Chapter Text
When they passed a row of windows, Rain could hear the clattering of rain against the glass, and it was soon followed by a soft rumbling from above. This alerted him and he turned his concerned gaze up towards the ceiling, subconsciously slowing down his steps. He had never liked thunderstorms… It was something that had been new to all of them when they first came to this realm, and a particularly scary incident a while back had made him very wary of them. It seemed that Dewdrop had picked up on his fear, because he suddenly wrapped an arm around his shoulders, surprising him yet again with his unexpected behavior.
"Scared of thunder?" he asked him, but Rain didnt say anything at first. He just kept walking in silence. He was trying to get rid of that persistant blush that had covered his cheeks for the fifth time or so today. Eventually though, he nodded.
“A little..”, he admitted. It felt weird to actually have a real, normal conversation with Dewdrop. With someone who had done nothing but making his life miserable for the past few weeks… He was a bit embarrassed about the other ghoul being so openly intimate with him, but he also didnt do anything to push him away. The others didnt know what had happened between them earlier anyway… Up ahead, he spotted Swiss who seemed to have found a room for them to hang out in, because he was now gesturing for them to come inside. As they neared the doorway, Rain was relieved that Dewdrop had let go of him to instead head inside and grab a seat in one of the comfy looking armchairs. It appeared to be a common room of some sort. There was also a fireplace in between the two windows at the back of the room. A couch was positioned by one of the other walls and there were a couple of small tables with chairs surrounding them. A pretty cosy room. He joined his friends at one of the tables and watched as Swiss was eagerly building a tower out of the jenga pieces laying around. Once the base had been created, a little gremlin hand reached out to pull one of the pieces out of it, almost making the whole thing collapse.
“Dew!” Swiss scolded the said ghoul, glaring at him from across the table.
“What? I’m just starting the game”, Dewdrop replied innocently, his tail flicking back and forth playfully now. Rain, who was sitting in the chair next to him glanced at him curiously. It was nice not to be the victim of his mischief for once...
“No, you're not”, Swiss decided as he kept building the tower. Mountain was reading the rules next to him and Aether was just chilling, waiting to play. Since Rain was once again left to his own thoughts, he settled his gaze on one of the windows, watching the water running down the glass. He was feeling nervous again… Nervous and a bit excited… He couldnt remember the last time he had felt like this. Was he developing a crush on Dewdrop…? Was the ghoul even being genuine with him…? A sharp sting of pain coursed through his chest at this thought and he glanced at Dewdrop again, as if he would be able to figure it out more easily like that.
“Ok, who wants to start?” Swiss snapped Rain out of his bubble of thoughts now, looking around at them. Right then, Dewdrop leaned forward towards the table.
“Not you”, Swiss warned him, making the fire ghoul snort in return. The said ghoul then leaned back in his chair again and crossed his arms over his chest, sulking. It wasnt until Swiss looked away that the ghoul leaned forward again. Rain could see that he was up to no good. He wasnt sure if he was going to argue, destroy the tower or something else, but he knew that whatever it was, it wasnt good.
“Dew..”, he spoke up softly, blushing when the ghoul turned his gaze to him instead. “Dont..”, he added in a barely hearable voice, quickly turning his gaze down to avoid feeling even more nervous and awkward. He didnt get an answer, but he could feel Dewdrop’s eyes lingering on him for a few moments before the ghoul eventually leaned back in his chair again. Rain was a bit shocked that he had actually listened to him and it… kind of made him feel warm and fuzzy on the inside. He was again caught up in his thoughts and feelings when thunder could be heard rumbling up above again. It was definitely closer to the church this time and it made him very anxious. And where could he possibly run to and hide if he needed to? There was no way he could go to a stranger’s basement, or hide under their beds… and this stressed him out even more. As he looked at his friends, he could see that Swiss was a bit worried too. He didnt look scared though. He decided to try and ignore the oncoming storm and to try to focus on Aether instead as the ghoul was currently attempting to remove a jenga piece from the tower without messing it up.
Rain’s plan didnt work out very well for him as the thunder was now getting louder. It had to be right above them at this point. He found himself pulling his legs up in fear, hugging them to him as he stared up at the ceiling. It was pretty obvious that he was scared, and he felt ashamed for it... There wasnt much he could do about it though. He would just have to deal with it right there and then. When he turned his attention back to the game, he saw Mountain trying to pull out a piece too, looking very concentrated. When the lights flickered, Rain instantly flinched, his widened eyes turning to the ceiling again. His surroundings seemed to disappear as he started to panic, leaving him alone with his fear. Flashbacks of what had happened a couple of years ago started playing before his inner eye and he found himself sinking back further into the chair, his shoulders pulled up and his tail protectively wrapping around his legs. He was breathing heavily now, his gaze still plastered to the ceiling. He remembered that terrifying incident where lightning had struck down into a tree next to them out in the church’s garden. The sound had been deafening and the ground had almost shook beneath their feet. For a second, everything had been bathing in a white, blinding light and all he could remember after that was just running towards the church in fear for his life. This event had shook him to his core for days after. It hadnt helped that he had read up on it either. It had only fueled his fear for thunderstorms…
Just now, he thought he heard Swiss saying something to him, but it sounded so far away somehow. It wasnt until one of them called his name that he snapped out of his bubble of fear. He hardly got the chance to turn his head and look at the others though before lightning suddenly struck down outside. Without even thinking, he had sprung out of his chair, almost knocking the table over as he leaped into Dewdrop’s lap, his tail accidentally wiping the jenga tower off the table. His arms wrapped hard around the other ghoul’s shoulders and he buried his face in his neck for safety. His breaths were now coming out as ragged, uneven huffs, slowly starting to make him feel dizzy. He couldnt seem to stop his body from shaking either. Somewhere in his panicked bubble, he could feel Dewdrop’s arms wrapping around him in return, but unfortunately it did little to calm him down. When thunder struck again, a bit further away this time, he flinched and clung to him even more. All he could focus on was to get air into his lungs now. He felt as though he was slowly but surely shoking. He would have cried right there and then, but for some reason, no tears wanted to come out…
He didnt know for how long he had been sitting there, but he could hear footsteps around him now. Footsteps that sounded more and more distant… Were they leaving him..? He felt fear gripping him again. He didnt want to be alone... He didnt want to deal with this on his own. That’s when he felt a hand on the back of his head, making him realize that Dewdrop was still there with him. It gently stroked at his hair and down his neck, strangely enough making him start to relax a little. He was still trembling slightly, but at least he didnt feel like he would die anymore. Reality was however catching up to him, and he realized how much he had embarrassed himself. In front of Dewdrop… In front of everyone… How would he get out of this humiliating situation? As he sat there in silence, enjoying the gentle touches and back rubs... he was finally starting to calm down.
“You ok?” he heard the fire ghoul ask eventually, making him blush immediately. This was a truly awkward moment…
“Yes…”, he mumbled, his face still pressed into Dewdrop’s neck. His scent soothed him somehow. He smelled of something sweet and...something else that he couldnt put his finger on. Something that was calming... A few more minutes passed before lightning struck down again, even further away this time. Then there was some distant rumbling following, but it didnt really bother him this time. He knew that the storm was slowly going away, and he also felt safe in the other ghoul's arms. He was a bit afraid of facing him, but he would eventually dare to pull back a little, instantly turning his gaze down, of course. Dewdrop didnt say anything. Nor did he touch him in any way. He just watched him closely in silence. The soft, loving gaze was not something that Rain had expected to meet when he finally locked eyes with him. It was…different.. but he liked it. Their faces were so close to each other now and he couldnt help but to drop his gaze again when Dewdrop shifted a little to brush his nose against his. This did of course make Rain blush again and he squeezed his eyes shut, tensing up as he felt the ghoul’s warm breath against his lips. He was so nervous now, his heart pounding like crazy in his chest. He had expected to be kissed, but nothing seemed to happen... There were just more of those nuzzles. For a while, he just sat there stiff as a wooden plank, hardly even daring to breathe. He couldnt feel Dewdrop's nose against his own anymore. Which was...disappointing really... He was afraid to make a move himself though. It wasnt until the fire ghoul was brushing his nose against his again that he gathered the courage to lean in a little bit. Curiously, he brushed his lips softly against his cheek, almost feeling dizzy from anticipation now. The other still didnt proceed with doing anything, actually making Rain frustrated and desperate for affection. Still keeping his eyes closed, he dared to turn his head slightly to move his lips to Dewdrop’s, the butterflies going crazy in his stomach now. He eventually pressed his mouth to the other’s, feeling overwhelmed by the euphoric sensations running through him when the kiss was returned.
The fire ghoul was now being more forward, eagerly kissing him and nibbling at his lower lip. Rain didnt think he had ever felt this good in his life. His feelings for Dewdrop had definitely deepened and he could for sure say that he was in love. He just couldnt stop kissing him. He was desperate... He needed it. He needed him... It wasnt a problem though as the other ghoul seemed to be just as eager to keep going. It was like time and space had disappeared around them. Like it was only the two of them and nothing else… The moment seemed to last forever. It was like the sweetest of dreams. Like he never wanted to do anything else than this ever again. That was until they both heard footsteps nearby... When he realized that someone was on their way over to their room, he finally pulled away and got off Dewdrop’s lap, staggering a little as he wiped his mouth off with the back of his hand. Only seconds later, Swiss appeared in the doorway and Rain could tell that the ghoul was trying hard not to laugh.
“..Hey... Papa says we’re staying the night”, he announced, grinning a little at them before he turned and walked off again. Both Rain and Dewdrop were quick to follow him and they headed down a few corridors before they eventually caught up with the rest of the ghouls, Copia and lord Freyr. It was hard for Rain to look any of his friends in the eye after what he had just done, but it didnt seem like they found it as funny as Swiss had. Which was a relief. He had already been humiliated enough...
“There you are”, Copia greeted them, seemingly in a pretty good mood. “Lord Freyr has kindly asked us to stay overnight, so that’s what we’ll do”, he explained, making Dewdrop raise an eyebrow at him.
“Yeah, we know”, he replied, getting a stern look in return before the man turned to their host again.
“The guest rooms have two beds each, but you may have your own, private room if you wish to, Papa”, Lord Freyr said to Copia, who literally waved it off with his hand.
“Nonsense. I will share it with one of my ghouls”, he replied, turning a little to look at them all. Dewdrop had moved closer to Rain now, almost brushing against him as if silently saying that they should share a room. Rain also noticed that Aether had turned his head to look at him, and then at Dewdrop and then back at him, as if he was worried. He was probably concerned that the fire ghoul might be up to some bullshit again. He understood this and he gave Aether a small smile and a nod to assure him that everything was fine. The ghoul returned his smile, if a bit hesitant before he turned to their Papa again.
“I’ll share it with you, Papa”, he offered, always so sweet and loyal.
“It is settled then”, Copia replied as he faced Lord Freyr again, nodding to the man.
“Well then. I’ll show you to your rooms”, their host replied, gesturing for them to follow him. “You are free to roam the church at any time during your stay here, but be mindful of people sleeping, alright?” he added, it probably being directed mostly towards the ghouls. He knew that Copia would behave. He was a human after all.
As they kept walking and eventually ascending a big staircase, Rain was starting to feel nervous again. He wasnt exactly anxious enough to ask to share a room with someone else but Dewdrop though, because a big part of him actually wanted to be with him. He was mostly nervous about the others’ reactions to it. Once they reached the guest rooms, they all headed inside their designated ones and as Rain watched Dewdrop locking the door behind them, he was starting to think back to all the things that had been going on for the last few weeks. It made his gaze darken slightly as the other turned around to face him. There had been a big grin on his face, but it was fading now that he saw Rain’s expression.
“What?” Dewdrop asked, approaching him casually now.
“... Why have you been so mean to me all this time?” Rain replied, feeling more confident now that he wasnt afraid of him anymore. The fire ghoul just tilted his head a little, watching him while apparently contemplating the question. He then straightened his head up.
“Sorry”, was all that he gave him, making him even more upset.
“Why...?” he growled now, his teeth clenching together as he glared at the fire ghoul. He couldnt believe that that was all he had to say to him. After all this time… He sighed and crossed his arms over his chest, lowering his gaze in disappointment.
“Uh…”, he heard Dewdrop again before there was a long pause. “I…uh..didnt know how to talk to you…”, he admitted, still not convincing Rain. In his mind, it was not an excuse to make his life miserable for weeks on end…
“I thought you hated me”, he argued, shaking his head and still not looking up at him. “Dont you understand how much you've hurt me?” when he eventually lifted his gaze, there was an obvious fury in it and it seemed to have caught the fire ghoul off guard. No one was really used to the shy water ghoul standing up for himself. A few moments passed where Dewdrop seemed to be thinking again. He then did something unexpected, making Rain’s expression soften as he watched the fire ghoul get down on his knees in front of him. He did look truly sorry…
“I just wanted you to notice me”, the ghoul mumbled, being uncharacteristically soft spoken and humble now, looking up at him with pleading eyes. “I was afraid you would reject me…”, he lowered his gaze then. “..if I said anything…”, he added, now reaching out to hug Rain’s thigh and resting his head against it. It did soften the water ghoul’s heart a little, even though he was still confused about the whole thing. “I just wanted to be close to you…”, the fire ghoul continued, now turning his head to look up at him again. “I’ll make it up to you... ”, he assured him, a bit of hopefulness mixing with the pleading in his eyes. Rain couldnt help but to look away from him, just standing there in silence for a while. Should he forgive him… or should he not…? He didnt want to stay mad at him… and yet, he couldnt let it go that easily…. With a heavy sigh, he turned his attention back to Dewdrop again and reached down to grab the fabric on his shoulder to jank at it, wanting him to stand up. The ghoul did get up, still looking apologetic, but less sad now. Rain was sick of feeling sad himself. He was sick of all the negative emotions he had dealt with for what felt like forever, and so he just allowed himself to give into Dewdrop, wrapping his arms around his neck and hugging him tightly to him. He rested his chin on his shoulder, closing his eyes and just enjoying the moment. His heart was going crazy in his chest again and that wonderful, tingly feeling embraced him once more when the fire ghoul’s arms came up to wrap around him. He felt as though he was falling deeper in love with him for every time that they touched, or even just interacted. Even for the briefest moments of eye contact. He couldnt remember the last time he had been held by someone like this. It felt so warm and safe somehow. He never wanted to let go…