#dewfrit

Dewdrop couldn't handle conflict well.

One tone shift, a voice raise, and he always fell into the same habit, the same rhythm. One the bassist knew all too well.

The water ghoul stalked down the hallways his body swaying. The argument ringed in his mind. The small argument that snowballed.

It was one plant. One little significant bitterroot to be exact. To be clear—he’d never try to hurt his pack-mates. Ever.

“DEWDROP.”

He was just trying to look. He was simply startled. He wouldn’t purposely deface Mountain’s own element ever-

A force almost yanked him up out of his own clothes by his scruff. Mountain was looming over him at this point.

“What are you doing here?? You..” and then it went quiet.

The earth ghoul dropped him, staring quietly and sunkenly at the weakened stem. His eyes traced the crumpled blooms.

Dewdrop’s attention zeroed on the crooked sign, barring maybe a few feet tall. “Zephyr.”

Dew had been promptly been kicked out, few words leaving the tall, mysterious ghoul’s mouth.

So here he had found himself, at the foot of his very fellow band mate’s door; he stood outside of Ifrit’s door.

The fire ghoul had opened it slightly, giving the brackish ghoul a quick survey up and down. Dew nudged past him silently, not giving him a word.

“That bad, huh?” Ifrit prodded, but still, no reply. He understood, of course. The smaller didn’t need a reminder of whatever was bothering him, obviously.

Dew looked around the familiar room, the feel of it. He looked at the guitar that remained across Ifrit’s chest at shows. The acoustic next to it.

The orange-stained-glass lightbulb casting a comforting hue over the room.

His eyes went to the bed. Then his feet. Before his brain could register, he was laying face first in Ifrit’s scent.

The fire ghoul far from minded, making a note in the writing he was working on before setting his glasses on its holder and shutting off the desk lamp.

Dew adored the room with nothing but the side lamp, and he appreciated the way the fire element somehow always knew what he needed.

When he needed to be a weighted blanket, too.

They sat like that for a while, Ifrit crushing his elemental opposite while dew played with the baby hairs on his neck. It worked. For a while.

“He hates me.” Ifrit sat up. “Who?”

“Mountain.”

“Mountain doesn’t hate you, he adores you mudsprite.”

“I crushed his plant.” Ifrit’s breath stuttered, a small and sharp inhale signaling his thoughts. After a beat, Dew uttered out a smaller, harsher few words.

“It was Zephyr’s. I didn’t mean to.”

Ifrit paused, his eyes searching the smaller’s. He chirped silently in understanding before shifting his gaze to the ceiling; Dewdrop’s eyes searching finally drifted up, studying Ifrit’s features.

“He lost his companion, darling. He doesn’t hate you, we all loved Zephyr but it was different. He and Zephyr have been two of the few ghouls present in the ministry for a long time behind the scenes..”

Dewdrop’s gaze wavered as he became unsteady. He knew this, he didnt need to be reminded of his failures, he knows he fucked up! His head started to cloud as his counterpart contemplated for a moment more.

Nothing seemed to be sticking through the stormy estuary in his mind brewing. The guilt. The shame.

The feeling of Aether pushing him away when he misunderstood. The feeling of watching Mist be replaced. Of watching Zephyr be banished.

“But.”

That voice cut through it, through those feelings. Dewdrop looked up. At him.

“Mountain doesn’t hate. Wouldn’t hate you, ever. He can be hurt, he can be confused or need time; so give him time.”

Dew gave a small, tired smile. Ifrit reached out, laying a warmed hand on the smaller’s cheek.

“Promise you wont leave?”

“I promise.” Ifrit responded immediately.

fire ghouls, the element of wrath, have characteristics taken from predator animals that most align with the ghoul. some common examples are wolves, snakes, big cats, and birds of prey.

ifrit is dog based due to his mostly laid back demeanor. he's chill most of the time, but when he needs to be he is very strong. he fights often using his brute strength rather than skill. he also will stalk and hunt down a target for miles.