes his head- unable to vocalize his answer. His lower lip is nearly mangled with blood from him biting it to stop him from screaming.

Swiss dumps the Epsom salts into the tub and swirls it with his hand before gently leaning Rain into it.

Swiss grins at Rain, coyly. “Hey, Rain?”

“Hm?”

“Want to hear a joke?”

“No.” Rain responds. A total lie. Of course, Rain wants a joke; that’s the whole reason he wants him involved in the first place.

Swiss grins at Rain's petulance as he grabs the water ghoul's tail and tucks it into the water. “Why was the octopus laughing?”

“Shut up,”

“Because he had ten tickles. Get it? Like tentacles,” Swiss says, with soft glee.

“Just let me drown.” Rain deadpans. He knows he can’t drown. And he secretly loves Swiss’s jokes.

Swiss cradles the back of Rain’s head until the water ghoul is completely submerged in the water. He much rather put him in a lake or ocean- but this is the closest thing they have.

Swiss curses at the whole situation. He gets feral too- why couldn’t he just have all this fucking pain? Why didn’t it go to him- why did it have to torture Rain and now Phantom too?!

Swiss curses his biology.

Swiss has a theory though. He isn’t sure if it’s true but he half wonders if Rain and Phantom might be able to… carry kits. No one really knows a ton about how it works, their biology. But maybe that’s why it hurts. But in the end, no one really knows. It hasn’t happened yet to Rain.

Or he doesn’t think it has.

Or… if it did happen, and he lost a kit, he never mentioned it. Which is unfortunately a frightening option. Rain is notorious for still hiding his emotions from the pack and has been known to be cooped up for days in his room sometimes, refusing to let anyone in or tell them what’s wrong. Swiss always feared and wondered why- but anytime he tried to bring this up with Rain, it was like the water ghoul would shut down mentally and it took a lot of care to get him to open back up. Swiss didn’t want to force him to do that anymore or talk about anything emotionally heavy, it seemed so mentally exhausting for the water ghoul.

Swiss looks at Rain and debates asking him about his theory, for lack of better words. But no. It’s not the right time. Rain is already hurting too much.

Rain settles into the tub; his aching body is so happy to be in his element. He sighs and lets himself nearly submerge right away, even though his gangly limbs stick out of the tub a bit- but his face is covered by water.

Swiss watches him as he submerges his face in the tub and Rain wraps his tail around his wrist as a thank you.

But in the water there; Rain is feeling angry. At everything. His body, his magic, how much Phantom is hurting… all of it. The weight of it all sits on his shoulders.

And he knows he needs Dewdrop right now. Dew is feeling like shit right now. And a soak in the tub would help the former water ghoul too.

“Can you send Dew in please?” Rain mumbles. He hears a flurry of movements when he says this- as if Dew was listening in on them too. Despite Phantom whining at the loss of the fire ghoul and the subsequent hurried sound of kisses and apologies, Dewdrop comes in and immediately knows what the water ghoul wants from him.

Swiss gives Rain’s horns a rub before he stands and returns to the bedroom. He shuts the bathroom door on his way out so they can have privacy and dims the lights in the bathroom so only a soft glow is cast on the bathtub.

Dew is awestruck as he enters the bathroom, as he can only look at Rain for a moment and marvel at how beautiful he is; in the low-lit yellow glow of the tub as he floats in his element.

Dewdrop sheds his sweater and jeans on the floor, before going to the tub, climbing in behind Rain. The feeling of the water, his former element, still calms him. He’ll never quite understand why they took his water element away from him, but he's glad he still finds serenity in its depths. He wraps his arms around Rain’s lithe shoulders and buries his face into the ghoul's soft curls with a sigh.

Rain leans back into Dewdrop- before one of his hands reaches up, ghosting over the scars where Dew’s gills once were on his neck. Dewdrop never lets anyone touch them- only Rain. Sometimes when they’re fucking, Rain will press slow- deliberate kisses onto Dew’s scars, enough that makes the fire ghoul cry. But never enough to ask him to stop.

Occasionally, especially during the lead-up to his heat, Rain muses over the idea that he is suffering because of what happened to Dew… What Rain’s role could be in why they changed him from water ghoul to fire? Dew never told him directly what happened, but Mountain admitted it one night when they were talking in the kitchen.

Rain can’t stop thinking about the event; how Dew was dragged to Sister Imperator's office; how they chanted over him, how much he screamed as they burned his element from his small body. He spent months in his room in the abbey- trying to learn to breathe through the smoke and fire suddenly coursing through his veins, as his gills had been burned off. It must have been terrifying; to be shredded apart and then put back together as a new firey being; and to Rain’s knowledge, no one ever offered Dewdrop an explanation as to why.

“ ‘Suffering can refine us rather than destroy us because the Creator himself walks with us in the fire’… that’s the only thing they told him,” Mountain admitted to Rain that night with teary eyes.

Rain doubts Dew will never forget that sentence. Apparently- the Sister Imperator chanted it like a prayer. It likely haunts him to this day.

During his inner tirade, Rain hisses audibly, making Dew raise a brow at him. Rain hates what they did to his Dew. He would rather have not been summoned at all; if Dewdrop could have been spared that. But he wasn’t. Neither of them was spared the pain- and now Rain feels like the universe is making him pay for the sins of others because if he was never summoned maybe Dewdrop could have been protected.

Rain turns in the tub places a quick kiss on Dew’s chest and shuts his eyes, arms wrapping tightly around Dew’s as they hold him in the water. Dew’s bare skin against his is the best feeling in the world.

Rain whimpers when his stomach cramps painfully, his tail spiralling and sending a splash of water in his face. Dew looks at him worriedly.

“What’s wrong?” Dew fuses, “Do you need more meds or—“

“My stomach,” Rain lies flat on his back against Dew to try and get a better, more comfortable, position.“It hurts.”

Dew’s hand is already on his stomach, massaging it. His hot fingers splay over Rain’s abdomen and the ghoul sighs in the water, “Better?”

“A little, yeah.” Rain whispers. His stomach is cramping and his head felt like it was going to explode. What worries Dew is how he is breaking out into a fever; going from being ice cold and then being boiling hot, even in the water.

“I’m sorry for how much this hurts you, baby,” Dew says quietly against the water ghoul's neck.

Feral headspace seems to grip Rain as tears still come out of his eyes. “I deserve it. If I didn’t get summoned… they never would have hurt you. I don’t wanna do this anymore… it hurts too much-“

Rain's words make Dew tighten around him instinctively and the fire ghoul's heart stops.

The weight of the words settles on Dew’s shoulders as he realizes what Rain’s saying. He’s leaning in before he can stop himself, pulling Rain into a fierce embrace in the tub, his body drawing close around the sobbing ghoul, as tightly as he can. “Don’t you fucking dare. Don’t say that. I need you here, we all need you here. I would go through that shit 100 fucking times, let them turn me into whatever if it meant having you. Fuck, I… Rain-Don’t even think about that, okay?”

When Rain doesn’t stop crying, Dew manages to maneuver himself in the tub so he’s still sort of cradling the naked ghoul but can look him in his watery, wide blue eyes. Rain really is so beautiful; even when his skin is still grey with fever and the blue of his body is not as dark as it should be. Dew gently brushes his fingers over Rain’s gills, which makes the water ghoul shudder and look at him. “Rain- look at me, baby, please… you were worth all of the pain I went through. And I’d do it all over again for you. All of it. You hear me? You are worth everything. And you don’t deserve this pain at all. Okay?” Dew says, urgently, his hands holding Rain’s face.

Rain doesn’t answer just drop against Dew’s neck in the tub. The water was starting to cool- but Dew was so worked up that it immediately began to heat up again, causing more steam to rise.

“Don’t leave… Dew,” Rain mumbles exhaustedly, his eyes fluttering shut as his strength leaves him again.

Dew kisses the base of his horns and digs his face into Rain’s hair. He smells good. Sweet. “I’m not letting you out of my sight- Rainbow. You’re staying right here with me, okay?” Dew soothes, and Rain nods.

✧.*

Outside; it sounds like Swiss and Mountain are ordering Phantom’s pizza- and he can hear the boys’ tired, but happy chirps at the idea of food. That’s good- and Dew will need to get Rain to eat too.

After the pizza was ordered- Swiss finally had time to think about this whole thing.

Swiss loved everyone. That was his curse and blessing. He loved everyone deeply. When those he loves hurt, Swiss hurts with them.

The thing about Rain and Phantom is everyone just sort of adored them more than most. It was likely because of Rain's pain, and Phantom’s sweet innocence; everyone felt drawn to and protective over them naturally.

Swiss sits with Phantom, cradling the still distraught and confused ghoul to his chest, as Mountain lies on Phantom’s stomach- trying to add pressure to counteract the cramping.

Finally, a small voice breaks the silence. “What’s it like?” Phantom asks as he grips Swiss shirt with white knuckles.

Swiss glances at him. “What’s what like?”

Phantom has a tear running down his cheek. “This… feral.. the- pain?”

Swiss frowns, pressing his head against the quintessence ghoul's sweaty forehead. “It doesn’t hurt for me. It’s just… you feel… ugh, desperate and empty and one thing can fill it. You’re sort of in one-head space. Like how I couldn’t keep my hands off you- it’s just… like that,”

“So— that’s what knots are for?” Phantom pieces together.

Swiss nods to encourage him to ask more questions.

Phantom seems to be thinking; his amethyst eyes looking at the dark ceiling and his lilac brows knitting together. “Do you knot with only one person forever?”

“You can. Or with anyone you want to. Normally it’s… someone you love especially. It’s how you show them you love them,” Swiss says, fondly.

Phantom nods slowly. “Do you knot?”

“Yes,”

“With or from people…?” Phantom inquires loudly.

“Both.”

At the answer- both Swiss and Mountain suddenly stiffen, knowing where this is leading. It happens almost in slow motion as Mountain swears and grips Phantom’s waist; as the boy begins to cry.

“Why has no one... ever wanted to knot me?” Phantom asks with hurt etched into his pretty features and Swiss feels like his gut was punched.

“Oh… bug, no…. We all… we all would have done that with you. For you- or have it done by you. But we didn’t want you to feel pressured. We were waiting for you to tell us you wanted it. And for… you to tell us who you wanted it from first.” Swiss tries to say- but his words are lost on the feral idled mind of a ghoul who is spiraling.

Phantom, who’s always too loving, too happy, and feels just too much- look at him with wide, watery amethyst eyes. “No… no . None of you even told me about it. None of you wanted to do it with me,” he cries out; any logic leaving his feral idled brain- leaving him feeling absolutely unwanted, uncared for, and unloved by those he loved so much.

Swiss pulls him closer- cursing- at seeing the boy like this. It breaks whatever heart he has. “Bug- no, I’m sorry we should have talked to you about this, told you what it was- we let you down, I’m sorry,”

At his intense and urgent whispers- Mountain is clutching Phantom so tightly one of his ribs might break; unsure what he can add to comfort… because he can’t. Phantom is right- no one told him, asked him… no one did anything .

Mountain buries his head into the boy's back- wishing… he could just make him feel okay.

It wasn’t only the knots that were making Phantom cry; apparent when Phantom’s fingers grazed over the soft bite mark on Swiss’s neck.

Ah .

They all have mating bites on their necks- multiple. It’s done in the most intense moment of love and passion and their devotion to each other.

They all have scars from their mates' bites, carrying the love with them wherever they go.

Except Phantom, whose pretty, freckled lavender neck- is completely untouched. He’s noticed- but seemed to never ask about it. Likely he was waiting for one of them to do it for him… but no one ever bothered to even mention it.

They all fucked him all the time, leaving him panting and flustered, never bothering to knot or bite him; and never bothering to tell him why they weren’t doing it. Of course, he felt confused.

As Phantom sobs, the alarm clock on the bedside table begins shaking violently before exploding next to Swiss. Both Mountain and Swiss jump and look at it; shocked at the potential power Phantom might process. But with no time to dwell on it, they return to trying to calm the hysterical ghoul.

Swiss and Mountain cuddle the sobbing ghoul and both internally curse themselves for letting it get to this point that the boy feels so unloved when that couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Rain and Dew sit in the tub for nearly another twenty minutes; completely obviously to the world outside them. Rain has switched positions, so his longer body is positioned behind Dewdrop- supporting the tiny fire ghoul's hot body. It soothes him- despite the exhaustion and pain he’s experiencing, he runs his hands through Dew’s long, tangled blond hair, working out the knots; still sweaty from the performance the night before.

It’s the smell of pizza that finally lures them out of their little sanctuary. Dew perks up right away. He should be a pizza ghoul at this point.

Dew stands first, not bothering to offer to dry Rain because the water ghoul prefers his skin to be wet. He cuddles with Dew, his entire body engulfing the fire ghoul like a blanket.

Dewdrop can’t help but snort. “Ha. You feel like a wet blanket,”

Rain huffs. “No ‘m not,” he protests weakly- his voice muffled by Dew’s head.

When Rain finally walks out of the bathroom- his instincts flip and he’s hit by a very sour scent, and a very uncomfortable feeling. He immediately looks over and sees Phantom, sobbing, feverish, and throwing up into a waste paper basket on the floor- after Swiss and Mountain tried to feed him.

Rain growls. Actually growls.

Swiss, Mountain, and Dew all stare at him.

It even catches Rain off guard when he does that. He has no idea why he growled; he doesn’t usually growl that deeply ever. But all he sees is Phantom, in pain, sick and no one taking care of him properly and there’s a deep need in Rain to protect him.

“Get away from him,” Rain snarls.

That definitely catches Swiss, Mountain, and Dewdrop off guard. The three of them stiffen and look at each other unexpectedly- but when Rain growls again- they do what he says and slowly step into a huddle by the bathroom door.

“This is weird- I’ve never seen him so instinct-heavy,” Dewdrop whispers.

“Is this even feral? What would this be called?” Mountain muses out loud.

Swiss grunts. “Oh, for fuck sake, brainiacs- of course this is feral… ugh… something. Rain just never exhibited this behaviour around anyone else before because maybe he didn’t need to…?”

Before Dewdrop and Mountain can ask what he means; a glaring look from Rain makes all three of them tumble into the bathroom, shutting the door, so Rain and Phantom can have some time alone.

Behind the door- their faint voices can be heard.

“… Damn it… we should have grabbed the pizza-“

“… Dew - I swear-“

Rain grumbles and pulls Phantom off the floor, and into the bed, ignoring the voices. He sees the shattered remains of the alarm clock.

Huh . That’s weird.

Rain adjusts them, so Phantom is straddling him, needing the closeness for himself as much as Phantom might need it. Once Phantom is firmly placed in his hold, he sighs and drops back onto the bed, almost boneless, and Phantom climbs to lay on top of him, his body weight providing nice pressure to soothe the older ghouls' pains. Phantom is barely talking anymore; seemingly exhausted, his cheeks still tear-stained.

Rain can’t explain the possessive feeling he has over Phantom right now. Sure he’s always liked him, everyone did. They cuddled and fucked but this is different. Instinctual and powerful. Rain doesn’t have many words for him, just holds him tightly, their tails wrapping together and Rain buries his face into Phantom’s sloppy curls.

“I’m so sorry you’re hurting,” Rain murmurs. It’s the only thing he can say. And he wishes he could take it all away.

“They didn’t… you didn’t want me,”

The voice is so quiet, it’s barely a whisper. Rain piques and leans down- having trouble hearing the boy through his muffled voice against his shirt.

“What?” Rain asks.

“Bite… knot… none of you ever wanted to do it with me,” Phantom cries into his shirt and Rain feels like a pile of bricks falls on him.

Fuck .

He never even thought about that- he always assumed one of the other ghouls told Phantom about their instincts. And Rain had… a lot of other things he needed to focus on, at a personal level, before thinking about Phantom’s knowledge of knots or mating bites. Maybe before- he would have been too guarded and cold to even act like he cared. Though he did care; deeply. But he didn’t always let himself show it.

But now- with this intense protection suddenly blossoming in Rain, he feels like a true failure.

Rain feels tears in his eyes. He fails so often. More than he ever dares admit to his pack.

And, now, he failed Phantom too.

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Rain always liked learning about things.

He loved learning about the fish and wildlife in his lake, and the rocks that dotted the shore. He loved looking at books in the library- filling his head with knowledge he never really would need but likes to have. He’d sit, perched in the library window for hours, reading page after page, especially while it rained out.

He liked hearing Cumulus’s favourite joke- over and over again- learning curves and lines of the excitement etched on her face when she said it.

He liked learning how to cook Mountain’s favourite food.

He liked learning about Papa’s views on life.

He really liked learning how reactive Dewdrop is when he kisses his scarred, former, gills for the first time.

And in this moment; as he holds Phantom in the hotel room, still battling with his feelings of intense disappointment and letting the boy down- he is still captivated by the idea of learning about Phantom. He wants to learn his reactions and his favourite places to be touched, wants to learn everything he can about his bug.

His… ?

Rain doesn’t normally call Phantom his. Actually- he never has. But now it’s all he can think about. How the quintessence ghoul is his . Phantom fits into Rain so well. He is moulded against his body like he was made to be there.

Rain is still feeling the crippling anguish, from failing Phantom. He holds the boy tightly against him. When Phantom starts whimpering against him and feeling feverish in his hold, Rain’s instincts begin taking over and any rationality in the water ghoul's mind fades away.

Phantom pushes himself closer, pawing at Rain’s clothes- whining. Rain tries to settle him by petting his hair and gently kissing his forehead but Phantom is restless, and losing his composure quickly. Compelled by his need to please the quintessence ghoul- Rain wants to undress Phantom, and himself, to get skin-on-skin contact. He always finds that skinship calms his feral mind- he hopes the same for Phantom. He drags his fingers from Phantom’s soft curls, down the nape of his neck, up over his Adam's apple and then around his collarbones over the neck of his worn, grey t-shirt. Rain recognizes it to be one of Dew’s old shirts, oversized and large, despite how small Dew is.

The younger ghoul goes still at the touch- almost pliant. His breathing goes steady and he starts relaxing back into the pillow on the bed.

“ Good boy ,” Rain praises against his ear- making Phantom whine under him.

Rain continues his downward path- dragging his nails- on the arm furthest from him. He starts on Phantom’s shoulder, where his shirt rests on the skin on his arms, and then down his inner forearm. This causes Phantom to shiver and a deep purr settles in the boy's chest. And Rain hisses in satisfaction- Rain's feral mind is overtaking him, just as fast as Phantoms. He grabs the quintessence ghoul’s lavender hand now and brings it to his lips. He places soft kisses on each knuckle, pressing empathy and support into Phantom’s skin. Rain hears his breath and purrs get caught in his throat, the boy's body arching a bit already.

Phantom's reactions to such small gestures are driving Rain crazy . He moves to the hem of Phantom's shirt and pulls it from his body, swiftly. The quintessence ghoul is so out of it, that it takes him a minute to lift his torso to help Rain remove the shirt- more wines escaping his throat. Rain watches Phantom’s shirt peel off his body- leaving his curls tousled and his wide eyes blinking slowly.

He's ethereal .

His violet eyes, wet, distant, and almost sleepy in his instinct to submit to someone taking care of him. Phantom whines again- craving more skin, and Rain is eager to please. Instead of letting himself dwell on the boy’s exposed body, his hands go to his black sweatpants- and Rain immediately pushes down both his pants and underwear.

The water ghoul’s whole body freezes when he notices a spot on Phantom's thigh. He recognizes it but has never seen it there before. Like two upside-down triangles, delicately on top of each other, faded, like an old stick and poke tattoo after years of weathering.

He has a similar marking on his hip…that’s weird. But Phantom’s whine; forces his attention back to the boy. Forcing himself to keep moving, and remove the rest of Phantoms and his own clothes. He gets back on the bed where his lips immediately meet the feverish skin of Phantom's neck. The ghoul hasn't stopped purring and is now gripping Rain's back. His hands do not stay in any one place, just digging his nails into Rain's skin, on his back, his shoulders, then down to press his thumbs around his hips. This surprises a moan out of Rain's mouth. Phantom touching the mark on his hip sent electricity and clarity right through him.

"Woah…" Phantom breathes into the air above Rain's head.

Rain feels a rush of heat and groans. "Did you feel that?"

Phantom gulps a breath of air. " Yeah . Wow."

Rain curses under his breath. This is good. Fuck .

"One second, tell me how this feels?" Rain leans back to sit on his heels and then reaches down to touch the mark on Phantom's thigh. He barely touches it, when Phantom arches off the bed and lets out a whimpery moan.

" Beautiful ," Rain rasps, doubting the other ghoul even heard him.

"More… I need more- " Phantom starts begging softly and Rain thinks where his mark being touched shocked him into clarity, Phantom's has made him even more desperate.

Rain whimpers this time. "More what, baby? Want me to touch you more?"

"Just closer, want you closer," Phantom cries. He's pulling Rain's arm and shoulder towards him so Rain falls forward onto Phantom. He doesn't even let Rain adjust his position, just wraps his arms and legs around him. His face is buried in Rain's neck and his mouth is opened- and his lips and tongue are latching onto the heated, sweet-smelling skin there. Rain sallows hard and lets his head fall back reflexively, baring his neck for Phantom. But when Rain feels teeth- his eyes snap open- and clarity comes back, albeit fleeting. He knows he needs to push Phantom away. This is where they already fucked everything up and Rain needs to start fixing this.

Rain feebly paws at Phantom, trying to be clear, but the heat in his face and body makes it difficult. " Baby , baby, stop…”

"Don't wanna'" Phantom slurs into his skin.

Rain pushes more firmly, "No,” he says- despite Phantom’s cries. “Bug, we need to talk first..."

Phantom finally relents with a whine and lifts his sad eyes to meet Rain's intense gaze.

Rain takes his pretty face in his hands, making sure he looks Phantom in the eyes. "You were getting really close to doing something important. I know your instincts are going crazy—,” When Phantom whines, Rain tightens his grip on his chin. “But please , I need to ask if you know what you were going to do with my neck?"

Tears well in Phantom’s eyes, as his brain processes what he is thinking, and feeling, before he answers in a hoarse, choking voice. “I wanted to bite you… You smell so good, and I want to… to taste you. Is it bad ? Did I do something wrong? Should I not bite you? Isn't that how you guys have those marks? I want marks too, Rain— Why doesn't anyone want my marks? Or leave their marks on me ? Am I not good enough?! I-I’m sorry I was summoned here… and threw off the band… when Aether left. I’m sorry I was forced to join your pack." Phantom sobs into Rain’s hands. Tears are streaming down his flushed cheeks and his words are shattering Rain’s heart.

Rain’s words nearly pour out of him- scrambling to fix this- make his bug feel okay. " No - no. That’s not… I’m sorry that’s not what it is at all. Of course, I want your mark, Phantom... You're the sweetest… sweetest creature I’ve, we’ve , all met. You're just… so precious, that none of us wanted to take advantage of your kindness and innocence. We didn't want to take more than you wanted to give,” Rain says and Phantom sobs more, at the idea that no one wanted him, and Rain continues, desperately. “That was so stupid of me. We were all so stupid. I can't… can’t apologize or make up with you in place of everyone, but I want your mark. I want to have those pretty fangs imprinted on my skin. But I need you to want to do it to me. Not just … feral you. Not just instincts. I need you to want to do it,” Rain is desperate to make Phantom understand his love for him and understand the seriousness of this choice.

Phantom is eyeing him nearly suspiciously, but the look falls when his fingers come up and graze over Rain’s mating bite. “… Really? You promise you mean that?" Phantom's wide eyes are still trying to find any lies in Rain's actions.

Rain cradles Phantom's face between his palms and places the first soft kiss on his slack lips, wanting him more than anything. Rain whispers, “Please bring us as close as you want, bug. I'll do whatever you want." Phantom's tail slowly drags over Rain's thigh and wraps around his waist.

Phantom is breathing heavily and pulls Rain closer, holding onto his pale blue shoulders. "Come closer and show me the best way to bite you okay? Maybe… Maybe you could do it first so I know what to do?"

Rain blinks at him. At what he’s asking. "Of course, bug..."

Rain’s hands travel from Phantom's cheeks and bury themselves in Phantom's hair. Phantom moans when Rain's fingers get caught in his curls and force his head to tilt back. He always did love having his hair and horns pulled- Swiss, always loves doing that at random times, making the boy whine and pant even when they’re all having dinner.

As the boy writhes under his hand- Rain can't help but smile at his willingness. Rain has a soft, buzzing feeling and he is not used to having such a calm, soft experience during his pre-feral times. He’s normally so sore, so angry, so desperate. But now, it’s like something in Phantom and forging their bond is calming them. The pain is still there but more bearable, almost like they are sharing it rather than fighting against it and their instincts. They were meant to share this together… Rain is convinced. Phantom is his- he was made for him.

With that in mind, Rain lays his body flat over Phantoms. The boy is hot under him, his body feeling like pure magic. They are aligned from knees to hips, to chest, and Phantom's head is pushed into the pillows. Rain’s mouth is at Phantom's neck- breathing heavily, making the quintessence ghoul’s neck erupt in goosebumps. Neither ghoul is still, both bodies feeling insanely restless to complete the bond. Their hips are moving in a slow grind, neither realizing how hard they are until the small movements force soft sounds out of both of them.

"Ready, baby?" Rain whispers into his neck, feeling like he can’t hold back any other. His fangs are dragging over Phantom’s skin already.

A keening whine sounding vaguely like a drawn-out ‘yes’ is the only reply he hears. He presses one… two… three soft kisses into his neck before opening his mouth and sinking his sharp fangs into the pale, violet skin.

The sensation explodes between them. Phantom screams - loud- while his whole body arches under Rain. Rain can feel him shake and spasm, knowing he's probably just cum between their naked bodies- spilling onto their stomachs. The bond doesn't have to be made through sex, but in this feral state, his body is forced through everything and honestly, it's beautiful . Rain is getting desperate to feel his bond with Phantom solidify when Phantom bites him back- he needs it, fucking desperately, he needs it. He holds Phantom while he rides out his orgasm and feels the mind-numbing sensation of the bond.

Once Phantom stops shaking and panting, and goes slack beneath him, Rain lifts his head and pushes Phantom's hair out of his eyes- needing him. "You okay, bug?” Rain asks as he licks at the bite- dutifully lapping up the blood on his neck.

"Yeah," Phantom pants- his neck craning to give Rain more access to his neck.

Rain looks at him, tilting his head already… he wants that bite. "Still… still want to try? On me?”

The words are barely out of his mouth before Phantom whines and kisses him. " Yes !" Phantom exclaims.

With unexpected enthusiasm and strength, Phantom pushes Rain to his back and straddles his hips. Rain is a little surprised but immediately turns his head, exposing his throat, and holding his breath in anticipation. Phantom uses his fingers to gently explore Rain's neck, picking his spot among the other marks already there. When firm fingers push his chosen spot, Rain moans and his body shivers. This must encourage Phantom because the next thing he knows is he feels breath on his neck, warm lips on his skin, then-

Fuck .

The flood of…. everything that is the younger ghoul. He feels his body lock up, he's probably cumming like Phantom did, but this is better than any orgasm. Is he screaming too? He doesn’t know, doesn’t care. He holds Phantom close, even after his body falls back to the bed. Phantom is lapping at his neck, licking the blood, kissing the bite mark. Phantom is praising him, saying how much he loves him, how good he is, against Rain’s ear. He also kisses away the tears Rain didn’t realize he was crying. By the time the bond is fully formed and he comes back to himself; he hears voices in the bathroom over the ringing in his ears.

✧.*

Protect. Hurt. Scared.

The only thought running through Dewdrop’s mind is he has to get to Phantom. He has to.

“We need to get out there, fuck!” Dewdrop is nearly screaming- pushing his body against Swiss- who was nearly standing in front of the bathroom door like a barricade.

Dew and Mountain are nearly rabid to get out of the bathroom and back to the bedroom. Swiss, still the only one with any sort of logic left- snarled at them to keep them back.

“Dew- no . Rain doesn’t want us there. We have to respect that,” Swiss snaps- his voice a higher whisper, trying to not alert Phantom or Rain.

“They screamed. I heard it. Swiss, move,” Mountain snarls. His mossy green eyes open in surprise. Mountain is always gentle and soft-spoken- especially with Swiss, and he is surprised at the surge of anger he feels towards the multi-ghoul. But Mountain wants to get through that door, now .

Dew is also nearly losing his mind in the bathroom. He's trying to respect Rain, like Swiss said, and let him help Phantom - but right now, Dew’s instincts are stronger than ever.

He's never felt like this before. He needs to see Phantom- and hold him. Satan knows he doesn't deserve it but every inch of him is screaming to be near Phantom. When he heard Phantom scream- his heart shattered. Swiss- who is stronger than most- held both his arms out- and kept Dew and Mountain at bay, just barely. He wants to be out there just as badly but he knows Rain will let them know when he wants them back.

It’s a mere moment later, when Rain finally calls out, like he heard Mountain’s heated words. “It’s- it’s okay- you can come out,”

Dew almost breaks down the door in his haste to get out trampling Swiss in the process. Mountain is hot on his tail and, Swiss follows behind, shocked at the others' intense reaction.

Mountain reaches Rain first- his large hands on the water ghoul’s hazy face, as he sees the bloody bite mark on his neck- then Mountain looks at Phantom, putting the pieces together. The screaming, the panting.

“Oh, fuck. They…” Mountain begins, but Rain’s whimper brings his attention back to him.

Swiss is next to Phantom, examining his bloody neck. “Shit- bug- did you… did you ask for that?” Swiss whispers and Rain looks at him, wide and watery blue eyes, at the insinuation he would have bit him without consent, breaking through his feral headspace for a minute.

Phantom is crying and looks at Dewdrop; the fire ghoul hovering by the side of the bed but still not touching him.

Phantom stares at Dew- desperate, longing. Why… why won’t he touch him?!

But it’s like something in Dew is preventing him from moving. He doesn’t deserve Phantom. He used him, fucked him, never bothering to even knot or mate him. He should have known better. It should have been his teeth on Phantom first. No one else’s.

Swiss looks at Dew. “Fuck sakes, Dewdrop. Please don’t do this to him,”

Dew takes a step back- his hands up as he fights against every single urge in his body to shove Swiss, off Phantom, and gather the boy in his arms. He has to cover his mouth and nose with his hand, trying to stifle Phantom's sweet vanilla scent as it makes his head spin. He forces himself to take another step back- and Swiss growls, kneeling over Phantom.

“I c-can’t… I don’t deserve him- you take care of him,” Dew forces out, his voice muffled from his hand. Phantom hears this and lets out a cry.

“Dewdrop- fuck - just-“ Swiss begins but Phantom sobs loudly, interrupting him. Rain shudders at the sobs- blindly- reaching for Phantom, even as Mountain has begun to press fevered kisses to the water ghoul’s jaw.

“ Dew , please… why don’t you want me?!” Phantom sobs and reaches for him. The sight of the naked quintessence ghoul, eyes blown open, feverish and desperate reaching for him, wanting him, sobbing for him.

Swiss, sitting on top of Phantom, is shaking now. He hates seeing Phantom like this. And hates seeing Dew being so stubborn. Happiness has never come to Dewdrop easily- and Swiss can see the pure joy and adoration that Dew has when he so much as looks at Phantom, let alone, when he touches him. And Dew is denying himself that- because of some damn, selfish, self-pity.

But, Swiss knows yelling won’t help right now. It’ll only upset Phantom, Rain… honestly all of them. Swiss grabs the fire ghoul's free hand and looks at him almost pleadingly. “Dew… he doesn’t want me right now. He doesn’t need me. He needs you,” Swiss clarifies gently.

It’s not often Dew just… freezes. But he stares at Phantom, knowing he… shouldn’t. He should walk away, he doesn’t deserve Phantom, he didn’t treat him well, and he-

“Dew- Dew , I need you, please,” Phantom finally sobs, from the bed, staring at him with watery, desperate amethyst eyes.

With that, any self-control Dew has, any self-restraint, is gone.

He nearly shoves Swiss off the bed, making the multi-ghoul tumble into Mountain.

Dew takes the place on the bed, grabbing Phantom, and pulling the young, crying mess into his arms.

“Hey, hey- it’s okay- I got you,” he lets out in a stream, clutching the quintessence ghoul close to his chest.

At Dew’s words, Phantom pounced into his lap as he belonged there, settling his body weight in Dew’s thighs, running his hands in Dew’s hair, and dragging his mouth to Dew’s.

The taste of Phantom was something that could bring Dew back to life- he’s convinced. He begs he’ll never lose it. Same as the feeling of him.

Hands settling on Phantom’s waist, he quickly followed a path up and down his sides, over his back, down to his lithe waist. He slipped his hands under Phantom’s shirt, devouring the moan the boy in his lap made at the contact.

It should be a sin, Dew decided, how Phantom rocked his hips down into his. He moved easily, feeling like liquid sex melting against him. Fuck this boy… is his.

“… Phantom,” Dew groans, breaking away when the ghoul rolls his hips again.

“Dew,” Phantom hummed in response. He trailed his lips over the scruff of Dew’s chin, teeth coming out to scrape across his jawline. He sank his teeth into the skin of his neck, not hard enough to break the skin, but enough to leave a giant bite mark. The motion sends a thrilling shiver down Dewdrop’s spine as the bites got rougher, and more animalistic as he went on. There was no doubt he’d have bruises and teeth indentations scattered across his throat and neck for the next several days. And maybe.. His mating bite…

Dewdrop tries to stop. Phantom deserves better. Phantom deserves everything good, everything perfect in the world… everything that’s not Dew…

But any logic quickly leaves Dewdrop’s brain.

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

“… Phantom,” Dew groans, breaking away when the pretty ghoul rolls his hips again.

“ Dew ,” Phantom hummed in response. He trailed his lips over the scruff of Dew’s chin, teeth coming out to scrape across his hard jawline. He sank his teeth into the skin of his neck, not hard enough to break the skin, but enough to leave a giant bite mark.

The motion sends a thrilling shiver down Dewdrop's spine as the bites get rougher, more animalistic as he goes on. Phantom bites hard, even shaking his head a bit as he does so, breathing heavily into Dew’s neck. There was no doubt he’d have bruises and teeth indentations scattered across his throat and neck for the next several days.

If Dew could, fuck, he’d have Phantom’s teeth marks on him always. He’d be littered in Phantom’s bites, bruises, everything from the quintessence ghoul. He’d be a walking testament to Phantom’s adoration. And he’d have the mating mark, deep and obvious. He wants it all so badly. He wants Phantom.

Dew’s mouth goes slack as Phantom bites him. Fuck he’s so close…

It takes nearly all of Dew’s self-restraint to jolt a bit, so Phantom’s bite loosens.

No, Phantom deserves better than him. Dew didn’t think to knot or mate him before this, spending so many times between Phantom’s legs and never taking care of him the way he should have.

Dew feels tears well in his eyes as he thinks about how differently he has treated Phantom, compared to how Aether knotted Dew. Aether was big, and strong, kissing Dew and reminding him how adored he was the entire time. He talked clearly- telling him what he was doing, why he was doing it. Dew felt so good.

Dew is horrified Phantom will never feel that now. He should have done this before; not just knotted him during a time of high emotion and feral headspace and heat.

But before Dew can dwell on it, Phantom kisses his attention back. Phantom is so desperate on top of Dew, he needs to try to get the upper hand so he can make this good for Phantom, actually help him and make him feel better. The smaller ghoul is almost frantic in his movements and Dew knows he needs to take the edge off, for both of them, if he's honest.

He's been aching since the bathroom door opened, and Phantom's heat scent engulfed him. It had attacked his nose, making Dew weak at the knees. God, Phantom… so perfect.

Pulling himself together and gently coaxing Phantom off his lap is tougher than he thought it would be. The younger had latched on to Dew’s clothes, wrapped his tail around his bicep and clenched his thighs tight around his hips, grinding his body against Dew’s, his strength keeping the fire ghoul pinned under him.

Dew kisses Phantom’s jaw, gasping. “ Bug , you gotta let go, sweet boy. Dew's gonna help, but you gotta let me up,” he is trying to be as clear as possible for the feral boy.

Phantom answered by whining and letting his claws come out, ripping through Dew’s shirt to get a better grip on his shoulders. Dew hissed at the sharp sting of claws, his back bowed and hips jerked up into Phantom's pelvis. The pain is delicious when coming from Phantom, and he grunts as blood comes out of the claw marks lacing his shoulders.

The full-body reaction Phantom has to Dew thrusting into him is the perfect chance for Dew to catch him off guard. He can free his legs and flip Phantom under him, finally giving him the upper hand. The startled gasp Phantom lets out is very satisfying, it’s music to his ears, and Dew can't help but smirk. He keeps Phantom pinned with his hips and sits up to remove his shirt.

When his hand touches a wet spot on his pants, Dew swallows hard. Fuck. Phantom is soaking . Dew feels his hard cock throb at the realization. He loves it when Rain is feral and in heat because he gets wet, soaking wet, like this too. It drove Dew wild .

He shuffles down the bed, barely hearing Phantom's disappointed cry before it turns to a near scream of absolute pleasure. Dew has Phantom folded in half with his tongue licking as much of Phantom’s flowing slick into his mouth as possible. He isn't being careful, he's frantic in his desperation to taste his most precious Bug. Slick is dripping from his chin and Phantom's involuntary movements are causing it to spread from his chin up the bridge of his nose.

Fuck, he tastes perfect.

He's drowning in it, the same way Phantom is drowning in his pleasure. Dew can’t keep his hips still against the bed. His pants are rubbing against his sensitive cock in an almost painful way, but Dew deserves that. It keeps him from forgetting that this is temporary, he doesn't get Phantom like this for real, doesn’t deserve him.

Just for now. Just while he needs help through his heat…

A hard tug from Phantom’s fingers in his hair pulls him out of his head. “ I got you bug,” he returns his mouth to Phantom's wet hole and drags one hand from Phantom’s thigh, up to his weeping, pulsing cock. A few tugs of his fist and a well-placed movement with his tongue has Phantom drawing up tight, bowing off the bed and nearly bucking lithe Dew off the bed, with the intensity of his orgasm.

Dew hastily removes his pants while Phantom takes some deep breaths. Phantom’s, now messier, cock has not deflated in the least. It's dark head pulsing against his taut stomach, every little vein and ridge straining with how desperate he is to finally get the knot he wants so badly.

Phantom seems exhausted at this point, his body finally stilling, but no less needy. “Please Dew. Knot. Me. Now.” It’s slow words, but intense, punctuated and sure. How could anyone say no to that?

The look of absolute petulance on Phantom's face is the last push. Dew lines himself up and enters Phantom in one smooth thrust. A little rougher than he intended but he's losing control- barely had any as is. He's shaking and trying to be gentle with the young, feral ghoul under him. Phantom's face broke into the softest smile feeling Dew bottom out . So pretty.

His eyes are closed so Dew can stare at his face without feeling guilty, well guiltier.

“Move, Dew,” Phantom whispers softly. At his beautiful, soft command, it's like Dewdrop’s body isn't his own anymore. Phantom’s words go to every fibre of his being.

He thrusts fast right from the beginning, hands and arms wrapped around Phantom to keep him as close as possible. His sweaty body melds against Phantom’s perfectly, sticky skin making lewd noises as Dew absolutely loses himself in the quintessence ghoul.

Only a handful of thrusts later, with a broken choke, Dew feels his knot swell, and it's swelling fast. It's never been like this before, he can't stop himself, he can't even think, he can only fuck. Fuck himself into HIS Phantom; his perfect ghoul.

One, two, three… Hells , he's coming. His knot is being milked by Phantom's muscles contracting as his body empties yet another load onto his sweat-soaked body.

“Fuck, Phantom, baby- hell-” Dew’s words are barely legible, his eyes rolling into his head as his knot pops.

Phantom is sobbing, feeling so full, and he somehow cums again, spilling between their bodies as more slick flows between his thighs and over Dew.

✧.*

Swiss glances at Dewdrop and Phantom, fully entangled.

Fucking finally. Dew FINALLY did something smart. He loves his fire ghoul but he makes stupid decisions with his heart sometimes.

But now that Phantom is satiated, Swiss can focus on the other ghoul suffering in the heat. Usually, Mountain takes care of Rain for his heat, but there are times, like today based on the look the earth ghoul is giving Swiss, when Mounty is just well, too big.

“I shouldn’t,” Mountain mumbles as he holds Rain’s face in his lap, stroking his hair with his huge hand.

Rain is sensitive at the best of times, during his heat sometimes he can't take the sheer size of Mounty’s knot and needs one that won’t inflict pain on him. So, Swiss, always willing to offer a knot and lend a hand, takes over. The three of them work together to soothe Rain's needs. Mounty holds Rain close as Swiss moves from Phantom's side of the bed to run his hands over Rain's bare legs and up over his hips.

The earth ghoul is pressing kisses to his forehead but Rain is trying desperately to lick into his mouth. Swiss can't help but find Rain's debauched behaviour incredibly provocative and if the heat scent in the air wasn't enough, he's almost fully hard in his pants. Swiss is always turned on by Rain, the water ghoul’s pretty body and calm demeanour just lurs Swiss in.

Swiss pulls his shirt over his head as he watches the other two. Mountain and Rain are lost in each other, their hands and mouths running over any part of the other's body that they can reach. Rain cries against Mountain, gasping and rubbing his face in Mountain’s neck.

“Good, you’re good, you’re okay,” Mountain whispers into Rain’s ear, kissing him again. “Swiss is going to make you feel so good,”

Swiss is removing his pants when Rain looks at him and beckons him closer, with a shaking nod. Swiss is on him instantly and they share a filthy kiss of their own, making the big guy watch this time. Mountain grunts and his eyes are nearly hazy with lust of his own. Swiss makes room around the other ghouls so he can guide his cock into Rain- he can’t wait anymore.

Rain arches his back right away, Swiss’ tight grip on his hips the only thing that keeps himself from slipping from Rain's dripping entrance. He’s so fucking wet. It sends everyone into a frenzy; Cirrus and Swiss especially though; something about how wet, and desperate, Rain is especially during his heat is fucking irresistible.

Mounty’s the one that moans into Rain's shoulder at his beautiful reaction. Mountain is so gone on Rain, it's adorable to watch, Swiss smiles at the two while starting to build up a bit of a rhythm. Rain's body is getting restless again, feeling Swiss’s more average-sized knot grow against his entrance with everything, deep thrust.

“Do it, Swiss,” the earth ghoul grumbles before biting against the mating bite on Rain’s neck. Mounty knows Rain so well that he's the one to urge Swiss to force his knot into the feverish ghoul at just the right time, triggering Rain's orgasm right away.

“Fucking hell,” Swiss chokes as Rain squeezes around him. Swiss’s hands go to Rain’s dark locks, fisting them tightly.

Rain is sobbing as he cums, Mounty holds his treasure through it while Swiss freezes above them, his own orgasm hitting nearly instantly, so he rides out his own waves.

Finally, Rain seems a little calmer, not in so much pain at the release. Mountain guides them down, so they can arrange themselves a bit more comfortably, to wait for Swiss knot to go down. Rain dozes instantly, he’s always sleepy after an orgasm, with his face in Mounty’s neck and his hand holding onto Swiss’s.

✧.*

Similarly situated, with Phantom seeming blissed out of his mind- his pupils blown in ecstasy, his chest rising and falling slowly. Dew is so lost in the feeling of pleasure, that when the guilt finally creeps back in, it slams down on him like a pile of bricks.

Fuck, Dew, you fucked up. Bug deserves so much better.

As soon as Dew’s knot deflates, he scrambles off Phantom, tears in his eyes as he runs to the bathroom- shutting the door. The sudden, jerking movement scares Phantom, making the boy cry almost instantly.

Dew fucked up. Fuck - he fucked up so badly. Phantom deserves better- so much better- than getting knotted for his first time in some hotel room, next to Swiss and Rain getting it on, with Mountain watching all of them, for hell’s sake.

Dew slams his head against the door- his eyes shutting as he hears Phantom’s muffled cries, as Mountain offers comforting words to the ghoul. Dew shudders as he slumps against the door. “I’m so sorry… I’m so sorry kid,” he chokes out.

Smoke is choking his body, heat and fire running through him, as smoke spills out of his ears, and nose, and he coughs out smoke from his lungs as biting tears spill out of his eyes. His heart is hammering in his chest as he grabs the doorknob with a shaking hand to lock it.

Mountain tenses as he sees Dew nearly bolt off Phantom and the giant ghoul’s normally calm demeanor snaps, as he scrambles to grab quintessence ghoul in his big arms. Why the fuck would he do that?! Dew knows better.

“Hey, no, don’t cry- it’s okay- little bug, you did nothing wrong, you did so well. Please, don’t cry, you did so well,” Mountain murmurs and rubs his cheek- pulling Phantom into his lap, his huge torso wrapped around Phantom. “You’re so good. Dew is having some problems- it isn’t you. Do you hear me?”

Phantom is still coming off his waves of euphoria and emotions and the beautiful, lavender ghoul stares at Mountain. “He… doesn’t want me-”

Mountain cradles his face tightly. “He does. We all do… but him especially. He does want you… he just… he’s having an issue with himself, not you,” the earth ghoul tried to clarify but it fell on deaf ears. Mountain’s heart breaks looking at the quintessence ghoul and he wants nothing more than to make him feel so good and so loved.

Mountain is furious with Dew but heartbroken for Phantom. He wants to simultaneously pummel Dew but protecting Phantom in his delicate state is the top priority. Dew is beyond careless with Phantom right now, abandoning him like that, after his first knot without so much as a fucking word.

Mounty's reassurances to Phantom taste like ash in his mouth. They're empty words, he can't explain anything in Dewdrop’s brain, but he can support Phantom and stop him from spiralling. The giant ghoul takes the band's tiny bug in his arms to settle him back on the bed. The boy is still sobbing but no longer with loud or wet noises, just quiet; his little heart is still shattered.

Mountain isn't great with words, he always was better with actions. He starts petting Phantom’s curly hair to get it out of his face, tucking it around him on the pillow. Phantom really is beautiful and Mounty will never understand how he ended up in their pack, be he's never going to complain either. He loves all of the members dearly. He hasn't been as close to Phantom since he's arrived but he will be definitely changing that, starting right now. How he hasn’t before is a mystery to him, but Mountain is normally so enamoured with Rain around it takes up most of his attention. But this pretty ghoul was in front of him the whole time and he barely touched him. He wanted to, fuck, just never did. Idiot .

He places gentle kisses on Phantom's forehead, holding him down with his body as a living weighted blanket to ease the boy's distress. Phantom latches on to his long arms and legs, silently begging not to be left alone again. Phantom's body heats up as another wave of pain starts to hit him, the respite from Dew’s knot is gone.

Mountain feels him clenching in pain underneath him, and he kisses everywhere he can reach to comfort him. Phantom is whimpering softly at the gentle treatment and heat pain. Mounty knows what Phantom needs but also knows that he could end up hurting him the same way he does with Rain sometimes, and he’s terrified of that.

“Hey, bug, can I help you now? I know you're heating up again?” Mountain mumbles into his neck.

“Please, Mounty. I need help.” Is his whispered reply. Rain and Swiss move a little closer to offer support for the couple, a little awkward considering the situation. Rain especially is shaken out of his trance as he can nearly feel Phantom’s pain. Mounty has renewed determination as he goes from pure comfort to helping Phantom with his heat.

His touch is less gentle, more frenzied, and soon Phantom stops crying, and is reacting to one of his potential mates making his body sing. Their naked bodies were already pressed together, now moving to seek more friction. Mountain can't stop kissing and licking his sweet-scented skin. Phantom lets out a loud moan when Mounty goes near his mating mark with Rain. He mouths over the still tender bite and it makes a primal feeling overtake him, and he grunts, his huge body reacting by thrusting firmly into Phantom. And that's when Phantom stills.

Mounty knows what's going to happen next, and he's getting ready to simply finger Phantom until Swiss or Dew are ready. He's too big. He's going to hurt those he loves again… fuck, he should have been more careful.

He goes to pull away, but he feels Phantom's small hand reach between them, and wrap around his fully hard cock, the knot already obvious even though it's just starting to swell.

“ Oh, ” Phantom sighs. “It's so big.”

Before the giant ghoul can answer, Phantom turns his watery eyes onto his Mounty, “Please. It's so big. Please put it in me, fill me up,” he’s begging.

Fucking hell. Who could say no to that?!

Mounty is so turned on his cock twitches in Phantom's hand and a bead of precum runs down, getting caught on his small fingers. Mounty groans into Phantom's shoulders, as Rain lets out a chuckle next to them. The giant quickly returns to his previous kissing and licking, now knowing that Phantom wants this, and wants him. His neck and shoulders are addicting, even littered with marks from the others, hell especially because of the fresh mark from Rain and little bruises from Swiss and Dew. Mounty can't focus on anything else.

Mountain is completely overcome by the intense need to bite the beautiful ghoul. “Oh, fuck,” he groans, his head pressed into Phantom’s neck, breathing deeply, as his tongue and teeth drag over the ghoul’s skin. The impulse to bite him, mate him, claim him clouds his mind.

Phantom bares his neck almost immediately- panting and eager- and Mountain mouths at the sweet-smelling spot in the crook of his neck. His hand goes to the base of Phantom’s hair, fisting it, and pulling his head down further.

Swiss, still knotted in Rain, breaks his gaze from the water ghoul and looks over. “Careful, big guy,” Swiss warns as he kisses Rain’s jaw.

The water ghoul opens his hazy eyes, focusing on the scene in front of him. Mountain is close to biting Phantom. His green eyes appear almost glazed over, his fangs dragging over Phantom’s speckled neck, and the quintessence ghoul nods eagerly.

“Wait… wait… bug, are you sure?” Rain says hazily, trying to force some sense of clarity into his voice to make sure his bug is aware of what this means.

“Yes… don’t you want to do it?” Phantom replies with tears in his eyes and he looks at Mountain. Hell. He is beautiful.

“Fuck, yes. Wanted to for so long,” Mountain replies desperately, but he snaps his mouth shut and looks at Phantom, carefully, before kissing along his neck. “You sure you want me to, little bug?”

Phantom is gulping, and his head nods fast. “Yes, please ,”

Confirmation enough for him, Mountain proceeds to wrap the ghoul's legs around his waist and pull him close, firm against him. He leans back just far enough to push himself into Phantom's waiting body. His reaction is stunning. Even after fucking two people and being knotted once, Mountain’s knot is so big he might as well have been a virgin. “ Mountain ,” Phantom wails. He's panting. The feeling is extremely intense, almost like it shouldn't fit but it does.

Mountain can't help but watch as all three of them are enraptured by the stunning ghoul. “Now. I want to bite you when I cum this time,” Phantom has to pant between every few words like he's barely coherent anymore, the pleasure too much.

Any remaining doubt is thrown out of the earth ghoul's mind as he leans forward to the quintessence ghoul’s bared neck and bites hard, right next to Rain’s, almost overlapping.

Phantom almost shakes apart from the euphoric feeling as their bond starts to solidify within him. It’s overwhelming and he's pulling Mounty’s head away frantically, but gently. Mountain spares his neck a few licks before Phantom has his teeth on a relatively clear spot on his neck; ironically, they find out later, it's right next to Dew’s. Phantom mouths as the spot and bites. The bite lasts a little longer than Mounty’s because Phantom cums immediately, as the earth ghoul thrusts his full knot gently, and their bond is completed.

Spiralling words and praises are falling out of someone’s mouth- Mountain isn’t sure who. He is only feeling pure pleasure as he rides out his orgasm, pinning the ghoul into the bed like he is trying to fuck him through it. Mountain couldn’t help but marvel at how small Phantom was compared to him, the bulge appearing in Phantom. Mountain can’t help himself, his huge hand slips down and he palms the spot on the ghoul's stomach, making Phantom sob. Mountain kisses the tears, reminding him that he is so good, so good for him.

✧.*

When Mountain finally manages to pull himself off Phantom when his knot deflates, Swiss is quick to switch places, and holds Phantom tightly, rubbing his horns, and threading his fingers through the boy’s curly hair. He presses kisses to the Phantom’s sweaty forehead. Sweet boy.

“Do you want them?” Phantom mumbles into his skin.

Swiss looks down at him, pressing his lips onto Phantom’s forehead. “What?”

Phantom breathes out before his pretty amethyst eyes go to Swiss. “Kits,”

Swiss debates this question for a second. He’s never really thought about it... Or never let himself think about it, too much. No multi-ghoul has ever carried kits- but he could have them with someone else. He can’t lie and say he’s never thought about it with Rain… But he answers the quintessence ghoul. “Maybe? One day I guess. I don’t know,”

Phantom looks at him and purrs. “I do.”

Swiss smiles and ruffles his hair. “They’d be lucky to have you if you decide to have them. But you’re still young. You have time. We all have time,” Swiss says, and as he thinks about it, he smiles, overcome with the daydream he has more than he likes to admit. “A little kit in the pack? How sweet. We should have had one sooner,” Swiss jokes but almost instantly- the atmosphere in the room plummets.

Beside them, Rain’s entire body stiffens from under Mountain. His entire energy, magic, and aura shift almost immediately- and both Swiss and Phantom notice. Phantom especially tries to shuffle forward to Rain, reaching for his sweet love. “Rain… Rainy , what’s wrong?”

Rain is so heartbreakingly sad, his huge blue eyes watering. “Please don’t talk about them...” He snuffles out as he cries against Mountain’s chest. “I don’t deserve them,” Rain mumbles, so softly, it’s like he was saying it only to himself.

Swiss hear him well, also shuffling over, so they’re crowded against Rain. Mountain has woken up, his groggy eyes focusing on the distressed ghoul under him. Swiss looks confused. “What do you mean you don’t deserve them, Rainbow? You deserve everything good. You’d be so good with a kit-“

Rain shakes his head. “No. No . You don’t… fuck! You don’t understand! I don’t fucking deserve anything. I’ve lost all of them. All of them. I was never able to carry one for any sort of time. Fuck . I’ve lost them and I miss them every fucking time. They deserved more. Life. They deserved a carrier who could actually protect them. But instead, they got… me. Fuck,” Rain chokes out. His eyes shut as if he is reliving the brutal experience of losing a life he wanted desperately to carry, to nurse, to adore. Fuck. He would have adored them- so much.

The weight of the words slam onto Swiss.

He was right.

Rain lost kits- oh hell- he’s lost more than one. And he mourned every crippling loss, alone, never admitting the pain he was going through.

Phantom is out from under Swiss in record time, his lithe body nearly wrapping around Rain. His hand goes to Rain’s hair, dragging his face closer to his neck, and his tail wraps around Rain’s legs, as he hugs his arm around his waist, tightly. “It’s okay- you’re so good, Rain. It wasn’t your fault. You didn’t do anything wrong.” Phantom whispers reassuringly and presses soft, loving kisses to the water ghoul’s distraught face.

Rain almost seems to try to shove him off- anger rising in him- but then he also grips at Phantom’s lithe waist. “No- shut up. Shut up. Fuck off. You don’t know. It’s my fault. Fuck… it’s all my fault.”

Phantom, a protective, low growl comes out when he grabs Rain’s face. Despite the fact they’re still in a pile in between Mountain and Swiss, Phantom props himself between them, hugging the water ghoul against his naked body, and keeping the other two ghouls off him, for the time being.

“No. Stop it,” Phantom tells him firmly. But the tears don't stop. But just by being next to him, Phantom’s calming adoration and love for Rain seems to flood the ghoul. Words don’t matter right now. What matters is Phantom is trying, from his entire core, to remind Rain that he isn’t a bad thing simply for experiencing loss. He’s not. He’s good and pure and doesn’t deserve the pain life has dealt him.

The bathroom door opens, and Dew comes out, on shaky legs. He was listening to everything. One look between him and Rain, and Dew slides back into the bed nearly instantly. Phantom is too lost in his instinctual need to be with Rain to be angry with Dew for abandoning him.

Dew and Rain always shared a bond, something so strong and protective. He cradles Rain onto his chest- his heat radiating through his body. “It’s not your fault. You need to know that. Fuck. You didn’t deserve any of this shit you’ve been through,” Dew mumbles. It isn’t exactly a soft words of affirmation, but it’s a reminder for the water ghoul who is often too hard on himself.

Rain doesn’t respond, not to anyone. The praises and constant reassurance almost make him feel worse. Not worthy of it, fuck. He just buries his head into Phantom’s neck for the time being- ending the conversation for now. He’s too feral, too fragile, for any good to come out of this anymore.

When Dew’s hand inadvertently slips to grab Phantom’s, Swiss snarls lowly and swats it away. Dew blinks hard and tries to avoid his own tears.

It’s a haze of cuddles and long limbs being strewn over each other as the pile of five remains on the hotel bed. Dew and Phantom huddle close to each other, despite the boy's still heartbroken look at being abandoned after Dew knotted him.

When the fire ghoul starts kissing along Phantom’s jawline, making the quintessence ghoul melt against him, a look of confusion flashes over Phantom’s features. Phantom tries to conceal the tears and Swiss finally growls. He grabs Dewdrop, ripping him out of the bed, ignoring the surprised whines and cries from Phantom and Rain, and the questioning look from Mountain.

Swiss loves Dewdrop. But he loves Phantom, too. And Dewdrop is hurting Phantom whether or not he means to. And as much as Swiss adores the fire ghoul; it isn’t fair to bug for Dew to be treating him this way.

Swiss grabs Dewdrop, as he slams the bathroom door shut, pushing him against the door and growling. Dew looks surprised, but he’s used to rough treatment from Swiss- when he asks for it. Swiss fucks him rough, and loves him hard. But Dew can see the anger. “If you can’t give that boy what he needs, be the person for him that he wants- you gotta let him go. Don’t touch him, confuse him, don’t do anything with him again. His state is way too fragile now. You knotted him then fucking ran off him like a bat outta’ hell. The fuck is wrong with you?!” Swiss snarls at Dewdrop.

Dew stares at him. Not be with Phantom— at all? No. No. He can’t do that. “I can’t,” Dew chokes out.

Swiss yells at him now. “You have to let him go!”

Dewdrop yells back at him, aggressively. “I can’t! I can’t!”

“Then fucking do better,” Swiss snarls at him. Swiss loves too deeply to see the quintessence ghoul ever cry like he did because of Dew abandoning him. And Swiss loves Dewdrop, and fuck, the stompy, stubborn fire ghoul deserves happiness. And Phantom is happiness. Why would Dew deny himself of that any longer?

“He loves you most,” Swiss admits.

Dew sighs and sags under his hands, as the multighoul holds him against the bathroom door. “Don’t deserve him. He’s too good.”

Swiss tightens his grip. “You deserve happiness , Dewdrop. You do. I know it doesn’t come easily but for your sake, his, for all of our sake… just… let yourself find happiness because it’s right fucking in front of you.”

It’s Rain who asks Mountain to be with Swiss to the bathroom, so he can have time alone with the fire ghoul and Phantom; both of them needing it. Rain will watch to make sure Phantom isn’t hurt. He's more clear-headed but still protective.

Dewdrop comes out, looking defeated, and looks at Phantom with wide eyes. “I’m so sorry… kid. I’m so sorry you are… fuck… just everything. And I didn’t feel deserving of you. But I shouldn’t have done what I did.”

Phantom looks at him, hurt still, but his eyes soften when he finally reaches for Dewdrop and pulls him into the bed. No more words for the time being. Phantom just wants to be with him.

Rain and Phantom are immediately on either side of the fire ghoul, pressing kisses to his neck, and jaw, anywhere they can get. Phantom entangles his hand into Dew’s long, blond hair, so his head is tilted back so he can reach his pretty mouth.

“Good- you’re so good, Dew. Fuck, so good,” Phantom praises. It nearly makes Dew sob instantly at the praise. He doesn’t feel deserving of it, none of it, but Rain and Phantom make him feel so good and so loved.

Rain kissed the scars of his gills, Phantom sees it, but knows it’s not his place to touch.

Phantom is kissing Dew; kissing away the tears that’s coming out of his eyes on his flared cheeks. Steam rises from the contact of the liquid on his hot skin. Rain works his way down the fire ghoul's body until he finds his cock, kissing it and wrapping his long fingers around it- making Dew gasp and buck into his hands.

Phantom is mouthing at the spot on Dewdrop’s neck and the fire ghoul almost immediately drops his head, baring his neck.

They don’t need any guidance from Rain for this. Phantom kisses his neck, before sinking his fangs deep into Dew’s skin, piercing the flesh, and making the fire ghoul cry out, his eyes fluttering shut, as he comes in Rain’s hand almost immediately.

Phantom laps up the blood- kissing the wound- as Dew fists his curly hair in his hands. “Good- so good, Dew,” he praises.

Hells, the praising. Dew doesn’t deserve it.

But even though he doesn’t deserve it, Phantom is so willing and wants to give it. So, why keep denying himself something so good, so pure?

Phantom— the missing piece that no one knew they needed, and now they can’t live without.

Phantom guides Dew’s head to his neck and the fire ghoul breathes in heavily, the sweet scent filling his nose, as he turns and slots himself between Phantom's leg, grinding against him.

“Okay?”

Phantom nods eagerly. “Yeah… yeah. Please,”

Phantom screams when Dew bites his neck, coming again, and crying. Good, so good.

Rain is watching, protectively over his bug, but also… so happy, to see the love radiating through the room.

✧.*

Swiss, Mountain, and Dew are amazed that the two ghouls manage to play the shows they had lined up for the next day. They were all over each other on stage- making the fans go wild- but it was magic how they seemed to support each other and manage to still perform.

Finally, back on the tour bus, Mountain and Swiss somehow manage to cram into the same bunk as Rain. The water ghoul, who is nearly pinned underneath them, his lanky limbs stuffed into an unimaginable angle, whines.

“Ah, fuck, you two are heavy- get off- Dew, help ,” Rain muffles, as both Mountain and Swiss try to snuggle him. Dew is out at the back, smoking a cigarette, unable to hear the water ghouls' voice.

“You get him all the time!” Swiss snaps at Mountain, moping.

Mountain, so full of love and adoration, just smiles and hugs Rain tighter. “I can’t help it. Where is the other one?”

Said other one, Phantom, came out of the bathroom- with big, curious eyes, as he heard Rain’s voice. He shuffles down the corridor, before Swiss nearly scoops him up by the scruff of his neck and the quintessence ghoul lets out a surprised cry. “Hey, wait- what?! No, I can’t fit!” Phantom whines as Swiss drags him into the bunk- which is absolutely, definitely, not made for four ghouls. Swiss stuffs Phantom on top of him, his limbs wrapped around him tightly to keep him from falling and somehow Phantom winds up on top of Rain, sandwiched in between Mountain and Swiss.

He looks around and whines. “Help,” he says to Rain.

Rain snorts- before kissing the mark on Phantom’s neck. “You think you need help? I’m getting suffocated down here.”

Dew comes back to the bunks after his cigarette- his brow raised as he sees a pile of tangled limbs and tails from behind the privacy curtain on the bunks. He raises an ashy blond brow and snorts. “What’s going on in there, shitheads?”

“They captured us,” Rain groans, and Mountain laughs.

“They won’t let us go!” Phantom squeaks.

Dew scowls, before somehow managing to grab Phantom's tail, playfully tugging it, and the ghoul whines before climbing out of the bunk and nearly falling into Dew’s awaiting arms. “Sorry. He’s mine for the night,” Dew tells them.

Back in their familiar bunk on the tour bus, Dew sits next to Phantom, cradling the freckled ghoul’s face. Phantom is in one of Rain’s blue hoodies, and a pair of Dew’s sweatpants. Dew smiles at the sight, as he peppers kisses over Phantom’s face, making the sweet boy giggle and hug him tighter, so tightly over his torso. He’s strong.

Dew winces a bit but doesn’t ask him to loosen his grip. It’s fascinating to see Phantom’s magic and power fluctuate and grow, and Dew will spend as much time as he can observing the quintessence ghoul. His emotions are intense and deepened, even more than before- reflecting in his magic. He’ll need to get Aether to have a look at him too.

“You have a lot of magic, kid,” Dew mumbles into the boy's hair. Phantom is nearly glimmering in the dark.

Phantom’s brows knit together. “I don’t understand it yet,” he admits. In the dark bunk; the freckles on Phantom’s face nearly glitter and shine like small galaxies painted over his skin.

Dew presses kisses along his cheeks, following the outline of stars on his lavender hue skin. But his face falls when he thinks about how cowardly he was earlier. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, for what I did… leaving you after that. I don’t talk about shit well. But that… was so stupid of me. You deserve so much better-”

Phantom kisses him to make him stop talking. “Stop it. You were scared. I get it,”

“No, no, kid. No matter what I felt, I should have thought about you first. I promise I’ll do better.” Dew whispers. Clutching his face and kissing him, tears in his eyes.

Phantom smiles and presses his body as close to psychically possible. “I know, love, it’s okay. I love you. I love you, Dew,” Phantom reminds him, and soon they’re a pile of limbs and bodies as they curl together in the bunk. Phantom kisses over his bite on Dew’s neck, making the fire ghoul shudder.

“Mine.” Phantom breathes.

✧.*

Back in the abbey, in Rain’s little outcove, Phantom had come for a visit. Phantom loves the outcove, in a crumbling part of the abbey, where spring water is collected in a glittering pool. It’s cold and smells like earth. Reflections of the rippling water dance off the crumbling grey stones, and water plants grow all around. Outside the window, the lake is visible.

In contrast to the cool atmosphere, in Rain’s bed, it’s warm and cozy. Rain has a thick fleece blanket he nipped off Mountain. It’s brown, warm and ragged from use. Phantom cuddles against Rain, draped in the blanket, and his head pressed against the slight swell of the water ghoul’s stomach. His lavender hand is holding onto Rain’s chest, the other on his hip, and he presses soft kisses along Rain’s ribs and stomach.

“You’re like a cat,” Rain murmurs as he dozes against the quintessence ghoul’s touch.

Phantom purrs, proving the point. He reaches up, holding Rain’s cold hand in his. “You don’t cry as much these days,” Phantom observes out loud.

Rain smiles. “Yeah. Don’t feel like I need to, I guess. I have a lot more to smile about,” Rain brushed over the mark, making Phantom shiver. “Glad I found you… little bug. You’re probably the most precious thing I ever could have wanted. Didn’t even know I was missing something in my life till you showed up,”

The quintessence ghoul doesn’t answer- he seems to be listening to something intently. His head is on Rain's soft stomach still, the pads of his fingers tracing the water ghoul's damp skin. His eyes pop open wide and he grins. “Little water lily,”

Rain stills but doesn’t answer. Nor does he ask for Phantom to elaborate, yet. His fingers go to the mark on Phantom’s thigh and he runs the pad of his thumb over it, making the ghoul shiver again. “Maybe. Maybe one day.”

Phantom seems to understand. But it’s like can see it in his mind; a beautiful, little pale thing running around. Giggling, happy, created out of love. One day. Sooner than they would all think.

Phantom snuggles closer to Rain, feeling sleepy and safe in the water ghoul's embrace. And feeling loved. Endlessly loved, with the marks on his neck to prove it.

Rain, who always felt so undeserving of adoration, feels settled and safe in Phantom’s comfortable embrace. For so long, the water ghoul felt terrified of life. It was daunting and scary, and he didn’t understand why he was made. Dewdrop went through so much pain because of him. Rain was heartbroken often, and sad, and his bandmates always tried to remind him they loved him, but he felt so undeserving of it. He lost… so much.

Rain deserved nothing. Sometimes, he felt that it would be so much easier if he just… wasn’t there.

But he found love in his pack mates. But especially in Swiss’s constant kisses, Dew’s fiery love for him, hugging him around the waist and kissing his hair. And Mountain’s firm, steadfast love. He holds him during the nights, his gentle voice reminding him how loved he is.

And now, Phantom… being the missing part of his heart, he never knew he needed. He lessens his pain, and makes him feel safe and whole.

Rain starts crying, but not because he’s in pain. It’s quite the fucking opposite. Rain hugs Phantom tightly. That kid is pure magic.

And everyone is lucky to have him. And he’s lucky to have them.

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