𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐞𝐰

Into Your Sanctum, You Let Them In

Hey I'm so sorry that it's been this long!! I've been really struggling with my mental health and had to take a break, hopefully I'll be getting chapters out faster from now on. And also, this chapter's pretty short but also super heavy so remember to drink some water and get some sleep!! Love you all <3

Aurora and Mountain got up from where they had been sitting to join Rain and Phantom at the door to see what was going on.

Void wasn't able to get a single word in before Aurora had pushed a speechless Phantom behind her and shoved Void to the ground, landing on top of him in a flurry of fists and screaming.

Rain and Mountain pulled her off of him, and Rain offered a hand, waiting until Void grabbed it before dropping him back on his ass. "Don't think I've forgotten all you've done to me, to Phantom, to countless other people. Give me one reason why I shouldn't slit your throat and escort you back down to hell myself."

"I didn't come to fight," Void raised his hands in a placating gesture, sending Phantom shrinking farther behind Aurora. Rain didn't miss the gleam of pride in Void's eyes at that. "I just want to talk. To. . . Apologize."

"Bullshit. All you do is fight, it's your entire existence."

"Can we just, go inside, talk, resolve things?"

Phantom stepped forward, hands shaking but voice firm. "No. Tell us what you want while you're out here, or you get left to the wolves."

Aurora's hand snaked down to catch his, squeezing to offer some form of comfort. Phantom seemed to melt a bit, nervousness slipping off of him like water.

Void took a step closer to him, and Rain blocked his path with an outstretched arm. "Unless you don't care about your time on earth, it would be wise to not fucking touch him."

He stepped backward again, his tail flicking angrily behind him. He tried to keep up the friendly façade, but it was slipping through his fingers like sand. "I just came up here to apologize to everyone I've hurt."

"Bullshit," Rain was much more collected than Phantom was right now, and he suspected that is was partly just an act to allow him to collect his broken pieces and be strong. "You would never apologize at gunpoint, let alone out of the blue like this. What are you really here for, Void?"

"I just want to talk to Phantom, alone, and maybe we can. . ."

His voice faded away, and instead was replaced with soft whispers against his skin.

"My little starlight," Void brushed a stray strand of hair away from Phantom's face.

Phantom hummed, his body tense and on edge. It wasn't always that Void was this tender with him, and it usually meant an oncoming storm of insults and pain.

"Phantom?" Rain said his name with such reverence, such respect, that he couldn't help but relax slightly, even if he didn't deserve it.

"Let's go inside, we'll hear him out and if he pisses you off in any way feel free to send him back to Hell."

"Are you sure?"

Phantom nodded, scurrying away to sit next to Aurora, who wrapped an arm around him and laid her head on his shoulder. Void moved to the other side of the room and went to sit down before Rain stopped him with a growl.

"You can stand, we wouldn't want you covering up Phantom's scent on that chair, would we?"

Void didn't respond, and instead only glared in his direction. Rain sat down on Phantom's other side, still staying a safe distance away.

His voice was low, dangerous, when he whispered in Phantom's ear. "I don't like him being here, you know what he did to you, what he did to me, what he did to—"

"Wait," Phantom's voice was just as quiet, prompting Void to raise an eyebrow, flicking dust off his claws. "What he did to who?"

"I shouldn't talk about it," Rain clapped his hands and raised his voice to include Void in the conversation. "What the hell are you here for?"

"I was hoping to talk to Phantom alone, if you wouldn't mind," his tone was dripping with sarcasm, and something about him seemed. . . off.

Rain stood abruptly, sending Phantom sprawling across the couch. "Now I don't think—"

"It's okay, Rain," Phantom stopped him with a hand on his arm. "I'll talk to him, give him a chance, maybe he's changed."

"I fucking doubt it."

Phantom rubbed up and down his arm and joined Void in the other room. "Why are you really here, Void?"

"I can't just visit because I miss you?" Void crowded Phantom against the wall, apologetic façade gone as soon as the rest of the pack was out of range.

"Bullshit," Phantom repeated Rain's words from earlier. His confidence was betrayed by shaking hands though, and he shoved them behind his back to hide the sign of weakness. "Why are you really here?"

Void seemed to snap, and his hand shot out to grasp Phantom's throat, shoving him roughly against the uncut stones of the wall. "Because," he growled low in Phantom's ear. "There was one this I never got around to doing when you were still in hell."

Phantom struggled desperately against Void's fist, clawing and thrashing at his arms, torso, anything he could reach. But his vision was slowly going dark, and he felt something sharp against his throat.

This was it.

Phantom only wished he could have apologized to Sodo for his actions before it happened.

•.•.•

"He's been in there for a while, should we check on him?" Sodo paused outside the doorway to the common room. Listening. Rain sounded worried, should he be in there? Was it Phantom? Was it Rain? Was someone hurt?

Finally making a decision, Sodo pushed the door open, and was very forcefully pushed back out by an extremely angry Rain.

"Where the fuck have you been?"

"The attic," Sodo answered dumbly. "I made a friend, her name is Salem and she's a beautiful black cat."

"Can you show me?"

"What's up, Rainy? You're acting different. And why'd you push me away? Is Phantom in there? Is he hurt?"

Rain rubbed his temples. "No- Just, uh. Promise me you won't freak out?"

"What happened? Is everyone alright?"

"Well. . . Void's here."

"He's what?" Sodo's expression was instantly transformed to one of anger and hate.

"Yes, I know, but Phantom wanted to hear him out and I couldn't—"

"Let me talk to him."

Rain's hand shot to Sodo's forearm. "You can't be serious, what are you—"

"He's my brother, Rain." Sodo pushed past Rain and towards the door. "Let me speak to him."