moldycantaloupe - Tumblr blog

moldycantaloupe · 4 days

Text

happy lesbian visibility week! here's a quick and slightly angsty air ghoulettes for this momentous occasion.

Cw: Chronic pain

It was raining. Cumulus hated the rain.

Maybe it was the type of air ghoulette she was, but her body hated storms like this. Heavy clouds in the sky pelting water to the earth hard enough to be heard from the deepest halls in the abby. She was in the commons room with a heat pack on her leg and an ice pack on her neck, looking longingly out the window. There was no one else with her, just herself, and her achy body curled up on the couch.

She could feel the ever presence of tears welling in her eyes and she fought to blink them away. She longed to get to feel what rain felt like, she’s never actually been out in it, but her bones never seemed to long for the same thing. A door closed somewhere in the distance and she quickly pulled her facade back up, wiping away any tears that dared to fall.

“Lus, baby?” Cirrus walked into the living room with a stride of confidence, tail ever moving behind her in a constant flow. Cumulus perked up a little when she saw her, her smile full of care and soft eyes that only she gets to see. Her heart skipped a beat.

“Hi, Cir.” Cumulus laid her head against the back of the couch with a sigh. “What’s up?”

“Feeling any better?” Cirrus stood in front of her now, hand idly running through Cumulus’ locks of hair.

Cumulus shrugged. “Are you genuinely asking or making conversation?”

“Genuine.” Cirrus rolled her eyes.

“A little better, I guess- oh, that’s nice.” Cumulus sighed heavily when those deft fingers began scratching at her scalp.

“Better as in, you think you could walk?” Cirrus tilted her head. Cumulus squinted up at her.

“Depends.” She muttered. “What are you planning?”

“Nothing,” she chuckled, “but I think a bath will help soothe your old lady bones.”

“Hey.” Cumulus lifted a hand and lightly slapped her arm. “You’re older than I am.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Cirrus removed her hand and instead offered it. “C’mon, let's go.”

With Cirrus glued to her side, Cumulus hobbled over to their shared room. She wheezed in pain once they got in, clutching to Cirrus’ side as a lifeline as she willed the pain to settle. Cirrus pressed her lips into those white locks and whispered sweet words only the two of them could hear until Cumulus was ready to continue moving. They set up in the bathroom quickly, Cirrus helping Cumulus undress on the toilet seat while the warm water filled the tub. She helped her in once it was ready, a steady smell of lavender trapped in their little bathroom.

Cumulus moaned obscenely once she was fully submerged, her head cradled in her arms on the edge of the tub. Cirrus barked out a laugh and sat on the tile.

“That good?” She mused.

“Oh, yeah.” Cumulus moaned again, and Cirrus continued to laugh. Her smile widened as she watched her mate laugh, entirely happy to keep it going.

She stayed in the water while they sat in relative silence, only broken up here and there if one of them remembered something to share from the day's past. She only got out once the water grew cold and her teeth dared to chatter, Cirrus on her the entire way through. Once she was dried, Cirrus put a hand out to stop her from grabbing her shirt. She chirped in confusion.

“Mountain gave me cream,” she said with a crooked smile, “said it might help. Let me?”

Cumulus couldn’t help the giant smile plastered on her face and she nodded. Cirrus helped her to their bed and laid her on her stomach. She rested her head in her folded arms while Cirrus moved around the room. Soon she settled into the bed next to her with an open container, fingers already dipping in.

“I’ll apply it and then you can sleep, okay?” She nodded and Cirrus began, starting at her ankles and making her way up to her knees and then her hips. She purred as the ointment was rubbed into her skin, the pressure nice after the long bath.

She continued up her body until there was no more left. Cumulus settled on her side and Cirrus did the same after discarding the container, arms snaking their way to her waist and pulling her close.

“Feel any different?” Cirrus murmured.

Cumulus shrugged and her eyes began to fight the sleep. “Dunno, I’m warm though.” She yawned, “‘nd tired.”

Cirrus huffed, “big yawn.”

Cumulus nuzzled into her neck and placed a kiss on her chest. “That means it’s time for ‘big sleep.’”

“One big sleep, coming up.” Cirrus kissed her hair and started a purr deep in her chest. Cumulus was quick to join in.

#lou writes #the band ghost #nameless ghouls #cumulus ghoulette #cirrus ghoulette

5 notes · View notes

moldycantaloupe · 4 days

Text

trans ghouls!!

326 notes · View notes

moldycantaloupe · 6 days

Text

Tried long hair flavoured Mountain, just to see what you all were about... it has a kick, I might just draw him like that from now on 🥵🫠

#i LOVE long haired mountain #this is almost exactly how i imagine him #ugh im eating this up

459 notes · View notes

moldycantaloupe · 6 days

Text

Swiss is really good at eating the food

Aether makes the best breakfasts but Dew makes the best dinners.

Mountain prefers raw food but he is surprisingly good at baking.

Cirrus makes the best sandwiches.

Swiss is not allowed in the kitchen at all.

91 notes · View notes

moldycantaloupe · 10 days

Text

Stars Reassembled, Chp 3

word count; 2.6k

Chp1 | Chp2

CWs; needles and syringes, taking blood, panic attack and what could be interrupted as dissociation.

Read here or on Ao3

They were not feeling okay.

Aether started by trying to get Phantom into clothes, something they were immediately not fond of. The shirt hung off their shoulders that made the fabric feel heavy, but the smell that was practically embedded into the garment offered them comfort; salty and aromatic. The boxers, however, were constricting and nearly too tight on their lithe frame. But with the promise of more of the food later, they let it go with a few short lived growls.

He patted their back as he led them to the door, and they began to stiffen. They could faintly hear chatter from outside that door now that they were closer, which meant that the pack they’ve yet to meet was out there. Aether looked down at them in sympathy and his hand paused at the doorknob.

“Hey,” they looked up at him with their brows knit in worry, “the pack won’t hurt you, but I understand. I’ll make sure to keep them away from you, okay?”

Phantom took in a deep breath and stared forward with a nod, determination set into their otherwise anxious eyes. “Yes.”

Aether nodded and the chatter grew in volume when he opened the door. He kept a hand on their back the entire walk down the hall, Phantom’s shoulder growing more tense and their ears twitched when they entered the common space, the voices now at full volume. They didn’t dare turn their head but instead moved their eyes to see who was causing the ruckus, and they stopped in their tracks, frozen.

It was like the pack didn’t even hear the two enter; they wouldn’t put it past them, with the loud bickering and laughter. Two of the members were baring their fangs in what was a heated argument, the tallest of the group (and shortest) being the source of the laughter. A few others sat around as the two fought, smiles and eye rolls across the table. They were frozen in their spot, a million thoughts and new emotions running through their new mind and body. They felt their skin heat up and their heart sinking, stomach rolling in a way that made them nearly whine. Their hackles were up and they hid further away from the group and into Aether’s arm.

“Hey!” Aether called, and the group instantly went dead silent. All eyes turned towards the two Quintessential ghouls and Phantom was stuck between baring their teeth or hiding. The eyes of what they figured was the water ghoul, looking at them with such curiosity and a head tilt, made their mind. They hid themselves further into Aether, a low growl muffled into his arm. He rubbed his hand on their back in soothing circles. He turned quickly to whisper something into their hair, something they didn’t hear over their blood rushing through their ears, before directing his attention back to them.

“I’m taking them to the infirmary for a check up,” Aether said quietly, “and I need you guys to be quiet while they adjust. Take any fight outside, got it?”

There was a murmur of approval and Aether was back to guiding them out of the pack’s den. Phantom dared to look back at the group and when their eyes locked with the water ghoul again, they whipped their head back around with a whimper.

The walk to what Aether called the infirmary was confusing, with too many winding routes and unfamiliar smells and noises. They distracted themselves by catching glimpses of outside the windows, which only overwhelmed them even more. The greenery from their room window expanded out of these, with a variety of structures and bodies changing in each scenario. Aether finally pulled them into another door and they squinted at the bright walls and sterile smell. A wall of beds were lined up behind a desk, none of which was occupied. The woman at the desk, decidedly not a ghoul, briefly glanced at Aether before turning back to what she was focused on. He led them into another room, much smaller than the main one, and smelt more of Aether. They felt their shoulders slump after what felt like forever.

“I’ll try to be quick,” He helped them into the stiff bed and began digging around the desk, “but I need to just make sure the summoning went okay, and nothing is wrong.”

Phantom could call him a liar. Quick turned into long as he poked and prodded at their body, checking anything he deemed “unusual,” strapping actual unusual devices to them, a couple of which mildly hurt them. Everything in their body was screaming at them to run, that all of this was going to attack them, but they couldn’t bring themselves to go about it. Aether was going slow, explained everything that was happening before he did it, and his touch was just… gentle, they think is the word. They had to trust Aether. But the scratchy bed and the cold atmosphere, despite obviously being his space, made it hard.

All that trust nearly shattered when he took in a deep breath, as if to prepare himself, and pulled out a roll of fabric and a couple of daunting tools.

“Okay, Phantom,” he started slowly, “I need to take blood.”

Phantom immediately scattered up into the bed, backed up at the top of it with their eyes wild.

Why do you need my blood?! They bared their fangs.

“Same reasons as the other things.” Aether didn’t move from his spot and kept his eyes gentle. “It won’t hurt, but I need you to do this.”

Their stomach flipped again and they growled, at Aether or their stomach, or maybe both. It took a few minutes of Aether gently guiding them back down to their original spot before he set out to get their blood from them.

They intensely stared at him the entire time, their legs tense as if they were ready to leap off the bed and out of the room. He took out the needle and as promised, the prick was nothing to them. When the blood, their blood, started pouring out into the small vial is when they realized how badly they wanted to run.

The entire morning was already so much. From the sun, the pack, the winding halls of the building, to the stupid shirt and fucking boxers forced on them, they didn’t think they could handle anything else. They didn’t register their breathing grow rapidly or their claws scratching at their knee until Aether finished what he was doing, setting everything away into separate bins. They hugged their arm close to their chest and took in a shuddering breath, one that made Aether whip his head to them, concern and worry laced into his expressions.

Take me back. They pleaded, I do not care that I was chosen, I cannot be chosen. Take me back.

Aether sighed heavily but said nothing. He helped them off the bed out of the infirmary. Maybe, they thought, he was listening.

But the idea was quickly shot down once back to the den. They knew the space they were summoned in was not here. They felt their lips quiver as hot tears started falling from their eyes. In a moment of weakness, they struggled their way out of Aether’s grasp and ran down the hall. So many scents permeated the thin corridor, they couldn’t figure what door led to their room. As their panic continued to rise, a need to hide fogging their mind, they clawed at the first door they saw. It wasn’t their own, there were too many things different, but it was similar enough that it had the same bed. They fell into a crawl and wormed their way under the bed, getting as far from any of the openings as they could. They heard someone, most definitely Aether, enter the room right behind them.

“Phantom?” He called out. They growled, loud enough that they knew Aether had to hear, their tail whipping furiously beside them. They heard another door open and snapped their head towards another pair of feet leaving the bathroom. Oh, no.

“Aether?” The voice, soft, spoke. “What’s happening, honey?”

They heard Aether sigh, “Sorry, Lus, Phantom’s under your bed.”

The voice grew quiet as they chuckled, “Poor thing. What happened?”

“They’re overwhelmed, assuming they need to hide.”

Phantom growled again as if to prove a point. The voice hummed.

“I don’t mind a feisty quint,” Their voice grew quiet enough to where they could barely hear them, “I’ll stay with them for a bit, okay?”

Aether hesitated, “Are you sure, Lus?”

“Yes.” They walked towards him as he began to, reluctantly, walk out. “Go be with Dew, or something. Finish paperwork, I don’t know.”

“You’ll call me if you need something?”

“Yes, yes.” They laughed again, airy and pleasant. They finally spoke in a hushed voice quiet enough where Phantom couldn’t make out and they frowned. Finally, Aether’s feet disappeared and the door shut. They watched intently now, waiting for the ghoul to get closer.

But they didn’t. Instead, they walked back to their bathroom door, farther from the bed, and sat down, legs crossed over. Phantom watched as they pulled out something from behind them and they just… stayed there.

Their insistent growling began to die down as the minutes passed, tail settled into a quiet pat against the floor. Their body didn’t move, the only sign of life being their breathing. They blinked, confused.

The door opened quietly and a quick exchange between Aether and the voice left them growling again. As quick as Aether came in, he left. Just them and the voice again.

“Hey,” they called out. Phantom looked over and nearly gasped at the sight.

The drink from earlier was sitting on the floor in the middle of the two of them.

They only realized now that their body was screaming for the food, practically begging Phantom to snatch it. Surely, they could chance it. Aether trusts the voice, that much is obvious. Could they trust them, too?

Slowly, and what could’ve been forever as they battled with themselves on the subject of trust, they began to crawl closer to the body and drink, eyes never daring to leave the figure. As they began to exit out of their hiding spot, more of the body came into view. White, thick locks of hair that framed their body, hands folded gently against their stomach. When Phantom poked their head out, they felt their heart skip.

A beautiful air ghoulette. Soft features and the warmest smile that practically called out to them. They couldn’t help but stare, all movement ceased as they tried to take in every detail. Her eyes crinkled and she laughed.

“Hello, starshine.” Oh, her voice. How did they not take into account her voice before? It was airy but oozing with sweetness, enveloping them into a heightened sense of security.

Their tail wagged behind them and they glanced between her and the drink. She laughed again. They want her to keep making that noise.

“It’s all yours.” She unfolded her hands and scooched the drink closer to them. They left their hiding spot in full and snatched the drink. They fumbled with the cap, unable to figure it out and began biting on it in frustration when she laughed again, louder this time. They paused and stared at her, her hand held out towards them.

“Let me open it?” She asked. They begrudgingly handed it over and she quickly snapped the seal and handed it back. They wasted no time in drinking all its contents.

They licked whatever else was left inside the bottle before tossing it to the side. The ghoulette just smiled at them, wide, and they felt inclined to return it.

“Can I show you something?” She asked quietly. They hesitated before nodding and she extended both arms beside her. “Come here. I don’t bite.”

They couldn’t decide whether or not to believe her. They crawled over towards her and flinched when she moved one of her hands toward them, ready to jump back if needed.

But the need never came. Instead, the hand pet through their own hair in barely there touches. When she noticed they weren’t fighting back, the pressure grew slightly and she scratched her blunt nails along their horns. Their shoulders fell and their head leaned into the touch, a huge sigh pushed out of their lungs. She chuckled, and they crawled closer to her.

“You’re enjoying yourself?” She asked, a lilt in her tone that they couldn’t quite decipher just yet.

Were they enjoying themselves? Yes. She radiated warmth and security in a world where nothing felt secure, or warm. They nodded and crawled even closer, finding it now difficult to not topple her over.

But she didn’t stop. She brought another hand behind their back and pulled, ending up with a big puddle of nervous ghoul in her lap. They reluctantly moved away from her hand to position themselves in a more comfortable position, limbs packed tightly to fully curl up into her lap and her arm rested against their leg. They rested their chin against her arm and kicked up a loud purr, breathing in the scent of her.

She smelt the same as she looked and felt; it was like her entire aura screamed safe. Maybe it was.

She sank her hand back into their hair and began a purr herself. She leaned down slightly and sniffed at their back, humming in consideration.

“Looks like you got Rain’s shirt.” She mumbled, mostly to herself. They didn’t know what she meant.

They stayed like that until their eyes grew heavy and time began to warp. This was the most peace they felt since being summoned. It was broken when the door eventually opened again and they tensed in her grasp. She shushed them and in came Aether, the concern in his face melting as he took in the sight.

“I see you met Cumulus,” Aether closed the door and laughed. They glanced up at her.

Cumulus. They repeated.

“Yes.” He nodded. “She is our air ghoulette, or, one of them.”

Phantom rolled the name around in their mind as they let it sink in. Cumulus.

“Mmm…” They tried to replicate it, but to no avail. It seemed as though their luck in speaking words finally gave up. They groaned in frustration as they tried again but to the same results.

“Hey, it’s okay, Phantom.” She whispered. “We’ll get you speaking in no time. I’m sure you have a lot to say, huh?”

They did have a lot to say. They wondered if she could read their mind.

“That’s right.” Aether took a seat on Cumulus’ bed and folded his arms. “We’re going to pair you with Rain; I actually wanted you to meet him first, but…” he gestured with his head towards the two. Phantom curled closer into her.

“Do you want to go back to your room?” Cumulus asked. Their eyes grew frantic and they looked up at Aether with pleads tumbling in their mind.

“Okay, it’s okay,” Aether assured, “I’m sure Lus wouldn’t mind you spending the night.”

She giggled with a nod. “I don’t, but I would like to move to the bed. We can cuddle more comfortably up there.”

Phantom figured it was a fair compromise, and they nodded.

Not yet. They looked up at her. She cocked her head at them.

“They say not yet,” Aether translated. Cumulus smiled down at them and their heart skipped again.

“Not yet it is.” They fell back into her body with a smile and large purr, tail whacking the floor.

#midday rebug

24 notes · View notes

moldycantaloupe · 12 days