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Rain’s steps were aimless. There was a storm shaking up the area, the world outside getting thoroughly drenched. He was very sensitive to those things, as were most water ghouls. His elemental powers were stronger at times like these, but it oftentimes left him unable to sleep.
He usually liked spending time with his fellow water ghouls during this weather, but didn’t fully feel like it this time around. He didn’t feel energetic enough to make the night fun, just wanting to sleep it all away. Once he’d accepted that that wasn’t in the cards, he thought maybe he could find a place to experience the next best thing.
The rain came down harshly, but it didn’t bother him. It only served to quicken his steps. Maybe, just maybe, he’d find some rest at the bottom of the lake. Cold and isolated. Awake but calm.
He had barely stripped off his sweater and pants before walking straight in, having to come back out to remove the socks he’d forgotten about. With his back turned, he didn’t notice the ripples in the water he and the rain had not been the cause of.
Once his soaked socks had been peeled off of his feet, he made a beeline back into the lake. The water was cold, but in a comfortable way. It shook him awake a bit. Right as he prepared to fully dive in, he let out an involuntary scream as something- someone- grabbed his ankle.
A figure raised before him, letting go of him again. Water dripped from their hair onto and down their shirtless chest. They were actually fully naked, but Rain didn’t notice as he wasn’t exactly focused on looking down at their crotch area. They towered over him, tall and broad with a heavy looking, slightly rusted metal chain hanging around their neck.
The lightbulb in Rain’s mind lit up with recognition at that last detail. It was the appropriately named Chain, Papa Primo’s original water ghoul. He hadn’t been in the band for long, but still served in a position as one of the antipope’s most loyal ghouls. More importantly in the moment, Rain didn’t know if he should be scared or not. Chain never really interacted with anyone outside of his old bandmates and Papa I, if that.
“You scared me.” Chain’s voice was rough and deep, just as intimidating as he looked.
“I scared you?” Rain was appalled, “You nearly gave me a heart attack!”
His head cocked to the side, “Then I guess we’re even.” His voice was monotone. Without sparing another glance, the old ghoul turned around and made his way back into the water.
Rain didn’t make a move. He wasn’t nearly as comfortable getting in now. He was heavily considering leaving, cutting his losses and finding some video game to play all night, when Chain spoke again.
“Aren’t you coming? The storm is strong. You’ll stay restless.”
Rain felt unable to respond. He knew the other guy was right, but was still left uneasy.
Chain seemed to notice, turning his body back in Rain’s direction, “I’m sorry for scaring you, but there’s nothing to worry about.” When Rain still didn’t respond, he stepped further out of the water again, holding out his hand, “I’m Chain. And you are Rain, if I’m not mistaking. A pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
He hesitantly reached out for the handshake, “Yeah, that’s me. You know me.” It sounded like a question, yet simultaneously it didn’t.
“I know all the ghouls summoned to the ministry. Even if they don’t know me,” He explained, his grip strong and wet, “Now come.”
Chain pulled Rain with him into the water like it was nothing. They sank to the bottom together, the pressure of the water acting almost like a weighted blanket. The rain hitting the top of the lake through the trees sounded muffled under its surface. It provided some rhythmic background noise. Rain felt more at ease from the second he got down there.
He breathed in deeply through his gills. The water all around him felt like a hug. As much as he loved all the things offered above water, nothing felt quite like home like being soaked underwater.
He thoroughly enjoyed the calm serenity for a while. Alas, at some point a childish, fun loving side of him took over. He swam around happily near the floor, calmly at first. He inspected the muddy dirt and the little pebbles that rested on it with his eyes and hands, before eventually picking up his speed. He twisted in circles, enjoying how the water flowed past his limbs, tickling his fingers and toes.
Meanwhile, Chain sat unmovingly with his legs crossed. The chain seemed to anker him down, allowing him to stay there without the struggle of floating upwards. At first, Rain was worried he was disrupting the other guy’s peace, but he figured Chain could call him out if he was bothered. He didn’t even want to try resting anymore. He'd done his best, but sitting still just wasn’t Rain’s style during storms.
After a little while, Chain apparently gave up himself, removing the weight from around his shoulders to swim towards Rain. He experimentally moved his arm to cause a ripple in the water to tickle the smaller ghoul’s stomach. Rain giggled, as much as he could underwater, and returned a similar motion. The two built up a rhythm, swimming around each other like dolphins, playfully wrestling around. Their webbed hands and feet helped them move underwater faster than humans ever could.
Rain smiled, his mood improved, fully energized and awake at last. He swam up to Chain, managing to softly bite him on the arm.
The bigger ghoul pulled back, determinedly growling before he rushed towards his playmate. Rain tried escaping, pushing his feet off the ground to make his way halfway onto the lake’s shore before his ankle was grabbed for a second time that night. He yelped as Chain pulled him back slightly, climbing over him and grabbing his wrists to pin him down.
“I win.” He proudly proclaimed, baring his teeth. He was having the time of his life. He hadn’t playfought with anyone in years, preferring to be in his solitude most of the time. Add to that how most of his old bandmates didn’t have the same youthful energy this new ghoul had. He’d never realized before how much he had missed the feeling.
Rain, while he greatly enjoyed the game as well, couldn’t deny how his face was heating up at the close proximity between them. Especially since he’d become painfully aware of Chain’s lack of clothing, “Yeah,” He panted, suddenly out of breath, “Yeah, you got me.”
Neither of them made an effort to move or change position. Rain looked at Chain expectantly, though he wasn’t sure what he was waiting for. Or perhaps he did, and he simply refused to admit it.
Chain was hesitant himself, not wanting to ruin what fun they’d had that night but tired of living his lonely life at the bottom of the lake. He didn’t want to be the ministry’s cryptid anymore, tonight cemented that in his mind.
He didn’t really have anything to lose. At least, that’s what he told himself when he leaned in ever so slightly closer.
“Rain..!” Chain froze as the called for ghoul to the side. The shout had been distant, the noise barely travelling all the way through the heavy droplets plummeting down upon the earth.
“You’re expected.” Chain leaned up a little higher, looking in the general direction of where the shout had come from.
“You can come with me if you’d like.” Rain offered, hoping to spend a little more time with his new acquaintance.
The response he got was a disagreeing shake of the head, “I can only handle so much in one night.” Chain sat up further, moving to sit right next to Rain, their legs still touching, “I’m sorry.”
“No, no, don’t be,” The younger ghoul quickly sat up as well, “I get it.”
“Rain..!” The shout sounded closer, now clearly identifiable as Mist.
“Go. Spent the night with your friends,” With a quiet sigh, he stood up straight, his ankles submerged in the lake, “You’ll know where to find me.”
Rain watched speechlessly as the big ghoul made his way back towards the bottom of the lake, only looking back right before his head went under, sending him a quick grin before disappearing.
“Dude, there you are,” Mist ran up, having missed Chain by barely a second, “Delta just nicked some of Primo’s personal supply. We may actually be able to sleep tonight.” She said quickly, her voice enthusiastic, by her standards at least.
“...Cool,” Rain still hadn’t looked away from the lake, his gaze transfixed on where Chain had been just a moment before. Mist putting a hand on his shoulder was the thing to finally snap him out of it. He turned his head, speaking before she could, “Let’s go.”