Glace

Rain pelted the ornate stained glass windows of the Ministry, the halls quiet and filled with the hazy scent of incense. It was a calm and gentle afternoon in the Ministry, the muffled sound of raindrops from the storm outside adding to the tranquility.

With purpose in your steps, you headed to the stairwell leading to the ground floor of the Ministry, your hand gripping the rail as you descened the spiraling stone staircase. There was much to do, a sink full of dishes waiting for you in the Ministry's kitchen.

The afternoon's serenity didn't last long, harshly interrupted by your foot missing one of the steps. With a gasp, you frantically attempted to cling to the handrail, the act proving to be in vain as you hit the base of the stairs with a loud thump.

Dazed, you shakily hoisted yourself upwards, your banged-up knees and scraped hands weakly attempting to hold up your body. With a huff, you rose to your feet, only for your right ankle to crumple under the weight, a lighting bolt of pain shooting through your leg. As you pulled your black dress aside to expose your legs, your gaze drifted to your ankle, now beginning to swell and change to different shades of purple and blue. The throbbing pain brought tears to your eyes, choking back a sob as you shakily examined your almost certainly broken ankle. Your palms stung and knees burned, the prickling pain of the bleeding scrapes adding to your panic.

Your gaze snapped to the door of the stairwell as it creaked open, a slender figure slipping through the doorway. Dewdrop froze, one hand still on the doorknob, crimson eyes wide as he stared down at your trembling figure on the floor.

"Y/N...?" the fire ghoul softly murmured, brushing a lock of his long, blond hair out of his eyes as he knelt beside you. "Y/N, what happened...?"

You were almost too upset to speak, looking away from the blood trickling down your knees as you met Dewdrop's gaze, his likeness blurry from the tears welling up in your eyes.

"F-Fell," you managed to choke out, lip trembling as you spoke. "M-my ankle-"

At your words, Dewdrop glanced at your swelling, discolored ankle, gasping at the ghastly sight. His pointed ears lowered, tail drooping.

"Can you stand?" Dewdrop asked, his tone gentle and laced with care as his clawed hands softly squeezed your shoulders, his thumb tracing slow circles on the fabric of your dress. He let out a soft huff when you shook your head in response, hot tears spilling down your red cheeks. "...Alright. Let's get you to the infirmary."

The fire ghoul's strong arms wrapped around you, lifting you upwards. One of his hands rested gingerly on the back of your head, the other tight around you as he started down the hallways, making a beeline for the Ministry's infirmary. Your face stayed firmly buried in Dewdrop's shoulder, your body trembling and wracked with sobs as you clung to the ghoul's frame.

"Aeth?" the fire ghoul called out as he pushed the infirmary door open, frantically looking around for the quintessence ghoul. "A-Aeth, where are you-"

The tall, stocky quintessence ghoul poked his head out from behind one of the white walls of the infirmary, cocking an eyebrow when he saw Dewdrop protectively holding onto you.

"...Dew? What's up?" Aether asked, worry seeping into his tone as he took in the scene before him.

"Y/N, she- she fell- I found her at the bottom of the stairs- her ankle-" the fire ghoul began to ramble, clearly a bit frazzled. Aether exhaled slowly through his nose, resting a large hand on his shoulder.

"I'll take a look at her. It'll be alright," the quintessence ghoul murmured, his tone soft and gentle, care shining in his purple eyes as he squeezed the fire ghoul's shoulder. Dewdrop nodded, shifting a bit as he allowed Aether to take you from his arms. Aether had a very calming aura to him, his caring demeanor soothing the fire ghoul's anxiety a tad. Dewdrop let out a slow, deep breath, watching as Aether escorted you into an empty bed in the infirmary.

"Slipped on the staircase, hm?" Aether purred as he carried you, his grip on you gentle and warm, voice smooth and soothing. You let out a shaky whimper in response, nodding your head, your forehead pressed against the ghoul's broad shoulders.

The quintessence ghoul huffed as he laid you across the infirmary bed, his focus shifting to your swollen ankle. A second quintessence ghoul poked his head into the room, lankier than Aether, his hair black and shaggy. Aether lifted his head, meeting Phantom's gaze, waving the ghoul in before going back to examining your ankle. Phantom knelt at your bedside, the ghoul's claws slowly running through your hair as he examined the scrapes on your palms.

"...Dew just brought her in. He said she slipped on the stairs...definitely an ankle fracture," Aether said, beginning to fill the smaller quintessence ghoul in on the situation. Phantom nodded in response to the ghoul's words, his expression sympathetic. Phantom delicately took hold of your hand, careful not to nick the raw skin as he assessed the damage.

"Minor abrasions on her palms and knees," Phantom replied, one hand still buried in your hair, his claws moving in a slow, repetitive motion as he continued to examine you. "That ankle looks bad, though. Tell Omega we need to get it x-rayed - this might require surgery."

As if you weren't panicked enough, Phantom uttering the word "surgery" sent a wave of fear coursing through your body. Your chest tightened, your heart rate spiking as a million different scenarios raced through your mind, your brain flipping through them at lightning speed. You already didn't like the infirmary, and even the gentle demeanors of the quintessence ghouls weren't enough to soothe your fear of surgery. With wide and frightened eyes, you looked up at Phantom, silently pleading with him - to do what, exactly, you weren't sure. You just knew you were terrified.

Phantom picked up on the pure terror radiating from you almost immediately, his amethyst eyes softening.

"Aw, hey..." the quintessence ghoul began to speak, his claws still continuing the slow, steady, back-and-forth motion as they combed through your hair. "No need to worry. We'll take great care of you, alright?"

Phantom's voice was soothing and warm, as it always was, but this did little to quell your racing mind.

"B-But-"

"Shhh," Phantom cut you off, offering you a gentle smile. "It'll be okay. Take some deep breaths for me, okay? In and out..."

Your chest was rising and falling at a rapid rate as you struggled to slow your breathing. You forced an unsteady breath through your nose, holding it for a moment, before exhaling through your mouth. Phantom's smile remained on his face, his tail swaying slowly behind him as he listened to your breathing begin to calm.

finished watching Xisuma's season 8 today, and really enjoyed it! felt the need to give Xolotl a proper design

+ timelapse! but only for the suit, since I did the helmet design first, on a different canvas!