Because, I Work In Medical Records And Spend 75% Of My Time Chasing Down Nurses.

I mean the veil is on a separate layer so I might as well show this to u guys…mountain’s little Romeo

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A Lack of Engagement Pt. 3: It Gets Worse

[Previous Chapter: Here. Morning regrets, and a search for dick... That's what we're working with here, expect no less.] Below the cut.

There's something uniquely mortifying about being caught jacking it, even if they are ghouls and they're all pretty open about their sexual escapades, this is a little different.

Rain can feel the building of his orgasm, much to his own horror, continue in spite of Dew standing in the doorway, staring!

He's just frozen there, eyeing Rain's dick with an expression he can't quite read, and then he opens his mouth and-

"Why is it blue...?"

-Rain gives a noise of distress, wanting to curl into himself and perish on the spot, but he can't stop himself from giving his cock one more tug, and somehow that's the one that does it.

He has to grip the counter to stop himself from toppling forward with the force of it, and Dew is definitely going to kill him for cumming in front of him like that!

Except he doesn't.

Dew doesn't make a move towards or away from him.

He lingers, and as Rain comes down from his high, he can see the other man's face growing pinker and pinker.

At some point, Dew holds his hands up, face beet red.

Rain tries to speak, but he's still reeling from his orgasm, and trying to breathe normally.

"Fuck..." he manages, "'m sorry..."

"...Your... Your..." Dew swallows, "I..."

They both stand there for a moment before Dew does something that makes Rain gape at him like a fish.

He shuts the door.

Closing them both inside the room.

Rain isn't sure what's about to happen, but the energy in the room has shifted in a strange way, and either Dew is really going to murder him or-

"...I mean, it's fine, right?" he says finally, "We're... married, so... We've probably..."

The kraken stirs.

"Dew, I don't-" Rain coughs, "-I don't think... Um... What're you doing?"

Dew has his thumbs hooked into his boxers.

"E-Eye for an eye, yeah?"

Rain wants to stop him, wants to grab his hands and stop him, but about partway through that thought, he dares a glance at Dew's crotch, and, well-

"...Oh my fucking god."

He's not sure what he expected to see Dew whip out, but this was not it.

It's about four inches long, flaccid, but wriggling with some interest as Dew takes it in hand.

"That's..."

A knock sounds on their bedroom door and Dew hastily packs himself away while Rain does similar, wiping his hands off on a nearby towel.

"Oi, lovebirds! You're gonna miss breakfast if you don't get your asses up!" Cirrus calls, then, after a pause, "...Don't hurry too fast though, Aether's teacing Aeon how to make pancakes, and I think I smell burning."

Rain and Dew share a look, considering.

Okay.

Okay, okay, okay...

"We're gonna pretend that didn't happen." Rain says finally, and Dew nods, "We've gotta... We've gotta focus up and figure out how to turn things back to normal and find the... giant metal penis."

Dew frowns, but nods his head regardless.

There it is again, that strange hesitance.

Rain wants to say something about it, but he also doesn't want to risk making Dew uncomfortable, although-

"I'm... I'm sorry you had to see my dick." Rain apologizes.

"No, no, I'm sorry I showed you mine!" Dew trills awkwardly, "Don't even... Like you said, let's pretend this all didn't happen."

"Right..."

Breakfast is... tense.

Tense, and burnt.

Aeon tried his best, but even with Aether's help, half the pancakes could be classified as briquettes, and Rain isn't sure if he can drown them in enough syrup to make them palatable.

Dew is struggling in his own way, trying to scoop up a wayward strawberry with his fork and failing miserably, until Rain jabs his fork into it and holds it up to his face.

"So, what's on the agenda for today?" he asks the rest of the pack nonchalantly as Dew considers his angle of attack, popping the fruit into his mouth before going back to carving at one of his pancakes, which basically snaps under pressure from his knife.

"Ehn, there's a meeting going on with Copia and the rest of the clergy, something about changes to the hierarchy, but nothing that involves any of us at the moment." Aether explains, "Aside from our regular duties, our schedules are all fairly free for the next week or so until they get everything straightened out."

Rain hums and pokes at his breakfast.

"Maybe we could all watch a movie together??" Aurora suggests, the only ghoul actively crunching on the burnt pancakes, giving Aeon a thumbs up when he deposits more of his charcoal bits onto her plate, looking embarrassed, but proud, "Something scary!"

As others chime in with their assent, Dew nudges Rain under the table with his knee, prompting the water ghoul to give a little push back, the two bump each other back and forth for a bit before Rain notices their packmates looking back at them.

"What about you two?" Aurora asks, propping her head up on the back of her hands, "Unless you have other plans...?"

Dew opens his mouth, but finds himself at a loss for words, looking over at Rain, who thinks for a moment before shaking his head.

"We have a, uh," Rain rolls the word 'date' on his tongue, then eyes Dew.

"I don't want to ruin the surprise." he says finally, "He's been hounding me all morning about it, even broke into the bathroom to interrogate me about what I have planned!"

"I DID NO-" Dew balks, then remembers, flushing bright red, "...actually, yeah, I did..."

The table erupts into laughter, save for Rain, who silently thanks Dew for going along with what he said, because, well, it is the truth, albeit not all of it.

"Ohh~? Loverboy is finally making up for forgetting his hubby's birthday?" Swiss teases, pointing his fork at Rain, "Trying to win back those brownie points, huh?"

Rain blinks, sitting up straight.

"I did not forget Dew's birthday." he says, sounding very offended, "I took him t-"

He stops midsentence, slapping a hand over his mouth as he recalls how the two of them spent Dew's birthday this year.

It had been a special request from his friend that they not tell the others what they were getting up to that day, even if it wasn't anything outright embarrassing, Dew had been adamant that no one else know what their plans were for his birthday.

They'd gone to the aquarium, and had spent the entire day joking about which sea creatures they'd eat or had eaten, and at the end of the day, Rain had gifted Dew a marine biology textbook, since he'd been aching to learn more on a scientific level about the creatures they'd encountered.

Rain himself had purchased an octopus plush for himself, which was absurdly large and difficult to smuggle past the other ghouls to avoid suspicion, but worth it in the end, because it really did bring his room together...

"You took him where?" Swiss probes, watching Rain squirm under the attention.

He coughs into his fist and shrugs.

"Nothing." he says, "Just saying I didn't forget is all."

"Secrets, secrets are no fun, unless you sha-" Swiss starts to chant, but Dew shuts down the nonsense by scooting away from the table and standing up.

"Bathroom."

Rain blinks at him, "Oh, uh, alright-"

"You, too." he adds, grabbing him by the scruff.

"OOOOOOH~!" the other ghouls laugh, "Someone's in trouble~"

"...Shut up." Rain mumbles, letting himself be dragged away by the shorter man.

.

.

.

"So... *come* here often?" Dew jokes, and Rain almost chokes on his spit.

They're standing in Rain's on suite again, having decided, for whatever reason, that talking behind a door that literally does not work is better than standing directly in his -their- bedroom.

"Sorry, that was... Anyway, I wanted to discuss our game plan." he says after helping pat Rain on the back, "We have all week to work unimpeded looking for that statue, after that, it'll be difficult to find a spare moment where both of us can look for it together."

"Right... Even if we could look for it by ourselves, the magic only works if there's more than one person present... at least that's the theory we have going, yeah?" Rain concludes, and Dew nods, "That being said, so far, nothing seems out of place aside from, well, us."

"Us being a couple is a significant change, especially since, based on what I've seen on my phone, we've been together for a while now. Like, years." Dew says, slipping his phone out of his pants pocket, "...It'd be one thing if the statue bound us together with some stupid spell, but this is going too far..."

"I'm sorry." Rain apologizes, "I know being married to me is-"

"I mean, it's one thing to mess with our friends' heads and implant memories of a wedding that never happened, but, like, c'mon, let me remember this stuff, too!" Dew complains, startling Rain, who was not expecting this conclusion, "I kept looking through the pictures on my phone and I don't remember any of this, it's not fair, man!"

Rain tilts his head.

"You... want to remember... or, rather, you'd want the spell to make you think we've been married?" he tries, pursing his lips, "What?"

Dew freezes.

"I... Yeah... Maybe..." he rubs his arm, "It just feels... off... otherwise."

Rain feels an ache in his chest.

"Dew, do you... Are you saying..." he pulls back and sighs deeply, "Dew, you're my best friend. I love you, but I'm not in love with you."

"...Same... Same here." Dew replies, but he can't hide the brokenness in his voice, and Rain remembers then Dew's insistence on trying the statue again.

How he'd said they had to be serious.

...How the spell supposedly only worked if the pair before it were lovers.

But it had worked with them!

It had worked, and the statue had even called them out on it!

So...

Rain watches Dew wipe the corners of his eyes, trying to hide the hurt spilling from them.

...could it have worked because of something one-sided?

"I'm so sorry." Dew whispers, "I didn't... didn't want you finding out like this. Sorry, I... I'm sorry, this is how I feel."

"...I'm sorry, too."

.

.

.

The search for the statue is an awkward one.

Dew is still reeling from having his feelings exposed so easily, and Rain is in the midst of processing this new information, trying to figure out how he could have possibly lead the other on.

It's not that he doesn't find Dew attractive, or that they don't get along -they get along very well- and, sure, Rain did jack off to him this morn-

Rain feels a stirring inside of him again.

Goddammit, he thinks, is this part of the spell?

But...

As they browse the abbey's art collection for signs of one large dick, Rain finds himself thinking back on a lot of things.

This isn't the first time he's thought about Dew like that, but he's always managed to push those feelings down pretty well.

Somehow, it doesn't feel right that he's ONLY interested in Dew's body like that.

He likes Dew, he loves the guy, but... not romantically.

Does he very much want to fuck him though?

Yes.

And that's what has him shoving it all into the back of his mind.

Trying to at least.

It doesn't feel right that Dew LIKES him and that he just... he can't reciprocate it.

If he only wants Dew for his body, that's like a whole new level of leading him on.

Yeah, they're ghouls, they fuck around and move on, but things can get messy when feelings are involved.

Cirrus and Cumulus are a fine example of just that.

He cringes at the memories of their fights when they were together, how hard it had been for them to navigate the balance between the sexual freedom they both craved while being devoted to one another emotionally.

It was all a giant shitfest, until they stepped back and actually talked about what they wanted and realized they didn't click as well as they initially thought, and while they're happier than ever now... Rain can't put Dew through that.

But then again, who says monogamy is what the guy even wants?

They probably talked about all of this at some point, given their relationship status in this version of their reality, but it probably didn't happen over text, so fishing through his phone some more isn't going to help their situation.

He has to find that stupid fucking statue!

But...

Rain looks around the room, searching for Dew amongst the various artworks on display and comes up empty.

He feels a mild panic coming on when he sweeps his gaze over the room and, again, finds nothing.

"Dew??"

He looks left and right.

"Hey, hey, Dew, where are you??"

...He's gone.

Shit, shit, shit-

"I'm right next to you, you jerk." A familiar voice grumbles from beside him, and, upon looking down, Rain meets the disgruntled gaze of a very annoyed ghoul.

"Oh, shit, I-I didn't realize you were there-"

"Yeah, sure. Whatever. Let's just keep looking." Dew mutters, clearly unhappy, "Let's get this over with already."

"I..."

"...When we get back..." Dew says, "Don't talk to me."

"...For how long?" Rain frets.

"Forever if you want." he replies, hands in his pockets, "Since you're so tweaked out about shit, and this isn't something you get over in a day, or a week, or a year or whatever..."

"I can't just stop talking to you, you're my f-" Rain starts, but Dew cuts him off.

"Yeah, you're my friend, but you're already looking at me like I'm a freak because of how I feel, and I don't think I can come back from that, Rain." he places a hand on his chest, "Shit fucking hurts..."

"Dew..."

Olympia, Paris, France.  //  11/04/2017

If you have Ghost you have everything

Cold Me was in charge of wardrobe decisions this morning. I'm hot and Cold Me may be no longer in charge after today.

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

Waiting for the storms to make their way into Kansas out of Oklahoma and these storms are producing tornadoes as they travel. It's midnight and way past my bedtime.

If you're comfortable doing so, maybe something that delves into Phantom/Aeons time in the pit and how his bad experiences there impact him now that he's topside

hey? hey anon? how did you know I've been wanting to talk about Aeon's parents for six months?

Contains child abuse and discussion of child abandonment, eye injury, and nightmares. Aeon uses they/them for themself, but their parents don't know that and use he/him for them.

(this does expand on lore I wrote for Eternal Heatstroke, but you don't need to read that to read this)

divider by @wrathofrats

"The kit's not getting any bigger, Oasis."

Aeon's left ear twitches at the sound of Caldera's voice, rough and crackling like her fire. They come to awareness, but don't dare open their eyes. They don't want their guardians to know they're awake yet, the sinking feeling in their gut telling them that they are not supposed to be witnessing this conversation. The ground is rough underneath their side, and the campfire crackles in flashes of orange even through their eyelids. The three of them have been settled here for a little over a week, about time to pack up and move through the older ghouls' territory, finding somewhere else to bed down.

"How many times have I told you that quint kits are called pups, Cal," Oasis sighs. There's the sound of a hand running over a face. Both of them have been doing that a lot more recently, and Aeon can't tell who it is without opening their eyes. The air is thick with sulfur and smoke, and it stings at their nose.

"Frankly, I don't fucking care what they're called," she says. "We've been raising him for Lucifer knows how long because we thought he'd be strong enough to help us defend our territory. And he's at the point he should have grown. He's still so small."

There's disdain in her voice, one of her paws tapping at the ground in irritation. Aeon's brow furrows. They're not small. They might be skinny, but they're a full head taller than Caldera is, just above eye level with Oasis. They do know that Cal's small for a fire ghoulette, has encountered other fire ghouls who've tried to claim what their guardians have staked as their own.

"Cal, you've gotta have patience-" Oasis tries to reason, but he's never been able to stop her. When Caldera sets her mind to something, Aeon knows she stops at nothing to get her way.

"How long have we been going hungry to keep him around?" she growls, and Aeon can almost hear the sparks from her tongue. "Years and years of our lives, I'm so fucking tired of waiting. The kit can hardly even use his magick and he's practically an adult."

"What do we even know about quintessence ghouls, Cal?" Oasis keeps trying to reason. "We can't teach him magick we don't even understand."

"I don't fucking care," Caldera snarls at her mate. "I'm done. Keeping him was your idea in the first place. You want to keep the kit around? That'll be on you then. But then I'm out."

There's a commotion, someone getting to their feet rapidly. "That's just fucking like you, Cal. You'd really give up on how long we've been mated over our son?"

Caldera laughs, loud enough that Aeon thinks they have a solid excuse to wake up. They keep feigning sleep though. "Our son? Oasis, are you insane? You were the one who thought a quintessence ghoul be a good investment for the pack."

Aeon's heart falls through their stomach, trying desperately to process what they're hearing. Investment. Oasis had always told them that he'd found them, small and abandoned, so young that their eyes hadn't even opened yet. That the two of them wanted a kit to take care of. They feel like the rug's been yanked out from under them.

They don't have much time to process it though, because Oasis sighs, tossing something back and forth between his hands. Aeon doesn't need to open their eyes to know it's a pebble, something that had caught his eye at some point. "Fine, Cal. But you tell him."

Aeon tenses as rapid footsteps approach their sleeping form, trying hard to not curl up into a ball preemptively. A hot hand grabs their shoulder, the threatening bite of sharp claws even through their threadbare shirt.

"Wake up," Caldera says, low and dangerous as she shakes their shoulder. Even though they had some warning, they still yelp, tail tucked between their legs. Their eyes go wide at the fury in Caldera's expression, her growl as she hauls them to their feet.

"Cal-" Aeon stammers, trying not to struggle against her grip. Knows it's easier to let her put them where she wants than to fight it.

"None of that, runt," she snaps, and both of their violet eyes go wide. She's never- They've never- "You're grown, now. It's time for you to find your own place."

"Right now?" Aeon says, tipping their head back and baring their throat, trying to appease her. All the while, Oasis stands by the fire, watching distantly. "Oasis, please tell her I can't."

"He's not going to help you, runt. We're both ready for you to go," Cal says. There's a fire in her yellow eyes, red and orange flickering in her irises.

They stammer, glancing back and forth between their guardians. "That's not true, I heard you talking-" Aeon freezes and cuts themself off as Caldera's expression morphs, grip curling tighter into the collar of Aeon's shirt, claws punching through the threadbare fabric. They can feel the keratin against their skin, and they swallow hard.

"Oh? So you were eavesdropping?"

"No- I couldn't help it!"

She growls, pulling hard and shoving them towards the campfire. They stumble, paw catching on the brimstone, and they fall hard, twisting onto their back to look up at her. "I'm not going to say it again," she snarls, looming above them. The firelight makes her features sharper, fangs shining. "Get the fuck out."

They slowly push themself up to standing. Aeon finds the courage in their gut to growl back at her, ears pinned back against their head, tail lashing behind them as they bare their fangs and get in her face. "I'm not fucking going anywhere, this is my pack too!"

Aeon knows it's a mistake the moment the words leave their mouth.

Caldera screams in frustration and rage. The last thing Aeon sees out of their left eye is her claws glinting dark in the firelight.

There's a shriek. Aeon wonders why their throat hurts until they realize it's them shrieking. The world spins, blinding hot pain radiating from their face and scalp, and they can feel their heartbeat in the marrow of their left horn. They can't see.

They can't see.

There's something hot and sticky running down their face, and they cup their hand over their eye, cringing at the wetness.

Caldera doesn't even flinch as Aeon's blood drips in rivulets from her claws. "You fucking heard me, you ungrateful brat. We've fed and taken care of you your entire life. You can pay us back by fucking leaving."

She lunges, and Aeon's feet act on instinct, scrambling away from her. They clutch their face, hearing the blood spatter, their shirt sticking to their chest, heavy and wet. Aeon's head spins, and Caldera's behind them, chasing, and Aeon's seen her hunt.

There's no chance of outrunning her, even as their legs scramble underneath them. They run, lungs aching and head spinning, and there's two pounding sets of footfalls behind them.

Aeon sobs, chest heaving with exertion. Their ankle twists in the brimstone, and they stumble into the ground. Blood and tears stream down their cheeks in equal measure. It's over. They're de-

There's a hand on their shoulder.

Aeon jolts awake with a yelp, scrambling backwards into the corner of the couch out from under a big piece of white fabric that was covering them. It takes a moment to recognize their surroundings, fluorescent lights, a big desk in the opposite corner, an empty office chair, slightly rotating like someone stood up in a hurry. A large shape backlit looms over them, making a strange, familiar sound.

Aeon snarls before the sound registers, their entire body slumping as Aether chuffs at them. "Hey, you're alright, pup, you're safe," he breathes, his big hand hovering over their shoulder, his silver bracelet glinting in the light. "You were dreaming."

They nod, reaching up to touch at the scars running through though their left eye and biting back a sob. Aether nods back, cautiously sitting next to the younger quintessence ghoul and pulling them close, chuffing all the while.

"My shift just ended," Aether whispers, shifting them until Aeon's practically in his lap. "Do you want to go back to the den?"

Aeon nods quietly. Aether gently wipes away a tear from the silvery track across their cheek with a big thumb. They've been shadowing him to learn about infirmary work, a few months away from actually working on their own. "You want a hug, pup?"

"Please," they whisper, shoving Aether's white coat off of their legs. They'd been using it as a blanket while they napped on the couch in his office. The bigger ghoul draws them in, chuffing and nosing at their hair.

Aeon settles, eventually, and they stand hand in hand. "Can we go home?" Aeon asks, and Aether smiles, flashing a gold capped fang at them.

"Of course, pup, let's go home to our pack."