Hihi! I Was Wondering Of You Could Write Something About The Ghouls (big Or Small) Trying New Foods?

Mushy May Day 13: "Just Wanted To Hear Your Voice"

Timezones apart, Mountain and Aether share a late night/early morning phonecall.

Thank you very much to @forlorn-crows for putting Mushy May together, and to @ghuleh-recs for the divider. <3

(this could also be for the long distance extra prompt but i digress, enjoy the fic)

Aether wakes not to his work alarm, but to the drum fill in Respite, his phone buzzing on the nightstand. He shoots up, scrambling for it in a half awake haze. He fumbles to accept the call, pressing the phone to his ear.

"Mount?" He slurs, tongue not fully cooperating yet. His mind struggles with the timezone conversion, the rest of his pack, minus Sunny, halfway across the world. "'S gotta be late over there, what's goin' on?"

There's a deep sigh on the other end, made tinny through the speakers. "Hey, Aeth. There's no emergency. Sorry if I woke you."

"Don't apologize," Aether says, tension easing from his frame as he settles back in bed, phone pinned to his ear by his shoulder as he adjusts a blanket. He doesn't have to be to the infirmary until two hours from now. There's time. And if there wasn't, he'd find a way to make time. Anything for them. "I'm awake, sweet thing. How was the Ritual?"

Another sigh, edging on a groan. "Really fucking long. I don't even want to think about how many more of these we have left. I haven't had a chance to be outside for more than five minutes in a month, nova."

Aether hisses through his teeth in sympathy. He knows second hand what being cut off from one's element feels like, a phantom pain you can't quite shake. Quintessence is everywhere, so Aether's never experienced the loss of it himself.

It's easy for the rest of them to recharge; air a constant, water everywhere on Earth, fire easy to sate with heat. Dew's preferred method of recharging is near-boiling showers, taking advantage of hotels and venues and running their hot water bills sky high. It eases both his fire and what remains of his water.

Earth is a different story, especially when the pack is moving from city to city with barely room to breathe. It's always taken a toll on Mountain, but he takes it like a champ. Though Aether will always, always, always let him vent, knows how satisfying it is to let off steam.

"I'm sorry, Mount," he hums, clearing the sleep from his eyes. He'd been dreaming, something too realistic, almost able to trick his mind that he hadn't been asleep at all, that his mattress had been warm with three ghouls' worth of body heat instead of one.

"Why'd you think it's your fault?" Mountain chuckles halfheartedly. "You in charge of scheduling or somethin'?"

Aether hums. "Maybe. You don't know," he teases. "It's late over there, Mount. You want to hang up and get some sle-?"

"No!" Mountain cuts him off suddenly, distress sharp in his tone. "No, Aeth, please, don't make me hang up."

Aether can't see him, can barely sense their bond, stretched thin with distance. He can imagine it though, the way his shoulders slump, eyes pressing shut. "Not going to make you do anything. Talk to me, sweet thing. Anything you want, just let me hear you."

Mountain sighs, and he can just barely pick up the sound of a hand dragging down his face, scraping against his stubble. Mountain normally likes a clean shave, itchy, regrowing stubble an easy way to send him into a sensory overload. But being on tour makes it difficult to keep up with the upkeep. He wonders when their next hotel day is.

"Cue's halfway through her third blanket," Mountain says slowly. Aether doesn't need to feel the bond to feel the exhaustion seeping into his voice. "We made a stop at a craft store a few days back, she came out with a literal armful of yarn. Every color under the sun. I think she cleared out an entire color's worth of baby blanket yarn. She said something about making one for Aurora."

Aether hums considerately, reaching with one hand to the purple and navy blanket that had been pushed aside in his sleep. Still as soft as the day she had shyly handed it to him, the second one she had ever made, only a few months' summoned. She's come out of her shell since, but Aether rubs the yarn between his thumb and forefinger and remembers anyways. "Aeon's gotten theirs?"

There's silence for a second, and a quiet spew of Ghoulish cursing. "Just fucking nodded like you could see me," Mountain laughs, exhausted. "The second one she made was Aeon's."

"They like it?" Aether asks, biting back a yawn, tail going ramrod straight as he stretches his back. There's the sound of a privacy curtain being pulled back, and Mountain groans softly before the curtain is pulled again.

"Had to make sure they were still out there," he explains. "They're currently burritoed up in it on the couch with Swiss."

"Don't get up and do it now," Aether says, chuffing at the mental image of the new quintessence ghoul all cozy. "But in the morning, if they're still wrapped up, send me a picture, will you, sweet thing?"

A soft chuckle. "Of course, nova. Thank you."

"What for?" Aether says.

"I dunno. Just wanted to hear your voice."

Aether chuffs, reaching for his glasses. It's almost time for him to get up out of bed. "Thank you, too, then," he says, sliding his glasses on one handed. "I miss you all terribly."

There's a long sigh, which changes halfway through into a yawn. "I don't want to hang up, Aeth." His voice is as small as Aether's heard it in years, not since the last time the pack was thrown into upheaval.

"I know, Mount. I know. But you still need to sleep, sweet thing. Call me in the morning?" Aether offers, knowing that he'll probably be on his break by the time Mountain wakes, ever the early riser.

"I'll call you in the morning," Mountain says, still a little hesitant. "I love you, nova."

Aether smiles. "Love you too. I'll talk to you soon."

If you have Ghost you have everything

Mushy May Day 17: Funny T-shirts

Sunny likes to poke fun at Swiss with custom t-shirts, much to his chagrin.

Thank you to @forlorn-crows for putting Mushy May together, and @ghuleh-recs for making the dividers! <3

The note for this in my outline was "a la mercer and riegel" if that makes sense to anyone lol.

Swiss looks up from his breakfast, a bowl of granola and berries and yogurt, as Sunny bounds into the kitchen, her copper curls bouncing as she enters with a suspicious spring in her step. "Hiya, spark!" She greets him, settling into one of the chairs across from him. Rain and Aurora look up as well, wishing the other multi-ghoulette a good morning.

His eyes settle on the collar of her oversized button up, clearly one of Aether's. "Morning, ember," he says, trying to copy her enthusiasm and not quite making it. "You go clothes raiding again?" He takes another bite of his breakfast, watching her expectantly. Something's not quite right here, button ups not usually Sunny's style.

She shrugs, still grinning, snatching the carafe of orange juice and pouring herself a glass. As Sunny leans to reach, the collar of the button up droops, revealing the hem of a bright orange t-shirt. Nothing more than that, but it's enough for Swiss's spoon to clink against his bowl as he buries his face in his hands.

"Another one, Sunny?" he groans. "How many shirts. Please."

Rain and Aurora turn, eyes brightening in intrigued laughter as Sunny takes a drink, smugly settling back in her chair.

"Now, Swissy, I have no idea what you could be talking about," she says, batting her eyelashes at him.

It's her favorite way to poke fun at him. Awful candid photos of him, blown up and custom printed somewhere online, hidden under zip up hoodies and button ups that she takes off to reveal like the world's most embarrassing strip tease. There have been ones taken while he's sleeping, mouth open, snoring and drooling, and ones that were the unfortunate results of a mistimed blink while taking pictures with the pack. Fortunately, or unfortunately for Sunny, there are no kit pictures, no way to bring them after being summoned Up Top.

He hates the way it makes his face burn, but it makes the pack laugh, and makes Sunny's cheeks dimple with her grin in a way that makes Swiss feels crazy. So he endures it. (He'll never admit that he thinks it's funny too.)

"Noooooo," he groans, peeking through his fingers as Sunny stands, unbuttoning her top button.

"How many of those do you have, sunbeam?" Rain asks, staring smugly at Swiss's over the top distress. "Ten? Twenty?"

"This one makes fourteen," Sunny says, undoing another two buttons.

Swiss rubs his temples, pretending a headache's coming on. "Emberrrrrrrr," he drags out in a groan. "Come on, get it over with."

"As you wish." Sunny copies his signature grin, all of her teeth on display, hands moving down farther and farther, each button slipping through the button hole. Finally, Aether's shirt falls open, revealing a Ritual picture of him.

It's the lowest quality picture of him Swiss has ever seen, only thing distinct about his features are the bug like lenses and the bright white of his teeth against the black helmet. He had been grinning menacingly at that Ritual, but the grainy picture makes him look dorky. There's words across the top and bottom, all caps in Impact font, declares "Swiss Shirt Bottom Text"

"I made a shirt for you, sparky!" Sunny beams, watching Swiss groan. "You like it?"

Swiss growls, silverware clattering as he shoots to his feet, Rain and Aurora's laughter echoing around the kitchen. Sunny squeaks, eyes wide as she darts off, Swiss in close pursuit.

Ficlet requests, well don't mind if I do. Could you possibly gift us any thoughts on Aether and Mountain's first kiss?

oh. oh. im in my big boy feels, abs. how could you do this. ohhhh noooo. it would be so sweet i just know it. i can think of about ten different ways it could happen, but they all turn out so mushy and soft and UGH. them. they are so special to me. AND to each other.

things get a little rough from time to time for mount after the first few months topside, but leave it to aether to know just how to help <3

Mountain grunts in frustration, sending two halves of another broken stick tumbling down the riser steps. 

Fuck, he mutters, his infernal tongue slipping out. He scrubs his face with his sore hands, cursing the Dark One for fating him to play instruments. He can’t get these fills right; his simple rhythms are starting to falter, too, with the exhaustion of playing the same songs over and over and over.

He’s tired. Overwhelmed. Calluses newly formed on the palms of his hands screaming at him to stop. Zephyr had assured him—multiple times—he’s doing just fine, holding his own. But right now it sure doesn’t feel like it.

A boisterous chuckle sounds from behind the door before it opens, Aether stepping into the practice room. Mountain’s face burns with the desire to resist his perception, to go unnoticed.To sulk in private. 

“Oh! Hey, Mount; didn’t realize . . .” He takes stock of the broken drumsticks littered in front of his kit and the droop in the earth ghoul’s shoulders. “Hey,” he says softer, walking across the space. His grin turns to a concerned frown. “Everything okay?”

Mountain avoids his eyes. He makes a noncommittal noise, raising his shoulders in an unconvincing shrug. Stubborn. He knows he is. It’s not like Aether has ever given him any trouble; quite the opposite. He’s kind, jovial, gets along with everyone. Doesn’t prod Mountain to interact with the rest of the pact when he senses his need for alone time. 

He’s thankful for that in the whirlwind of the past few months. He is. Unfortunately, Mountain would rather crawl into a hole lest he burst into angry tears in front of his packmate. 

“Mount?” Aether’s voice is so gentle. He steps carefully up to his level, still keeping respectful distance. He fiddles with the rings on one hand, face equally hopeful and worried. 

“I can leave, if you wanna practice,” Mountain mumbles, avoiding the question. 

“You don’t have to do that. But. Wanna make sure you’re okay first.”

Mountain takes a shaky breath. Fighting against the shyness that threatens to make him go mute. “Just . . .” He nudges the edge of his kick pedal with his socked foot. “Hard time.”

Aether hums and nods. “Sound good though. Promise.” There’s that smile again, genuine and wide. 

A sad grin tugs at Mountain’s mouth as he nods a silent thanks. There’s a pause. A moment where the earth ghoul doesn’t know if he should say something or clumsily go back to his confidence-shattering practice session. Aether visibly brightens before he can do either.

“I’ve got something that might help, if you’d like.”

Mountain laughs pitifully. “Yeah?”

He nods, already bouncing on the balls of his feet. “Nothing crazy, I swear.” Aether’s already bounding down the steps by the end of his sentence. He walks backwards towards the door, hand outstretched to point towards Mountain. “Just stay there! I’ll be right back.” He turns and leaves the room just as quickly as he came, shutting the door behind him. Mountain can hear the thudding of his eager footsteps echo down the hall, fading away as he disappears back into the abbey. 

Mountain smiles softly to himself. Always helping, that quintessence ghoul. He pulls another drumstick from the caddy and flicks it back and forth between his hands, too curious of Aether’s plans to go back to practicing. 

He only has to wait at most ten minutes before the door’s opening again, albeit much more slowly and more creaky than before. Aether’s back emerges before the rest of him, and when he turns around, he’s brandishing two tall mugs, steam billowing out of the holes in the lidded tops.

“I’m back!” he says cheerily, as if it weren’t obvious. “Something to soothe the infernal soul.” The quintessence ghoul returns to his spot as before and holds out the mug to Mountain. A waft of orange, cinnamon, and vanilla hits his nostrils, piquing his interest and perking his droopy ears. 

“Ah, thought you might like that,” Aether lilts, handing him the mug. “Careful though, still hot.”

Mountain trills at the warmth of the mug and the warmth of the scent rising from it. The mug is thick, shielding most of the heat away from his hands while still allowing some of it to warm the ceramic evenly. He closes his eyes, sighing heavily as it starts to soothe his aching palms. 

“Rest a little bit. You deserve it.” Aether pats his shoulder. “I’m gonna tune up. Let me know if there’s anything we can work on together.”

The sound of him turning on his heel to relocate to his respective station snaps Mountain out of his momentary zen. His hand shoots out to grab Aether by the forearm, pulling him back towards himself.

“Wait,” Mountain says hastily. Aether looks at him expectantly, glancing briefly at the place his hand wraps around his arm. The earth ghoul stares back, wide-eyed and searching for something he can’t name. His heart beats once, twice, three times. And just as Aether’s about to open his mouth and breathe what, before he even really realizes what he’s doing, Mountain rises up just far enough off his stool and closes the distance between them, giving him the quickest, chastest of kisses. 

Mountain freezes just inches from Aether’s face, a classic deer in the headlights. Aether stares back, mouth slightly parted and quirked up on one side. 

“Uh.” His face heats up in embarrassment. “Thanks,” he mumbles. 

Aether just looks at him with that silly grin, eyes sparkling and the faintest lavender blush of his own coloring his cheeks. Then he clears his throat, shakes his head almost imperceptibly. 

“You’re welcome, Mount,” he says softly, a boyish smile creeping up on his handsome features.

Mountain sits back down, hand slipping off of his arm, and he wishes the pit would open up and swallow him whole right here in the middle of the practice hall.

“Hey. C’mere.” Aether grabs his free hand gently, tugging him to stand again. “How ‘bout a real one?” He grabs Mountain’s mug and sets them both on the small table the earth ghoul has behind his kit. Then, ever so carefully—oh Lucifer—Aether cradles both sides of his face in his hands and pulls Mountain in.

His eyes flutter shut at the touch of his lips, warm despite Aether’s alignment with the void. He turns his head slightly and their mouths slot together, and Mountain can’t help the quiet, happy sigh that escapes him. The quintessence ghoul smiles against his lips and hums too. Thumbs brushing along the ridges of his freckled cheekbones. 

It’s sweet and slow, close-lipped—mouths pulling apart with soft sounds just to meet again in a languid and tender little dance. Innocent, really. But that doesn’t stop Mountain’s chest from blooming with butterflies, insides going pleasantly fuzzy. Doesn’t stop his tail from thumping against the worn carpet. His hands open and close at his sides, unconsciously resisting the urge to touch. 

He thinks if he does, he won’t be able to stop. 

Mercifully, Aether pulls away before he can turn into a mushy, weak-kneed puddle. When he opens his eyes again, the quint ghoul is looking up at him with the fondest expression, hands still cupping the sides of his face. 

“Was that okay?” Aether asks. 

Mountain blinks. “Um.” He pulls away and wipes his kiss-swollen lips with the back of his hand. “I don’t . . . think I want to practice anymore,” he mutters, slightly dazed. 

Aether stares at him, a brief flash of anxiety crossing his features. It’s replaced with relief, however, after no more than two seconds of awkward silence, laughter bursting unbidden from deep in his chest when he understands what Mountain means. The beautiful sound of it reverberates off the practice room walls and makes a home in the earth ghoul’s mind as one of the best sounds he’s heard thus far in his topside life.

Mushy May, day 6. "You're blushing"

Rating: M

Pairing: Swiss/Dewdrop

Words: 1,155

Summary: A morning like any other, and Swiss just really loves Dew.

Contains: Nothing explicit - just Dew getting sorta turned on. Swiss being gross and lovely dovey.

As always 1000 smooches to @forlorn-crows for all of this <333

Pay no attention to what date anything is posted on anymore

Behind him the bathroom door creaked. Nudged open by a bleary eyed, disheveled multi ghoul. None of his locs remained contained within the elastic Swiss had drawn them into the night before, all in varying states of untamed with minds of their own. He shuffled his way towards the shower, mouth falling open to reveal oversized fangs as he yawned, idly scratching at his bare stomach. 

Dew watched the way he moved, practically on autopilot in the still foggy edges of the mirror. Still yet to even acknowledge his existence in the room at all, likely because his eyes were barely open enough to see what was in front of him, and Dew didn't have the heart - or the balls to break him from his sleepy stupor. Swiss was, for all intents and purposes, a bear in the morning. Waking him was treacherous. But also he looked kinda cute when he was tired like this. A dangerous teddy bear. 

His eyebrows raised minutely as he caught a glimpse of the deep red welts raked down Swiss’ back when Swiss bent at the waist to fuss with the old stubborn faucet. He winced sympathetically and glanced down at his hand, mentally noting to file down his claws at some point lest he maul another poor unsuspecting victim. Swiss hardly seemed bothered by the battle scars as he braced his hands on his lower back to stretch. Dew tipped his head, morning routine momentarily forgotten when Swiss let out a low half purr-half groan of satisfaction. The sound itself was innocent in nature but still managed to kickstart something hot in his gut but the sway of his tail and the second full bodied yawn of the morning did something far worse to Dew. Warmth deep in the confines of his ribs and an unwilling curl to his lips, Dew exhaled fondly. Endeared and amused by the sheer act of being him. 

The small space grew warmer as the shower began to heat up, trickling water white noise as Swiss puttered back and forth aimlessly gathering his things with a practiced ease. 

Dew remembered a time where Swiss shifted uncomfortably at the prospect of moving some of his things into Dew's bathroom - afraid of intruding, of taking up space in places he claimed weren't his but Dew had laughed at his initial nervousness. Places that weren't his, as if he didn't wake up in Dew's bed most mornings, as if his sheets didn't carry the rich smokey scent of the multi ghoul even in his absence. That bed was Swiss’ as much as it was his. Arguing his point with Dew was a waste of breath, he'd already emptied out the drawer for his things long before the conversation happened. Now Swiss rummaged through the bathroom like it had always been his. 

“Hey cinder…” 

Swiss sagged against him abruptly and Dew braced himself against the counter to keep himself upright, only hissing a little when Swiss laughed. His voice was low and rusted, husked by sleep but tinged sweet. Perching his chin on his shoulder he fixed him a smile in their reflection, lazy but entirely genuine, before slotting himself properly against his back. He'd finally blinked the sleep from his eyes despite his lids sitting heavy, rings of gold peeking out from under dark lashes.

“Hey yourself,” he hummed and continued working his fingers through the ends of his damp hair. “Didn't think you'd be up for a bit - don't tell me I somehow managed to wake you.” 

“Oh nothin’ wakes me darling.” Strong arms snuck around his narrow waist and Swiss turned to tuck his face into his hair. Dew bit his lip, admiring the way his embrace just seemed to envelop him. Sure, he was small but Swiss always managed to make him feel it and it made his stomach do flips. “You smell good.” 

“You're gonna tangle my hair again,” Dew hissed half heartedly and he opted to hold him tighter. A subtle reminder that the multi ghoul could keep him however he liked. Part of Dew hoped he did just that.  

“Oh don't be such a priss, that's Rain's job” he snorted and pressed a chaste kiss to his bare shoulder. Careful to avoid the sore imprints of teeth leading down his neck like a true gentleman. “Just wanna hold my baby a little, can't really deny me that now can you?”

Dumbfounded, Dew once again paused in the motion. Fingers still tangled in his hair, he knit his brow. The action of embracing him, the pet name - not to mention the casual ‘my’ prefixed to it, he felt hit brain skitter to a halt. Swiss laughed again, not necessarily at him though. An amused exhale too close to his skin that makes him shudder. 

“Your baby?” He repeats with reluctance, heart rate picking up speed with each suspicious syllable. The smile he's met with is too much teeth, like Swiss might just eat him alive but not to revel in his agony. Like he might devour him to savor him in entirety, an act of reverence as opposed to violence. 

“My baby.” 

An involuntarily whine rose in his throat, eyes flitting away as to not watch the pink color his cheeks. Swiss was certainly watching.

“What's wrong?” He squeezed his middle and nosed lightly against his pulsepoint, likely feeling the way it stuttered. 

“You're being weird” Dew's voice went soft as little kisses were pressed to the hinge of his jaw. The heat in his belly was undeniable now but he still tried to distract himself, washing his hands in icy water. 

“And you're cute when you're all bashful like this, sweetheart.” Another kiss followed by a playful nip, the faintest catch of teeth against already bruised skin. Dew's eyes nearly fluttered. “You like it, know you do, love when I'm sweet on you like this.” 

Mouth opening to protest, Dew’s brain struggled to provide the words and he was left standing there stammering while Swiss continued to lightly bite and kiss along the column of his throat. He was turning to putty, dick beginning to twitch with interest. Every sappy, tooth-rotting whisper close to his ear aided it in fattening up much to his humiliation. The fire ghoul screwed his eyes shut when Swiss hummed curiously, mortified when his palm pressed to the front of his boxers. Dew whined again, distress and need mixed into one desperate sound. 

“You're blushing, beautiful…Prettiest shade of pink, wonder if it will be just as red when I get my hands on it.” 

“Fucking hells, you're gonna kill me,” he warbled and grabbed his wrist, unsure if he wanted to add to the pressure against him or pull him away. 

“Just love you baby, let me love you.”

Dew swallowed and cracked an eye open to take in the sight of them. He almost wanted to commit it to memory. 

“Y-Yeah, okay…Love you too.” 

Copia feeling insecure about having a tummy/getting chubby as he gets older and he makes some self depreciating joke about it to Aether one day but he takes it seriously and has a conversation about it and it ends with Aether cuddling up on Copia’s stomach and telling him how much he love him and his body no matter what and the girls eventually decide to join the cuddle pile

God, this is so incredibly important to me.

---

More often than not, Copia doesn't bother looking at his reflection in the body length mirror that resides in his room.

Today is different.

He catches his reflection as he moves by. The frilly black shirt (his favorite) is always lose fiting on him. But a quick glance shows what he's been dreading.

There's extra pudge that sits on his hips. It clings to his ribs and Copia can't help the disgusted noise he makes. He's supposed to be Papa and yet here he is letting himself get fat and lazy. Well, he's never been the most fit, to be truthful. That more than likely plays a key role in it.

His eyes linger too long, and it finally ends with him frowning at his reflection.

Copia catches a glimpse of Aether in the mirror. He's stretching and then makes eye contact. "Little bird," it's a nickname he's had since his Cardinal days. If it were anyone else, Copia would complain. But it's Aether and he adores everything about the ghoul. That realization hits him like a ton of bricks. Aether is so perfect. He's big and beefy -- and Copia is...well Copia.

"About time for you to trade in your little bird for a new one, eh?" It slips out before he can stop it. He lets out a tired laugh, hand running through his hair.

"What?"

Aether is in -- shock? That can't be right.

"Si, you know." Copia waves his hand through the air. "Because I am not the young Cardinal you originally met."

"Copia --" He sees the ghoul struggling with his words. "What are you --"

"The Cardinal you originally knew did not have so much pudge in the ah -- belly area." He can't bring his eyes to meet Aether's.

"You think a little extra flab matters to me?" The ghoul is on him in an instant. A large hand cuping his face. The other pawing at the extra flesh on his stomach. He squeaks and makes to move away but Aether holds him fast. "I love every bit of you."

Finally, Copia meets his eyes and he can't help but feel horrible. There's so much love and adoration in those eyes that it makes him feel sick. Unworthy. "Ah si, but I have aged and well you have -- you have not. Surely that bothers you?"

"It bothers me that you think it should bother me." His voice is stern and Copia feels anxiety gnawing at his insides. He's about to fuck this up. "You're beautiful."

"Aether--"

A clawed hand snags his chin as he aims to look away. "I mean it. You're beautiful now and you were beautiful before your surgeries." He boops Copia's now much less pointy nose. "New button nose and all.'

Copia lets out a sigh and then caves as he falls into those large arms.

--

Aether purrs. His head is rested on Copia's tummy. The extra padding making him an excellent pillow. Poppy lies next to Papa, practically buried inside his red tracksuit coat with him. His arm losely wrapped around her. Salem lies curled up against his other side, smashed between he and Aether.

It's an incredibly domestic scene and Aether hopes -- prays, the love the three of them have for him seems into Copia's veins. Proving that he is perfect no matter what.

Light a Candle or Curse the Darkness

In the end, what would be your choice? The summer tour of 2005 does not go as planned.

Hey, it's the end of the as we know it and I feel fine.

Part Two

When does a dream become reality?

Or, when does reality become a dream?

Could you decide what would be that one defining moment in time?

I know I cannot.

There were just too many of them.

I still, to this day, cannot decide when this all became ‘real’. Was it when we first caught sight of the invaders? Those that had claimed to have been abducted had it all wrong for what had stepped out into the clearing on that warm summer night was nothing that one would think a space alien to be. Nowhere to be seen was the classic space creature, with its large eyes, short, gray-skinned bodies, and three-fingered hands. These creatures were something different altogether. Tall, human in appearance with eyes the color of a storm-tossed sea; their orangish-green skin shimmered faintly in the pale moonlight, casting an iridescent glow about them.

Beautiful.

Ethereal.

Dangerous.

Deadly.

Murderous.

Conquerors.

Destroyers.

I could continue like this forever, but they are just details that everyone should be familiar with by now. If not, lucky you.

Still, that was not the ‘real’ moment for me. Nor was the moment when our small group was sent arse over elbow trying to get out of the way of their idea of crowd control. There had been thirteen of us that had set off from that highway looking for help. Five Durans and Shelly, a young nursing student from the Midwest, were all that entered their ship. Watching the person next to you be vaporized, as in nothing left, not even the clothes they were wearing vaporized, is enough to make one think about how much they want to live. I know I still did at that point. Odd how time changes all things, is it not?

I won’t waste time telling of the journey to our new “home”. It was uneventful, and we spent the better part of it huddled in holding cells with several hundred other miserable souls. Voices in the dark whispered…wondering…questioning...praying.

“Airplanes falling out of the damn sky…”

“The Lord is my Shepard…”

“Have you seen Saul, my husband?”

“Where are they taking us?”

“…he leadeth me beside the still waters…”

“Did you hear what happened to the cities?”

“Who are they? Where did they come from?”

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…”

“…the Armies have been destroyed.”

“…no one left…”

“I will fear no evil: for thou art with me…”

“No food or water for two days. For two days!”

“I want my mommy!”

“…space aliens!”

“…I will dwell in the house of the…”

“Wiped clean off the damn map…”

“Fuck, I need a smoke.”

From time to time, I have wondered what had happened to Shelly. She was separated from us not long after our arrival to the place that we would acrimoniously learn to call home and hearth.

Where were we? By the best guess of persons far smarter than I, it was decided that we had been relocated somewhere along the Pacific coast, probably close to the Canadian border. There were thousands of people in this camp. The invaders must have cleared out every small town and city they came across. Lord only knows how many more of these camps there are, or rather were. I fear that what has been happening here is only a reflection of what is happening elsewhere. Even as I sit here, writing, I can hear the screams and heavy rifle fire echo throughout the camp. And the whispered pleas for a savior. Strange, is it not, how people put their beliefs in a higher power? Stranger still, is the fact that these people go to their deaths, believing their prayers do not fall upon deaf ears. God did not help us when they came and I sure in the Hell don’t think he’ll help us now. This is one path I refuse, even now, to go down. I lost whatever faith I had a long time ago.

I figure by either tomorrow or later this evening they will be at my part of the camp, and that will be that. So sorry if this is a little rushed but Death is riding on the wind, and I think he is coming for me. Before I stick my spoon in the wall and roll over, I must tell what happened to my brothers. Brothers of my heart, even if not by blood. They lived, they had a life, and they deserve to have their deaths told, however poorly I might recount it.

~~

Nick. Nick was the first of us to go and we lost him almost right from the beginning. Of all things, he died from an allergic reaction to whatever they used to ink the barcodes. The process itself was not that bad. You held your arm out, they ran a scanner over it, a slight tingling feeling, and before you can say ‘Bob’s your uncle’, you are the proud owner of a new tattoo. In less than 24 hours after receiving his, Nick was dead. It started with an irresistible urge to scratch. We nearly went crazy trying to prevent him from digging his arm off. Soon, two large red streaks had snaked up his arm and across his chest and neck. John spent all night by his side, mopping Nick’s feverish brow. When the seizures started, we knew that the end must be near. In the early pre-dawn hours, Nick drew his last ragged breath and without a word, was gone. He was not the only one. There were hundreds upon hundreds who died in this camp from the allergic reaction. I don’t think our captors really gave a flyin’ fuck about it either.

Out of all of us, Nick’s death hit John the hardest. Beautiful, fragile John. During the early years it was still easy to procure things of, let’s say, of a questionable nature. Almost six months to a day after Nick’s death we found John overdosed on whatever it was he took. I guess Rehab didn’t cover a hostile invasion by space aliens, did it Johnny? The bastard. He took the easy way out. I never have gotten around to forgiving him for that.

It was not too long after that, that Andy found a small girl wandering through our part of the camp; she couldn’t have been more than three, if not younger. All Andy was able to get out of her was her name and that she couldn’t find her parents. Andy searched and searched for the girl’s parents, but they were nowhere to be found and no one would step up to care for her. He took little Laura as his and decided that he would care for her. When pressed for an answer as to why, all he would say was, “I can only hope that someone would look to my children if the need be. You have children of your own. Wouldn’t you want someone to look after them?”

I never would answer that question. I only hope my children did not have to live through this.

Time passed, seasons changed and each year the winters were getting harder and harder to survive. Lack of food, proper clothing, and poor living conditions was getting to everyone. Each winter, little Laura would come down sick, and each year it became harder and harder for her to shake it. And she was not the only one.

Andy and several other parents formed a committee and took it upon themselves to visit the camp Commander to request aid for the children. Surprisingly enough, they were thanked for their trouble and told that the Commander would investigate it and were sent on their way. By noon the next day, there was not any child under the age of fourteen left in the camp. The younger children were killed outright, while the older ones were transported from the camp. I don’t know where they were taken. Some say they were sent to other camps and still, others think they were taken off the planet altogether. Laura was only seven when they killed her. Perhaps it was for the best.

The committee members lived long enough to see the havoc they wreaked. Their heads, along with Andy’s, adorned pikes, lined the road to the Commander’s office for a very long time. I think that day was the day that the fight to continue living fled this place. So many families were destroyed on that dark day. So many hopes for the future were crushed.

That was four years ago, scary how time flies when you are being repressed.

Simon? I don’t know where he has gone off to. Despite the dangers of the camp purge, he went for a walk yesterday and has yet to return. I fear he may have been caught in the cleansing. Or he may be holed up somewhere, safe for the time being. Who knows?

~~

There. That is their story. Not much, is it? But it is all I have for you.

Why do I write this? I don’t really know. I have a sinking feeling there will not be anyone left to read this after I am gone. Maybe I write these words to prove that I was. That I existed. That I was here. My only regret, well two regrets, is the fact that I could not see my children and family one last time. And Emma, my beautiful dark-eyed girl, that I had taken for my wife only a few months before it all went to Hell. I really should stop rambling. Damn. Old age must be sitting in early. I have things to do before my time is up.

One last thing before I go:

I had once read that you can either light a candle or curse the darkness.

My candle burned out a long time ago.

I am not going without a fight.

I have made my decision.

I will curse the darkness with my last breath.

I am meeting with others from this block, and we are going to fight.

I don’t know what good it will do… But I am willing to find out.

Notes:

I wrote this like 500 years ago.

I love me some Mountain smut

Fixing you

Mountain x Fem!Reader

Tags/Warning: 18+, Language, Smut, Fluff

Summary: After a long afternoon of helping Mountain in the garden, he returns the favor by helping you shower until he smells another scent on you.

Word Count: 2.1K

Navigation || Masterlist

A/N: Dedicated to Rachel :)

You walk slowly back through the garden from the lake where you had just been with Swiss. He had begged you relentlessly to show him how to skip rocks and who were you to deny him. For being such a good teacher, he rewarded you by fucking you against the boulder along the lake’s shore.

As you emerge from the quiet, lush foliage in the golden dusk embrace, your heartbeat still echoes in your ears like the rhythm of a plucked harp string. The afterglow of his potent touch leaves you reeling, yet the warm, satisfied sensation fills you with an exhilarating grace.

In the distance you see a large figure walking alongside an elderly Primo. As the figure turns to look at you, you blush madly. Mountain, the earth ghoul, waves to you with one hand as the other holds a large bouquet of flowers. You wave back haphazardly just as Primo turns to see you. He stretches his hand out to you, beckoning you. Changing course, you walk over and happily take his arm.

“Cara, what were you doing out there by yourself.” The old man asks.

“Oh Primo, I was teaching Swiss how to skip rocks.” You respond, and notice Mountain stiffen at the mention of the other ghoul.

"Ah," Primo mutters, glancing at the imposing figure beside him. "Surely you know that it is not safe for you to be alone with that one, no matter how skilled you are with rocks."

Mountain grumbled something under his breath, but remained mostly silent as Primo put his arm around you and guided you back to the greenhouse.

“I have been thinking, Fiore, why don’t you help Mountain out here for the rest of the day?” Primo says as he grabs his bag from the small counter.

“But what about the duties that the Cardinal gave me?” You worry.

“Don’t worry about my silly little fratello. I will tell him our Earth ghoul requested some extra help.” He turns to the tall ghoul. “Take care of her, Mountain.” He requests before leaving the building.

You both stand in silence for a moment before he sets down the bouquet of flowers and walks to you, pressing himself against your chest.

“Did he hurt you?” He asks before brushing a loose strand of hair behind your ear.

You shake your head. “No, not that much anyways.”

You hear him growl lowly before turning away. He stalked away from you, leaving a void in your chest where his warmth had previously been. As he walks back to the garden, you follow closely behind him. He stops at an empty plot and he looks up to you.

“We need to plant some vegetables here for the winter.” He announces, voice deep. “I’ll have you watch for now.” 

You are left to watch him work, your curiosity piqued. He moves quickly, glancing back at you occasionally, and soon the soil around the plants is freshly turned and he begins planting seeds with practiced skill.

As you observe him, you realize that there is much more to this ghoul than meets the eye. Though he appears imposing and reserved, there is a gentleness in his movements that you find appealing.

For the remainder of the day, you work alongside Mountain, tending the garden and helping each other as needed. You find a strange comfort in his presence that you have never experienced with anyone else in the ministry.

As the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting a warm golden light over the greenhouse, you and Mountain stood side by side surveying the fruits of your labor. The once empty plot was now filled with neatly planted rows of winter vegetables, a testament to your combined efforts.

You reached out to brush a speck of dirt off his arm, he turned to look at you with eyes that seemed to hold a universe of emotions. Without a word, he took your hand in his, the touch sending shivers down your spine.

In that moment, surrounded by the quiet beauty of nature and the gentle presence of Mountain, you felt a connection deeper than anything you had ever known. It was as if fate had brought you together

“You’re filthy” He says in a whisper.

“Says the ghoul covered in soil”

“Fair point” He ponders. “Would you shower with me?”

You blush at his unexpected question but nod eagerly, feeling a rush of excitement at the thought of being so close to him again. As you both make your way inside the air between you crackles with tension, each step bringing you closer to a moment of intimacy that feels both thrilling and uncertain.

Once inside, you both make your way to the Ghoul den and into Mountain’s room. It was tidy, not like Swiss or Aether’s room. You sit on his arm chair as he goes to prepare the shower. After a few minutes, he calls for you. 

The bathroom is warm and inviting, steam already rising from the running water as Mountain adjusts the temperature. You watch as he undresses, revealing the powerful muscles that lie beneath his gray earth-stained skin.

As you undress and step into the shower beside him, the hot water cascades over your bodies, mingling with the dirt and grime that clings to your skin. Mountain reaches for a bar of soap, his touch surprisingly gentle as he begins to lather it against your back.

The sensation of his hands moving over your skin sends a thrill through you, awakening desires you never knew existed. His proximity is intoxicating, each brush of his body against yours igniting a flame you’ve never felt before. 

You close your eyes, losing yourself in the sensation of his touch and the warmth of the water surrounding you. Mountain's hands move with a purposeful tenderness, washing away not just the physical dirt but also the emotional weight that had settled within you.

As the soap bubbles slip down your skin, you turn to face him, meeting his intense gaze. There is a raw vulnerability in his eyes, a silent plea for understanding that tugs at something deep inside you.

Without a word, you reach out and run your fingers over the ridges of his spine, feeling the tension melt away under your touch. The air between you crackles with unspoken longing, a magnetic pull drawing you closer together.

Slowly, he pulls you towards him, your hearts beating in sync with the rhythm of the falling water. Your lips meet in a kiss that feels like homecoming, your bodies melding together as if they had been made for this moment.

You explore each other's bodies with reverence and desire. The soap slips away, replaced by the slick intimacy of your bodies pressed together, each touch igniting a fire within you that seems to burn brighter with every passing moment.

As the kiss deepens, he trails kisses down your neck before taking a deep inhale and growling against your skin. The grip he has on your lower back tightens as you try to pull away.

“Mounty… What’s wrong?” You ask worriedly.

“You still smell like him.” He growls louder. “Why him?” 

You whimper at the harshness of his tone. “I’m sorry! I wasn’t thinking” 

“Well I’m gonna fix that.” He bites against your throat. “I’m gonna fix you.”

Your heart races as you clasp your hands around Mountain's firm shoulders, trying to both push away and pull him closer at the same time.

“Please! Mountain!” You gasp, “I promise I won’t go alone with Swiss anymore!”

He grunts, not seeming appeased by your words. His claws move lower to grip your butt and hoist you up against the shower wall.

“I’ll make sure you never smell like him or Aether ever again.” Mountain growls, his eyes blazing with a mix of possessiveness, lust, and anger. The sheer force of his gaze leaves you breathless and trembling, but also incapable of resisting him.

You wrap your legs around his hips, pulling him closer as he forces his erection right at your entrance. He thrusts into you, hard and fast, his muscles flexing as he takes you roughly against the slick tiled wall. The hot water splatters against your skin, providing a sensual counterpoint to the raw, animalistic nature of the act.

You moan loudly, your head falling back as you let yourself be taken by him. Each thrust is a surge of pleasure, an electric jolt that courses through your veins. You can't help but arch your back, meeting his every move.

Mountain pounds into you, his breath ragged and hoarse. His eyes never leave yours as he continues to thrust. Your body writhes and convulses as he takes you closer and closer to your release.

The room echoes with the sounds of your bodies meeting, the water mingling with the rhythm of your cries and gasps. His teeth graze your skin as he bites down, leaving a mark that will serve as a reminder of this night. The pain is mixed with pleasure, an exquisite blend that sends your senses into overdrive. 

Your hands dig into his back, nails scratching at the surface as the need to be closer, to be one with him, takes hold. The momentum of your lovemaking shifts, Mountain lifting you higher as he continues to thrust into you. One hand holding you tight around your waist while the other arm braces against the shower wall.

You're lost in the intensity when suddenly Mountain lets out a low growl, his eyes widening before they roll back. His body tenses, and you know in that moment that he's claiming you, marking you as his own.

Your body responds instinctively, your own breath growing ragged as the sensation of him inside you seems to grow even more intense. You feel your orgasm building, a fierce heat surging through your body, and you wrap your legs tighter around him, wanting to pull him even closer.

His sweat mingles with the water, creating a scent that's uniquely his, a heady mix of earth and sweat and something indefinable that speaks to your deepest desires.

As you reach the pinnacle of your pleasure, the room seems to shimmer around you. All sound fades away, leaving only the thundering rhythm of your hearts and the echoes of your bodies crashing against one another.

A look of ecstasy overtakes Mountain's features, his eyes locked on yours, his expression raw and unguarded. He thrusts harder and faster until finally a jolt of white-hot pleasure courses through you. 

You cry out, your body arching off Mountain's, your nails digging into his skin as he continues to thrust into you.

The pressure builds within him too, and just as your orgasm crests, Mountain releases a primal growl, his body convulsing against yours. His release envelopes your every sense.

A tremble runs through your body as you feel him fill you. Your body shivers as he pulls out, the water washing away his essence, leaving only the lingering memory of the connection you've just shared.

As your breath returns to normal, your arms wrap around his neck, pulling him close. You kiss him deeply, your bodies still shaking with the aftershocks of your passion.

Slowly, you break the kiss, gazing into his eyes. His lips still parted ever so slightly, as he brushes a hand against your cheek.

“Did I hurt you?” He asks softly.

You smile up at him, “You could never hurt me.”

He smiles back at you. It's clear he's claimed you, and you feel safe and cherished in his arms.

He leads you out of the shower, wrapping you in a large towel as you step onto the cool stone floor.

As you both dry off and dress, the tension between you dissipates, replaced with a newfound sense of intimacy and understanding. Mountain hugs you close, his arms tight around your waist, and you feel a stab of something like relief and gratitude.

He leads you into his bedroom, still wrapped in his embrace, and the two of you lying down on the bed together. He pulls you close, nuzzling his face into your neck, and you can feel his heartbeat against your skin.

“I’m gonna scent you the rest of the night.” He mumbles against your skin.

“I’m gonna reek of you tomorrow though.”

Mountain chuckles softly, holding you closer. "I'll make sure that's not a problem. If anyone comes close, they'll know you're mine."

You nod against his chest, feeling comforted and content. "I like the sound of that."

A gentle kiss presses against your cheek, and he pulls back to look into your eyes. "What do you say we get some rest? We'll have plenty of time to talk when the sun rises."

You smile at him, the weight of the world seemingly lifted off your shoulders. "Sounds like a plan."

As you snuggle up to him, the warm glow of the fireplace casting a fiery hue on the room, you drift off to sleep, scented and claimed by the one who means the most to you.

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Today, tomorrow... probably next week

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Humans can be twats and Omega is there to comfort Aether. (Fatphobic stuff mentioned)

Character: Aether, Omega Word count: 833

It was too late to be awake. The moon threw its light through the window, making the kitchen glow in the dark, and Aether didn’t bother to turn the light on. He was wearing boxers and - unlike him - an oversized sweater.

The quint rummaged through the cabinet filled with snacks and finally settled on a half-full bag of chips. He was hungry, his stomach grumbling for hours now, and it had got more and more unbearable with every passing minute. So he finally got up and decided to get himself something to eat. Aether regretted not eating lunch and barely anything at dinner, and he let out a satisfied groan as he ate the first chip while sitting down at the table.

He looked up when he heard steps and blinked against the light as it was turned on. In the doorway stood Omega, eyes tired and still in his day's clothing; he was coming straight out of the infirmary.

“Hey,” the older said, walking over to the fridge and getting himself a bottle of juice. “Why are you still awake?”

Aether shrugged weakly; he wasn’t exactly in the mood for a conversation. Omega leaned against the kitchen counter, watching the other’s back with a serious expression. He could smell the distress clearly.

“Do you want me to make you something proper to eat?” the taller asked then. Of course, he had noticed how Aether hadn’t really eaten today. “There’s still some dinner left.”

Aether tensed a bit, swallowing what was in his mouth, his gaze unfocused on the table.

“Nah, I’m fine,” he answered, hoping to not sound as restrained as he felt.

He heard Omega shuffle and then felt a big hand on his shoulder. Aether tensed, still not turning around.

“Can you stand up for a second?”

The question was not exactly unexpected, but Aether still let out a sigh. Why couldn’t Omega just leave him alone? He stood up nonetheless, hands pulling at the hem of his sweater.

“Come here.”

Aether walked over, biting the inside of his cheek. Suddenly, he was pulled in by the waist and lifted, ending up on the counter, Omega between his legs, hands on his sides, holding the love handles there.

“So, what’s wrong, hmm?”

The younger quint looked down and suppressed the urge to move, uncomfortable with the touch. But Omega understood nonetheless and put his hands on the counter.

“Aeth?” The voice was quiet but empathetic; maybe even a bit worried. It was unusual for Aether to be like this.

“I…,” he shrugged. “I know I’m fat, but I- It’s- Why are people so mean?”

He looked at Omega now, still unable to hold eye contact. Aether knew that not everyone liked Ghost, that there would always be hate towards any band, but the comments he had found were simply rude; and maybe true, he had no idea anymore.

Omega tilted his head to the side, watching the other’s face closely. The hurt he saw went straight to his heart. He knew about comments like that, knew exactly what Aether meant and how much they could hurt. But he also knew that they weren’t true, that people who commented such stuff were pathetic humans, deeply unsatisfied with their own lives.

“So that’s why you haven’t really eaten today?” he asked, understanding. It earned him a nod.

“There’s nothing wrong with fat, Aeth, you know that,” Omega stated then, his hands going to the love handles again. “But I know that comments can hurt really much.”

The older petted his own tummy with a smirk, hoping to lift Aether’s mood a bit.

“I know that having more on the ribs can be hard, Aeth. I know how mean humans are, but there are also nice humans, right?”

The younger looked him in the eyes now, tears swimming in his. He was tired and hungry and even a bit overwhelmed. The tears came naturally, and he couldn’t do anything about it.

Omega put both hands on Aether’s cheeks now, pulling him close and pressing a kiss to his forehead.

“You are beautiful,” he muttered. “We love you, Aeth. We wouldn’t want you any different.”

He pinched the other’s belly.

“Look at that cute belly and be proud of it, yeah? Remember how thin you were when Terzo summoned you… It just shows that you are happy and healthy and loved here.”

Omega gave him a smile, and he couldn’t resist the urge to smile back a bit. The tear that slipped down his cheek was wiped off by the other’s thumb. The younger quint pulled Omega close, arms wrapping around his waist, face shoved into his chest.

“Now come, you eat something that will actually feed you up, and then we’ll go to my room and get some sleep. And I’ve got a free day tomorrow, so how about I show you how much I love that belly of yours then, big boy?”

At that point, the grin on Aether’s face grew larger. ____________

It's time to say that as a fat person, the stuff i got to hear since i was like 10 years old is simply the dumbest shit ever and hurts really much. And those comments were the reason for my second panic attack ever and made by idiotic humans that deserve to be punched in the face.

gonna tag you here @miss-multi45 and my favourite rat @aweisz because they wanted Aether/Omega