"Me?"

"You." Aether nods, reaching over and patting Rain's cheek. "It couldn't be anyone else."

It's the next morning, early enough that the coffee pot is still half full. The others had gone to bed after Aether's announcement, but Rain stayed here with him. This is at least the hundredth time the other ghoul has asked the same thing, but Aether supposes he can't blame him. Being pack leader is both a blessing and a burden, and he's not even the oldest ghoul still in the lineup. Why him?

"I really don't know why you're so shocked," Aether chuckles, stirring suger into his tea. Rain sits on the opposite side of the kitchen island, hands wrapped around a mug of coffee so pale it might as well be a glass of milk. "You've already got nearly every one of us under your thumb, one way or another. This doesn't feel like much of a change."

Aether winks and Rain rolls his eyes, but a smile plays about his lips. Vesper would be the one exception to that rule and they both know it, but it wouldn't surprise Aether if it took her an age to really join the pack. She's deeply connected with Perpetua, the first ghoul since Omega permitted to live in the abbot's wing, and no one expects that to change any time soon.

"Just because three of you have your own leashes doesn't mean I'm a leader." Rain says, proud nose in the air, and Aether laughs.

"But you are. I've seen it in you from the day you stepped on stage, and it's only gotten stronger." Rain blinks at him, head tilted. "It's in the way you carry yourself," Aether explains, rounding the island to sit on the stool next to his. Rain turns, crossing his legs so they can be face to face. "Even in those early days, timid as you could be, the was something about you. A presence, if you like. You drew the eye more than anyone on that stage, save perhaps the Cardinal."

Aether signs and inverted cross and Rain snickers, taking a sip of his drink. Aether does the same, reaching over to rest a had on Rain's knee.

"Since then you've only grown. I know you know it. I know why they opened the movie with a crotch shot of you, too." Aether waggles his eyebrows and the apples of Rain's cheeks go pink. Still, he smirks.

"Jeez, you fuck one camera guy..."

"Humans gossip, it's what they do." Aether shrugs. "My point is - you wanted something, so you got it. That takes confidence, and that confidence is what tells me I'm right. I know the others see it too, that's why only Aeon argued."

"He just wants to fuck me, he'll get over it," Rain shrugs, and somewhere down the hall Aether imagines the kid's ears are burning.

"My point is," Aether squeezes Rain's knee, "that almost no one questioned it. That's not how these things usually go, Rain."

The other ghoul raises an eyebrow, and Aether sighs. Takes a sip of his tea.

"When Omega and Terzo became mates, he gave up his position as pack leader too. It was a mess." Rain leans an elbow on the countertop, resting his chin on his fist. "He basically left it up to everyone else. Not because he didn't want to choose, but because he believed the pack would make the right choice. I was only a tech at the time, still lived down below with the others, but since I worked in the clinic too I caught a lot of the fallout. And stitched a lot of wounds."

Aether feels the end of Rain's tail wrap around his ankle when he grimaces at the memory, and there's a sadness in his eyes when Aether looks up at him. He clears his throat, shakes it off with a smile and a pat on Rain's shoulder.

"Point is, this is good. It feels right, you can't tell me it doesn't."

Rain, in fact, can't.

"Told you so," Aether says with another cheeky wink, and he hums when Rain slinks from his stool to stand between his thighs. Long arms loop around Aether's neck and the other ghoul leans down to knock their horns together. Aether purrs when Rain kisses him, chaste and simple.

"Thank you," he says, "I'm going to make you so proud."

Aether thinks they may be the most genuine words Rain has ever spoken.

"I know you will."

Their next kiss is deeper, both of them breathing heavy and Rain's legs wrapped around Aether's waist by the time they part. Rain looks dazed, a tent already forming in his sleep pants thay Aether doesn't hesitate to fondle. Rain sucks air through his teeth, sinking long fingers into Aether's hair.

"So how does this work?" Rain watches Aether touch him, smiling serenely at the way his hand engulfs him. "Do I get a plaque on my door or something?'

Aether snorts out a laugh, leaning in to nip at Rain's swollen lower lip. Rain catches him in another kiss before he can reply, and when he pulls away Rain's started to leak against his palm. Water ghouls.

"Three stages," Aether tells him, holding up his other hand. "We fight hard." He puts a finger down, and Rain pulses against his palm. "We fuck harder." Another finger down, and Rain moans low in his throat. "And I carve this -" Aether lifts his shirt, exposing hairy belly and chest that Rain has grabby hands for immediately, until he can point at a scar over his heart. A series of symbols in old Ghoulish, the mark of a leader. "- right where it belongs."

Aether lets go of his shirt in spite of Rain's groping hands, presses two fingers to Rain's heart, and the pulse of power he sends along with it has Rain arching as he shoots in his pants. Not even fully hard. Aether grins, giving Rain a peck on the chin while he gurgles in the most undignified way.

"Yeah, I think this will suit you perfectly."

"Wh-when?" Rain huffs, still rolling his his against Aether's hand despite the sticky mess he just made. Aether cocks his head. "When do we...do this?"

There's a glimmer in his eye when he asks, and Aether cock throbs where it sits fat against his thigh.

"Next full moon, if you like. I want you at full strength when you take me down."

It’s the end of the day. Everyone is winding down with the sun as the late spring heat cools into tolerable night time temperatures, and Aether and Rain have been cuddled up on the couch for… who really knows how long. They’re lost in one another’s touch. Aether’s claws scratch at the water ghoul’s scalp until he begins to purr, leaning right into the feeling. His own hands wander around Aether’s body, soft and supple and strong, just touching for the sake of touching.

He moves to straddle Aether’s lap, long, skinny legs folded under himself as he takes a seat on the quintessence ghoul, tucking his nose into Aether’s neck and pulling in a deep breath. His cock twitches in interest in his pants.

“Someone’s happy to see me,” Aether jests, still curling his claws in Rain’s hair. Anything for those pretty purrs. Rain hums in agreement and gives an experimental roll of his hips, groaning quietly at the pressure. He’s more or less grinding on Aether’s stomach, but the other ghoul doesn’t seem to to mind.

Once he starts, Rain can’t really stop. The sounds he makes get breathier, needier, and Aether can feel his own hard on under the water ghoul’s ass. The scent of his arousal, saltwater and lemongrass, only grows stronger.

“Rainy,” Aether coos in that voice, “you’re gonna get your clothes all wet.”

He whines. It’s not a sound any of them manage to get out of Rain with ease— except maybe Mountain. Pride swells in Aether’s chest, hands roaming down to Rain’s waist to guide him. He really doesn’t care about the slick; it’s not like poor Rainy can help it, it’s in his nature.

The water ghoul worries Aether’s skin between his sharp teeth, little pinpricks of pain that make Aether’s cock throb under Rain’s ass.

“You wanna get off just like this?”

Rain makes a small sound, a negative. He guides Aether’s hand down to his asscheeks, under the sweatpants and— no boxers. “Naughty little thing,” Aether purrs, massaging the meat of it with one hand, “I don’t pay enough attention to this pretty ass, do I, raincloud?”

He shakes his head and presses back into Aether’s hand, purring far louder than he was. He’s soaked through his pants now, there must be a wet spot from his crotch to his ass, but he doesn’t care in the slightest. A thick finger circles his rim and Rain lets out his first real moan, embarrassingly loud.

“Put it in, c’mon,” he complains, and who is Aether if not someone to spoil his pack?

With all the slick it’s so easy to slip right in to the tight ring of muscle, stretching him one move at a time. Aether begins to ask if anything hurts when Rain insists that he add another, rolling his hips with far more urgency than before. A second finger is all Rain needs, especially when they’re Aether’s.

One hand guides his twitchy hips and the other’s digits curl and uncurl, angled far too perfectly for how Aether is positioned. “Aeth,” Rain says— it comes out all whiny and high pitched and Aether’s own pre begins to spot his pants, “are you using—”

“Mhm,” he purrs, wracking Rain’s body with a wave of pleasure so strong— too strong— that he goes rigid, a long, low moan ripping out of his throat as he coats himself and Aether in cum. He rides it out on Aether’s fingers, panting into the hollow of his neck.

When he pulls back, Aether seriously regrets leaving his phone over on the counter. Sweaty, black curls plastered to his face. Blue eyes blown dark with his won’t-quit arousal, and parted lips pushing out warm breath on Aether’s. He smashes their mouths together before he can even think about it.

Rain shimmies away and sinks to his knees in front of couch, cringing at the darkened fabric of Aether’s pants.

Rain has a catalogue of panty pics on his phone. He's a regular wearer and even more regular photographer. He just can't resist the way they're so tight they leave lingering red lines on his pale hips, how they mark him. He relishes in the knowledge of his dirty, not-so-secret secret. Short skirts that leave nothing to the imagination keep his packmates on edge, hungry. Glazed eyes watching as he sits, squirming under the attention and revelling as the plug he delicately placed earlier hits just the right spot. Rain allows them to pet and to tease, get him riled up, and only then does he take the photos.

Tonight in the dim light of his bedroom he kneels in front of the mirror, one hand cautiously lifting up the sage green skirt mountain gifted him, and the other firmly holding his phone as he brushes up against the sensitive bulge. He hears the familiar click of the camera as he takes a photo, then another one, looking thoroughly wrecked. There is only one rule for these sessions, the panties stay on. He's blushing and leaking, straining against the lilac fabric now turned a deep shade of purple to match his flushed face. Streaks of hair clinging to his sweat-stained face, nipples begging for touch under his mesh crop top, and fingertips teasing the ever growing wet spot. As he tweaks the pebbled mound on his chest, there’s another click but it’s not from his phone. Rain looks toward the door, eyes straining to focus in the candlelight, it’s Aether. He chuckles at the sight of the mess in front of the mirror, “Need some help, princess?”

It doesn't take much, it never does when he's this far gone. Rain’s sat on the edge of the bed with Aether's head barely fitting beneath the skirt alternating between kitten licks to the tip and lascivious strokes over the deep purple material, whispering praises for his slutty princess, "Such a good girl showing yourself off for Daddy, hmm?" Rain can only whimper as feels his orgasm approaching. Aether can feel it building, grabbing Rain's phone and pressing record as he strokes the smaller ghoul’s cock with a burning intensity keeping Rain teetering on the edge until Aether decides he’s ready. The quintessence ghoul uses his mouth to trace every vein while his free hand reaches to press on Rain’s plug, and that’s all he needs. Aether captures the euphoric moment as the water ghoul’s cum beads on the surface in rapid, irregular bursts, slowly dripping down the saturated panties to pool on the larger ghouls outstretched hand. Rain whines as Aether continues to lick him through the underwear, the friction is incredible but quickly becomes too much, and just like that the smaller ghoul is finished.

Rain removes the sodden underwear placing it in Aether's sticky hand and thanks him as one would thank a professional photographer. He makes no mention of the obscene mess he produced nor of Aether's tented pants. As always, Aether slinks off to his room, taking the water ghoul's ruined panties with him. Rain's not stupid, they share a wall and he absolutely gets off again at the debauched sounds of Aether stroking himself with the silky lilac, it’s most of the reason he puts on a show in the first place.