𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐞𝐰

You Will Never Walk Alone

"Sodo! Dew, where are you?" Rain's voice wafted up from the hallways to the attic.

"Just leave me alone," Sodo whispered into the darkness, surrounded by boxes, blankets, and pillows. He drew his knees up to his chest and finally allowed his tears to fall.

"Firefly, darling," Aether was laughing, and he looked beautiful. Sodo made sure to tell him that.

"You're so pretty when you laugh, Aeth." Sodo stood and moved across the room, wrapping his arms tightly around the bigger ghoul's shoulders. "It's unfair."

"How is it unfair, fire lily?"

"I don't get you all to myself, I have to share."

The scene changed, the two were now cuddled up together, tails entertwined next to a roaring fire. Both of them cradled steaming mugs of hot cocoa.

"The firelight is a good look on you, Dew," Aether hummed and moved impossibly closer to the little ghoul.

"Yeah?"

"Makes you look so pretty, and you're all mine."

"Mhm."

And then they were back in the abbey, Aether's room to be exact.

Quintessence sparked along Dew's back, helping calm the water ghoul. The transition was not yet complete, and it hurt Aether's soul to see his mate in so much pain. It was like being forced to stand by and watch and someone took a knife to his lover's heart, carving and changing all that made him him.

"Aether, please," Dew gasped out, curling into a fetal position against the pain. Aether's powers allowed him to relieve some of the unbearable agony, but he wasn't able to stop it all from consuming his mate.

"What? How can I help you, Dewdrop?"

"Just hold me, please," his sobs were slowly shattering Aether's heart. "Please, I- I can't. I need you, please."

And then the memory dissolved once more, shifting into a more peaceful one, by the lake. Him and Aether had laid out a picnic blanket, and had finally gotten some quiet after they forced Swiss back into the abbey.

Sodo traced shapes on Aether's thighs, his head nestled comfortable in his lap. Absentminded hearts, stars, and a few other ones that Aether couldn't quite name were all softly carved into his skin with featherlight precision.

"Firefly?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you tracing your name into my leg?"

Sodo blushed, turning away. "Maybe. . ."

"Look at me, fire lily," Aether tipped Sodo's chin up to meet his eyes. "I love you."

Sodo sighed contentedly. "I love you too, Aeth."

Sodo gasped at the sudden onslaught of pain and memories, the feel of Aether's strong hands anywhere he could reach, how safe he always felt in his arms, his fucking scent, it physically hurt.

"No," Sodo sobbed, still unable to believe he was really gone. "No, no, no."

His fault. It was always his fault. He was the runt of the litter, the one who always had to fight to survive, baring claws and teeth and tail. He had to bully his way out of hell, but when he'd been summoned, and he first laid his eyes on Aether, he'd felt safe for the first time, like he didn't need to fight anymore. Like he was finally a part of something.

But then he'd ruined everything, just like his mother, his father, his brothers and sisters, hell, even his previous partners had always said he would. He'd finally succeeded in pushing away the one good thing that had finally happened to him.

And there was no way to fix it.

Sodo heard a noise, something clattering to the ground. His head shot up, sharp gaze looking for whatever had tipped the box over. A soft meow sounded over the noise of his own mind, and his heart rate slowed down. It was just a cat.

The cat in question peeked its head around the towering stack of boxes and sidled up to Sodo's side, bumping his hand with its head and demanding head scratches.

Before long, it had laid down in Sodo's lap and began purring, and he felt that maybe, just maybe, everything would be alright.