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It was dinner time in the Ministry. The main hall was filled with chatter and an endless supply of delectables as you sat to begin your nightly feast. Talking with the siblings around you, they eagerly informed you of the days happenings in between bites of their meal. As much as you wanted to be attentive and comment on how exciting that must have been, your mind was elsewhere.
“Are you alright?” The sibling sat across from you questioned in concern. “You keep looking around the hall every 5 seconds. You’re not being hunted down for stealing Pebble’s slippers again are you?” They chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.
You could only sigh defeatedly in return. All the words in the world couldn’t hide the look of concern on your face, or your unsettled energy as you sat at the table.
“I’m sorry. I just haven’t seen Omega all week and I’m getting a bit worried.” You admitted. “I don’t want to bother him if he’s busy, but he hasn’t been to midnight mass or shown up to any bonfires.” You paused. “He always goes.”
The Siblings around you looked sympathetically, you were clearly troubled.
“Have you thought about just going to Terzo and seeing if he sent Omega on a mission or something? I’m sure there’s a simple explanation. It’s not like the ghouls could catch the stomach bug half of us got a couple weeks ago.”
It was true, the ghouls were immune to the illnesses humans got on the surface. Many members of the Clergy often envied that about them. However, something in you knew that Omega wouldn’t just disappear without letting someone know.
You sat your fork down gently on the wooden table. Abandoning your mostly untouched dinner, you threw your legs over the bench, careful not to kick the siblings beside you, and stood.
“I’m really sorry Sister Emma, I’m sure your time gardening with big Earth was super fun, and I’m sure he had so many amazing tips about tulips, or daisies, or whatever, but I have to go.”
The Siblings around you nodded and wished you luck in finding Omega, not at all surprised at your sudden departure.
You decided that you were going to try Terzo’s office first. Maybe Sister Quinn was right and Omega was just out on a mission. As you reached the door to Papa’s office, you raised your fist to the door but it opened before you could land the knock.
“Oh.” You chirped, clearly startled.
Terzo was just as started but he collected his composure quickly as if this happened on a daily basis. “Sorella, what can I do for you? You seem tense, come in.” He warmly gestured for you to enter his office. “Come.”
“Oh, um. It’s going to sound silly.”
“Not at all.” Terzo pulled out the plush chair in front of his desk, motioning for you to sit. “Nothing is silly. Unless you’re talking about Copia hiding under Alpha’s bed to scare him yesterday. That was a bit silly, yes.”
You had to quietly chuckle at that. You were pretty sure the entire Ministry heard young Copia’s terrified screams echo through the halls shortly before breakfast. Copia frantically running out of the den while the rather large Fire ghoul chased him through the halls. Not to worry though, the young Quint, Aether, had the small cut on Copia’s cheek fixed up in no time.
“Yes, Papa. That was quite silly. Though I bet he won’t be doing that again anytime soon!” You looked at Terzo, distress still hiding behind your smiling eyes. “However, I was wondering if you had sent Omega away? It’s just… I haven’t seen him lately? I wanted to make sure he was okay.”
“Well, I haven’t sent him back to the Pit, if that’s what you were implying–”
“Oh! No, I meant like, on a mission or something.” You quickly interjected. “But that’s also good to know.”
“No, Sorella. I have not called upon Omega for a mission for some time.” Terzo paused in contemplation. “The newer ghoul’s have been eager to prove themselves and follow up on my loose ends. I don’t know why he would not be around.”
You sighed once more, finding comfort in the fact that Omega hadn’t been sent back to the Pit at the very least. “Alright, thank you, Papa.” You smiled kindly. “I’ll go to the den and see if I can find him.”
The walk down to the den was not one you made often, not wanting to bother the ghouls in their own space, but desperate times called for desperate measures. You walked into the communal living space where a number of both newer, and older ghouls were lounging about.
“Oh hey! Come for another ghoul pile?” Delta offered with a smile.
“Not today, Del. Have you seen, Omega?” You quizzed the older ghoul.
“I saw him go into his room a couple days ago, but he hasn’t come out.” The ghoul replied truthfully. “Honestly, we’re a little scared to go in there.”
You nodded in understanding and started towards Omega’s room before stopping and turning to look back at the Water ghoul. “You guys won't let him eat me, right?” You said, looking at Delta who had returned to cuddle in-between Dewdrop and Ifrit on the couch.
“No promises!” Ifrit yelled from the bottom of the pile. You just rolled your eyes and turned back to continue to Omega’s room.
Approaching the door, you pressed your ear against it, not sure exactly what you were hoping to hear.
You knocked softly, “Omega? It’s me, can I come in?”
There was no response, but you heard the drawer of his desk slam shut. You knew he could hear you, heck the ghouls in the living area could probably still hear you with their vampiric-like abilities.
“If you don’t open this door, I’m coming in whether you like it or not.”
Shuffling was heard momentarily before the deadbolt was twisted and the door unlocked. You took a deep breath, attempting to mentally prepare for what you saw when you entered.
You cautiously walked into the older ghoul’s nest and closed the door behind you. He looked okay to you? A little stressed maybe but otherwise like his normal self.
“‘Meg?” You moved towards him, resting a hand on his shoulder. “You haven’t been to the bonfire’s lately, is everything ok? I saved marshmallows for you and everything.”
This time it was the ghoul’s turn to sigh.
“That was… very kind of you. I’m sorry, I didn’t realize I missed it.”
Your eyebrows furrowed in concern. “If it was just one night, Omega. I wouldn’t be that worried.”
The ghoul continued to scribble on the pages littering his desk, completely ignoring you. You took a breath and looked down at the papers he was working on. You could see that some of them had droplets of wax scattered across them, some had edges burnt by the single lit candle he had on desk. It looked to be new songs, pages of potential lyrics and instrumental compositions for the band.
Suddenly, it was as though the ghoul was startled by your presence beside him. “Oh, sorry.” He said as he tried to look up at you, eyes unfocused. “What were you saying? Marshmallows?”
His violet eyes were reduced to pinpoints, the candle being the only source of light he had in the room for who knows how long. As you empathetically looked down at the ghoul, you grabbed his face to make him take a break and look at you. As you stood closer, you could see just how exhausted and pale he actually was. His eyes were glazed over and expressionless, the normally roaring violet reduced to almost blue.
“How long have you been like this?” You whispered.
Omega shut his eyes for the first time in probably days. “I’m fine. I gotta–”
“How. Long.” You gripped his face harder as he attempted to return to his work.
“It’s only Tuesday, I think I’m fine.”
“Hun, it’s Sunday.”
You began to run a hand through his hair and scratch at his scalp. “I’m pretty sure Tuesday still… comes after Monday, right?” He said in a confused daze, yawning mid-sentence. ”Yesterday was Monday.”
“You need to rest, ‘Mega.” You stated. “You don’t even know what day it is.”
“I can sleep when I’m dead.” Omega fully turned to face you. He pulled you to stand between his legs, wrapping his arms around your waist as he buried his head into your chest, weakly whimpering like it hurt to breathe. “I can’t get this right, he’s going to be so mad. I can’t stop…” he yawns again. “Until I get it… get it right… I can’t… stop… he’s–”
You felt his head get heavier in your hands as he started to fall asleep against you.
“Hey,” you nudged him awake. “It’s bedtime, big guy. Come on, I’ll stay with you.”
You helped the large ghoul to stand the best you could. Omega was extremely weak and unsteady on his feet. As he went to take a step, his knees buckled and he almost hit the floor. As his head momentarily fell within your eyeline, that’s when you noticed the blood.
“Omega,” you said sternly, looking utterly terrified. “Your ears are bleeding.” You had never seen anything like this before. He just waved you off and went to take another step towards the bed.
“It’s not that bad,” he said before actually hitting the floor.
“Omega!” You screamed before quickly running out of his room, yelling for Ifrit and Delta to help you drag the unconscious ghoul to the infirmary.
The days that followed were a blur for Omega. His eyes were blinded by the bright white walls of the infirmary. Unable to see more than mere flashes in time as he laid there staring up at the ceiling, too out of it to do anything else.
You visited him every day, spending all of your personal time at his bedside after your chores were complete. You didn’t know if he could hear you or if he even knew you were there, but you weren’t leaving him. Aether admitted he had no experience in dealing with this level of exhaustion before but the young Quintessence ghoul was going to do everything he could to help his mentor.
Terzo was in the infirmary almost as much as you, promising to stay with Omega while you did your daily duties around the Ministry. You had told Terzo that Omega pushed himself to the brink of death because the ghoul thought he wasn’t doing enough.
“Oh, my dearest ghoul.”
Terzo placed a comforting hand on Omega’s forehead, tears building behind his eyes. “You should have asked for help. I could never hate you, Tesoro mio. Never. You are my best ghoul, I can’t… I won't do this without you.” Terzo wiped a tear. “Just please don’t leave me.”
Omega broke into a violent fever a day later. Aether forbade you to visit while he was having hallucinations. You were absolutely gutted, but your Papa promised to meet you outside the infirmary door every day at 9pm for updates.
If this was almost any other ghoul, the impact may not have been so severe. However, because it was Omega, the smaller Quint prayed that this didn’t last very long since his powers were barely enough to subdue the ancient ghoul on a good day.
Terzo was there for it all. He was there when Omega thrashed and cried out, trapped in fever dreams. Terzo sat and spoke to him, pretending to be his father all day when Omega thought he was Papa Nihil. He was there when Omega tried to fight Aether, mistaking him for a member of the unholy guard, trying to take him into the crypts of hell for further (and painful) damnation.
Terzo never went to band practice that week, spending all of his time with his closest confidant. It broke him in many ways to see Omega this vulnerable and in pain, with nothing he could do to ease the torment. Terzo knew human fevers were horrible, he could only imagine the horrors his ghoul was experiencing - or perhaps, re-experiencing.
With nothing left to try, he began to softly sing.
“The guidance of the morning stars, will lead the way, into the void…” Terzo began as he moved to sit beside Omega who was, at this moment, quietly sleeping. “He is the shining and the light without whom I cannot see…”
Running a hand over the ghoul’s forehead tenderly, he continued. “And he is insurrection, he is spite, he's the force that made me be.”
The ghoul began to stir under his Papa’s hand and his eyes fluttered open. He looked around in confusion before his gaze settled on Terzo at his side.
“Papa?”
“I’m here, Tesoro.” He smiled lovingly.
Aether walked in and ran some tests, confirming that the fever had in-fact broken.
“I’m not exactly sure, but my theory is that Omega used his Quintessence to ‘heal’ his exhaustion symptoms. We’re not really supposed to use our abilities on ourselves, it can have some negative side effects.” Aether explained. “If he had been doing this for days... Satan only knows what kind of internal damage that would cause. My diagnosis? This was a mixture of extreme exhaustion and acute Quintessence poisoning, but luckily he seems to be recovering quickly.”
Terzo immediately went to find you and tell you the good news.
Once the words registered in your brain, you just about ran straight through your Papa to the infirmary. You skidded to a halt at the foot of the hospital bed, tears ready and waiting in behind your eyes. Omega looked at you before quickly looking away in shame. You simply ignored him and ran to embrace him in a hug.
“Don't you EVER scare me like that again.” You sobbed into his chest.
Omega just sat up straighter and pulled you into his lap, rubbing your back comfortingly. “No, don’t cry. I hate it when you cry.”
You playfully hit his shoulder, “It’s because I care about you, stupid!” Pulling away, you wiped your tears and placed a hand on his cheek. “You don’t have to act so tough. It’s ok to let other people care for you sometimes.”
Terzo made his presence known and stood beside the bed. “I’m sorry I’m missing the nurse outfit.” The three of you chuckled. “I am so glad you are feeling better, Omega. Everyone has been so worried.”
“Papa, I’m so sorry I let you down. I let the band down… I was just trying to help.” Omega hung his head and nervously played with his fingers. “If you want to replace me, that’s within your right. Aether is ready, he’ll be loyal and–”
Terzo silenced him with a gentle hush. “I’m not done with you yet, Amore .”
Omega just quietly nodded before his brows furrowed in thought. “Did… did someone have a giant rubber duck hat on, or was that the fever?”
Terzo and you quickly glanced at one another before turning back to the recovering ghoul.
“Definitely the fever.”
Terzo would never tell anyone the truth about where he found the duck hat.