Coulduseprozac - Whatever

The poll spoke loudly. Y’all really ship Phantom / Aeon with Swiss, but Aether was a close 2nd which was surprising. Using Phantom as the name today… Special mention of Sunshine bc I forgot her in my poll.

Adult themes; but no actual smut (sorry!) However, I could be persuaded for a part two…

Phantom’s first time - below the cut:

Garden of Eden

The need is there. Held tight beneath layers of sinew and skin. Burning deep inside, begging for release.

He can feel their gaze upon him.

Hungry. Wanting.

He knows he’s fresh from the pit, the shiny new toy topside. He’s also young. Younger than the others, but by no means inexperienced in the grand sense.

He’s aware that they are all together. It’s ghoulish nature to fornicate. But what he is surprised to find here is the closeness they all share. Dew and Rain are together more often than not. Cumulus and Cirrus don’t stray far from each other, with the exceptions being for Mountain and Sunshine. He knows they’d gladly welcome him but his thoughts are drawn elsewhere.

Aurora has had her time occupied with Swiss which doesn’t bother him at all. He huffs at himself for even being the slightest bit jealous. The big ghoul with his broad shoulders and warm skin, stretched tight across his back and arms. And his hips.. the way those lines disappear into his pants when he’s shirtless in the den.

He’s been caught looking and flushes straight to the tips of his pointed ears every time. Making excuses and fleeing the room.

He spends most of his time with Aether. The older Quintessence ghoul providing him education and a safe space to learn. Leaning over him to point out a line in the text or to show him a tricky bridge in one of the songs. His large chest pressed against Phantom’s back, with a warmth he can’t help but sink into.

It’s comforting and he can’t help but imagine what it would feel like to let him in. To let Aether be his first, to be encircled in those strong arms, pinned underneath.

“Ahem…” Aether clears his throat. Smirking at the daydreaming ghoul before him. Caught and blushing. Cute, he thinks.

“Did you want to finish this later? We could go watch a movie instead? I know it’s been a long day.” Aether prods. Violet eyes glittering, a tiny quirk of his lip bares the slightest hint of fang. Sliver capped and glinting in the light.

He shivers imagining what that feels like.

“Sure” he gulps as he swallows, sure this is it. The moment he’s been waiting for. Finally ready to experience all the earthly pleasures that await him. They exit the practice room and head back towards the den.

“I’ll go grab some snacks - why don’t you wait in my room? I’ll grab us some drinks too.” Aether veers off towards the kitchen, indicating his room down the hall.

Phantom enters, turning the knob, and pushing the door open, ignoring the tremble in his hand.

Catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror - pale and wild eyed.. he’s got to get a grip. It’s just sex, but what if Aether didn’t like him like that? What if he just wants to watch a movie?

He hesitated before taking a seat on the end of the bed. Toeing off his shoes as Aether enters. He smiles at Phantom finding him perched on the very edge the bed.

“Come on, let’s get comfy..” he prods, climbing onto the mattress and flopping on his side to face Phantom.

“What movie are we going to watch?” Phantom asks, glancing around and realizing that there’s no tv visible.

“Actually, I’ve got something better in mind.” Aether grins, as Swiss slips through the door. The click as it closes makes Phantom gasp, head cranked around and eyes wide as he realizes he’s caught between the two ghouls.

Swiss steps forward, his warm golden eyes luminous as he smiles, predatory at Phantom.

“I bet we can put on a show of our own, don’t you think Aeth?” He chuckles.

“What do you say, bug? Do you want to play with us?”

“Both of you?” He stammers. He’d never even considered this possibility and no way was it happening right now.

“We’ve seen you watching us. Thought you might want this.” Swiss purrs.

Swiss steps closer, nearly between Phantom’s knees, putting his hand on the side of Phantom’s face, thumb brushing across his cheek and dragging down his bottom lip.

Subconsciously, his tongue darts out to chase it, and Swiss rumbles something that ends in a low growl.

His eyes widen as he looks up at Swiss, his pupils dark, hungry. His magic tingles in his veins, considering the world of unknowns and a universe of possibilities.

He feels the heat of Aether against his back, suddenly on his knees behind him, arms slipping around to caress his chest, his warm breath on Phantom’s neck.

He shivers involuntarily as he steels himself, considering his options before uttering a single word.

“Please…”

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."

"Absolution" recorded live in Los Angeles was released along with the movie trailer. Pre-order full soundtrack here.

For the anon who requested something with Swiss and loss. I'm not sure this is exactly what you were hoping for but it's what decided to happen. I hope it's ok 🩷

Cw: newly summoned Swiss, mentions of him being alone, scared Swiss, mentions of Cirrus not being sure about him at first, Rain hurting, but comfort I promise!

When Swiss was first summoned, he was a force to be reckoned with. He was loud, over the top, brash. He only let the pack close on his terms and he never let them stay long.

Mountain noticed, the grounded earth ghoul quickly learning what it meant because he'd been afraid too. He remembered how unsure he'd been when he was summoned, how letting anyone close felt dangerous. He felt Swiss’ fear quickly because it mirrored his own.

The others didn't push, his anger was too similar to Rain's so they butt heads too often, Dew was good under pressure but it was still so close to his transition that he wasn't always up for trying to crack through the rock hard layers the multi ghoul had put up around himself. Cirrus didn't trust him right away, keeping her guard up, keeping Lus away from the short fused new ghoul. Aether was a gentle guide, he was the one who got Mountain to trust them but he was busy more often than not…

So Mountain stepped in.

He was met with resistance at first, a new summon still used to baring his teeth and snapping his jaws, but a little posturing didn't bother the giant, though he was a gentle soul he'd never been one to shy from a fight. He stood his ground with patience, speaking softly until he was sure Swiss actually heard him. He kept it simple at first, no commands, no questions.

“My rooms at the end of the hall. Sleep well.” And he left it at that, left the multi alone with his words and left his door unlocked.

He wasn't surprised when the new ghoul stayed away but he could feel him watching from a distance. He doesn't change his routine, he does his job, he engages with the pack, the only time he hides away from Swiss is when he has Dew, the baby shaking from nightmares and lost to his memories.

He knows Swiss had to have seen regression in the pits, at least to some extent, but he's protective of the baby and he doesn't like how quick to anger Swiss still is. But he finds him later when Dew is back to himself or sleeping soundly in Aether's arms. He knows he has questions but the multi won't ask, still keeping himself to himself.

“Did you eat dinner?”

“I'll eat when I want.”

Mountain bites his tongue at the petulant response, how he sounds like the moody teens he's heard through the Abbey and simply shrugs. “Ok.”

It doesn't take Swiss long to peek into the kitchen while Mountain grabs out the leftovers from the fridge, smiling at the little note Cumulus left on top.

He doesn't look up at the other ghoul, just moving as casually as he can. “Want me to heat some up for you? I'm already over here.”

“It's…” Swiss carefully moves closer to Mountain, eyes still nervously dancing around the kitchen. “It's not mine. Didn't do anything to earn it.”

Mountain turns to face him. “You're here. That's all you have to do.” He remembers when Aether had shown him the kitchen the first time and how overwhelming it had been. “Everything here is for all of us, you're included in that. Whatever you want, Swiss.”

“But…” His stomach growls and he glares down at his own body for snitching on his hunger.

Mountain laughs quietly. “Let me heat up some of you. You can eat here with me or you can go wherever you feel comfortable. Up to you.”

Swiss doesn't answer and mountain doesn't make him, he just heats the food up until both plates are ready. He hands one to Swiss and heads to the table to eat, not paying attention until the other ghoul finally sits beside him. He's tense as he eats but it's a start and Mountain smiles.

He starts getting closer to the earth ghoul, letting his walls down just a bit, seeking him out when something is clearly bothering him.

Something shifts after he sees Rain little, the little water ghoul peeking around Cirrus to look at Swiss. The multi ghoul smiles and waves, wiggling his fingers until the little ghoul steps out from behind Cirrus and wanders over to his art table.

He draws Swiss a picture, one with the pack excitedly welcoming the new summon, but later that night Rain cries in pain, tears seemingly endless as Aether soothes the ache as best as he can. Mountain sees the second something snaps and Swiss sprints away, slamming the door to his room hard enough that Dew jumps and has to take a few deep breaths to stay present for Rain.

Mountain follows after a few minutes, knocking gently and fully expecting Swiss to scream at him to leave. But he's greeted with silence and that's worse. He opens the door a crack and peeks in, finding the multi ghoul curled on his side on the bed, pulling his knees up as tight as he can, his hands pressed tight over his ears.

He quietly shuts the door and moves to the side that Swiss is facing, sighing at the pinched expression on his face.

“Swiss?”

He flinches and Mountain kneels, trying not to loom over him. He sets his hand on the bed but he doesn't touch him, just leaves it as an offering.

“What's wrong with him?” He doesn't say it like an accusation, Mountain can hear the genuine panic and the way his tone has shifted.

“It's just something that happens with him unfortunately. Some days he's ok, others aren't so great. Aether helps a lot, Dew does too.”

“Is-is he dying?”

“No! No of course he's not…why-” He swallows the rest of his words and moves to take his hand. “He's not going anywhere. None of us are.”

Swiss grabs his blanket and pulls it up over himself, hiding so Mountain can't see him. It doesn't take him long to put the pieces together.

“You don't have to hide, Spark.” He glances around, searching for any comfort item Swiss might have, frowning when he sees…nothing. Nothing that even speaks of the ghoul living in this room. “I'm just going to go grab something really quick, I'll be right back.”

Swiss doesn't respond and Mountain goes as fast as he can, returning to Swiss as quick as possible. He sits back on the floor beside the bed.

He sees two gold eyes peek out of the blanket and he smiles, turning the bunny in his hands for the little ghoul to see.

“This is Jürgen, Dew got him for me. He's pretty good at making me feel better.” He sets the bunny against the blanket, watching Swiss slowly pull him under the blanket to hold onto. “Do you want to talk about what you're thinking?”

He can hear him sniffle under the blanket and he moves carefully, sitting on the edge of the bed. Eventually Swiss' need for contact wins and he wiggles over, still fully under his blanket, and flops into Mountain's arms. The earth ghoul holds him, rocking just a bit.

“M’not like Rain…”

“That's ok. You don't have to be.”

Rain wails again down the hall and Swiss whimpers. “I…I've never had anything to lose…I didn't have anyone…”

It's like ice being poured over him and Mountain holds Swiss tighter. “You have us.”

“What if m’not good enough or…or I'm mean! I don't….” He peeks up at Mountain, big gold eyes full of tears. “I don't wanna be by myself again.”

“You won't be. That's not how it is with packs. We are with you, always. No matter what.”

“I wasn't nice when I got here!”

“You were scared. We get it, Spark. It takes time and everyone wanted to give you space to adjust. I wasn't very nice right away.”

“Really?”

“Mhm. Took Aether a while to get me to even come inside. But they did it, they took the time to do it because that's what packs do.”

He watches Swiss' fingers play with the bunny's ears under the blanket while he thinks about everything. “Rain's really going to be ok?”

“Yes.” His phone bings and he reads the text, smiling a bit. “Rain is requesting a movie night…which really just means he wants a ghoul pile.”

“What's that?”

“We all go into the den and just…cuddle really. It's just a way to be close to everyone. We don't have to if you're not ready.”

“But I'm…”

“You're you.”

“You'll stay with me?”

“I can carry you like this if you want.”

Swiss snorts a little, smiling despite himself. “I can walk…but…just…”

“I'll be right beside you, and you can hold onto Jürgen.”

He stands up from Mountain's lap, letting the blanket fall but he pulls his hoodie on and keeps the hood up. He takes Mountain's hand and hesitantly follows down to the den.

Mountain sits beside Dew who has Rain on his lap, helping keep him comfortable. Dew smiles over when he sees Swiss holding the bunny.

Swiss watches as everyone finds a spot, watches how they all manage to find a way to be in contact with everyone else. Aether delivers big bowls of popcorn and Swiss is hesitant to try it until Rain does, giggling when he takes a piece from Dew's hand with his tongue.

“Are you a lizard now?”

Swiss laughs as he watches, not noticing the way the others smile at his unguarded happiness.

Rain giggles again. “Swiss try! It sticks to your tongue!”

He glances at Mountain, waiting for him to nod, confirmation that it's ok and he does it. Rain beams at him, sticking another piece to his tongue again.

They settle as the movie plays and Rain falls asleep quickly. Swiss looks around again, he's still unsure, still scared of what it means to have people to care about…to have people that care about him in return.

“Ok spark?” Mountain whispers, squeezing his hand.

He catches Aether's eyes, relaxing a little as a warm feeling settles over him. He smiles and leans against Mountain's chest.

“Yeah…m’ok.”

Love me some murder ghouls

oh swiss and the ghoulettes definitely stalk the sisters of sin together that’s become canon in my mind after you reblogged that hunter’s moon video

Now THERE'S a fun idea.

Creepy, evil murder ghouls under the cut!

They choose her together.

She's a young thing, willowy and pale. She never sees them, but she can feel their presence. The pressure of eyes on her, making her heart race and her palms sweat.

The song is the worst part. Lilting words in a language she doesn't have a grasp of yet, too new to have it memorized. It follows her, she swears it. In the halls, on the grounds, even in her room at night. She doesn't sleep anymore. Not since her window started to rattle in the dark.

Still, she never sees them.

Never sees them sitting in the rafters of the chapel, watching her kneel and pray. They, of course, take full advantage of her obliviousness.

Swiss uses his shadows to obscure them all, and to snake down the wall. Uses them to lock the heavy wooden doors to the ornate chamber they're haunting, her one route of escape. If she heard the bolt slide, she doesn't show it.

Cumulus and Cirrus send phantom breezes to rustle her habits, sourceless wind that makes her jolt. Makes her look around with wide, baggy eyes. It's been weeks since she slept through the night.

Sunshine pulls the light from the room then, the warmth pouring through massive stained glass windows fading away. Aurora adds her own icy chill, an uncomfortable stillness settling into the air. The sister shivers, hugs her chest and heads for the door.

Swiss's shadows track her, melting into her retreating silhouette to. He can taste her fear through them, can her her racing heartbeat. Can feel her breath stutter when she pulls the door and finds it immovable.

"No," they hear her whisper, rattling the heavy iron handle, "no, no no -" She pounds the door with a closed fist, shouts for help. A fruitless effort, the ghouls know. No one will answer. No one ever does.

She tires quickly, so exhausted from weeks of torment. Of invisible eyes and shivery voices. Of little gifts left on her pillow at night - rat bones, a dead rose, photos of her in the library and the kitchens. Of the constant feeling of being watched and having no one understand. Having no one believe.

Once she sags against the door, once she looses one last whispered plea, the ghouls grin at one another in the dark.

One by one, they begin to sing.

Aurora is the one to start them off, her voice high and piercing. The first notes have their prey's shoulders going stiff. She spins in place, whipping her head around for the source of that unholy melody. Sunshine sings next, and the sister claps her hands over her ears.

"No," she says again, and oh does she sound fragile. "Please, please no -"

It's Cumulus's turn then, her rich words filling the gaps between Aurora and Sunshine. The sister slides down the door with a sob, shaking her head and tucking her knees to her chest. Rocking in place while she begs for the aural torment to stop.

If only she could be so lucky.

Cirrus rests a hand on Swiss's back, uses her power to amplify his voice, the sister flinches like she's been hit. It forces her eyes open, and just as their demonic chorus reaches its crescendo Swiss finally drops his shadowy veil. Reveals himself and his fellow hunters to their poor, vulnerable little lamb.

They descend together, floating down on an unearthly breeze, and as they reveal shining fangs and razor-sharp claws the sister can't even find it in herself to scream.

She's no more than a red stain and cracked bones once they've had their fill, bones that will be gifted to Mountain for use as fertilizer. No point in letting their leftovers go to waste.

"She was sweet," Cumulus coos, licking a stray streak of blood from her finger. "Too skinny though, I'm gonna have her in my teeth for days." She sucks at her fangs and Swiss huffs out a chuckle.

"I dunno, I kinda like the chew," he lilts, running lazy fingers through Aurora's platinum waves. Cumulus snorts.

"You're hardly a food critic," she teases. "I've seen the things you put in that mouth." Swiss responds with a lewd gesture, licking at the air through a vee of his fingers, and all it does is serve to prove the ghoulette's point.

Cumulus hums to herself as she collects the bones they've left, Swiss shifting his attention to where Sunshine and Cirrus are busy grooming each other. After a moment the little ghoulette in his lap chirps, and Swiss peers over her shoulder. He finds her turning a small bone form the sister's hand between two elegant fingers. He noses behind her ear, inhaling the scent of wintry air and fruity shampoo.

"You wanna pick the next one, Ro?"

The others glance over when he says it, Aurora herself tipping her head back to look up at the ghoul. He gives her tiny waist a squeeze, and the ghoulette smiles.

"Yeah," she trills, leaning up to nip at Swiss's throat. "I think I do."

"Aww, our baby girl is growing up so fast!" Sunshine feigns wiping a tear from her cheek. "All ready to hunt, I'm so proud!" Her words are so very playful, and with a giggle she dodges the bone Aurora chucks at her head.

Tomorrow, their game will begin anew.

Okay it was well past time to give Aether 🍌 his turn in the rainbow spotlight

Yay Rainbow Ghouls 🌈

❤️

🧡

💛

💚

💙

💜

🖤

⚪️

🌈

Ahhhh Aether might be my favorite maybe idk if you can tell… I really tried to love them all equally I swear!! But banana boy has stolen my heart 💛🥹

I hope you’re enjoying this still! Like last time, all photo credits go to their original owners, I just found them online

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

This is the scariest thing I've seen today

Smth about copia literally being the metaphor for death on a pale white horse who brings hell with him is so funny. Like have you seen this dude

Fuck him and his magnificent back tattoo. And the open hair too. People died.....

downloading a fic when ao3 dies (when you have the link)

looks like ao3 is down again and i was in the middle of a multi chapter fic when it died on me.

and if that happens to you, this is what you can do to download the fic:

copy paste https://download.archiveofourown.org/downloads/00000000/fic.html in your browser url

replace the pink bit with the number right after /works (that's the work id)

for instance, in https://archiveofourown.org/works/44970790/chapters/113154673 the highlighted bit (44970790) would be the number you swap for the 0s

the download link will look like https://download.archiveofourown.org/downloads/44970790/fic.html

if you want the fic to be downloaded as an epub instead, use .epub at the end of that link

it should start downloading on your device

i'm sure a bunch of people know this and use it but in case you don't, hope this helps