Commissioned [completed]

Chapter 29 - Strangers

"There they fucking are!" Aether brimmed as you took your first steps into Sodo's suite. Aether gave a penguin's run to you and surrounded you in a squeezing hug. He was still in his road leathers and his tail wagged like a spaded whip. "Terzo! Hiding them from us all this time—we should have met you on your first night here!" he scowled accusingly before pulling back and holding your arms, "do you know how many humans would take a bullet for a ghoul?!" He was addressing you.

"Oh, was just a scrape, wasn't really 'taking a bullet'...."

"Pish!" He snuggled up to you again. "Very few would do what you did, Lovey."

"You are dramatic as always, mio caro Aether. They are still healing though..."

"Ah, my apologies, come," he released you gingerly before he waved you in.

You looked at Terzo, and he shrugged, "I have nowhere else to be presently."

Four more ghouls were scattered around the lounge than had been that morning, three more feminine and a gentle masculine.

Amongst the fems was a small one, though all of them stood out as short; her short, brown blonde cut and grin made her seem smaller than the other two. In the way, imps and fairies were small. Cute—but with teeth; without guessing too hard, you figured that had to be Sunshine. She sat on the ground with her legs crossed and had a twinkle in her laugh. Vibrant, sparkly, bitey.

Again, Cumulus wasn't too hard to figure out; she was supposed to be why Terzo had to pay for the bowling club upkeep. She was likely the actual shortest but strong; a powerful presence in the room. In his portrait, Terzo was posed to step on a ghoul's mask... that mask was definitely not Cumulus'. Her white hair was long, shaved to one side. She gave you a knowing grin when you entered with the Terzo, followed by a piqued brow. It was like being propositioned by a lioness. She took up a recliner, and beside her was another smaller ghoul on the arm of the chair, though perhaps the tallest of the three; she was poised and built agilely, which made her even more feline than the other two. Her brown hair was curled, styled like you had seen on the masks. You didn't remember if you'd heard her name spoken before, her eyes were green, and you were utterly beguiled.

Terzo looked at you unsure, "_____?"

"Huh?!" you honked.

A smile peeled over his face, "Caro, Swiss wanted your attention."

You snapped your head to Swiss and gave an apologetic, meek smile.

"Ah, s'okay, Sweetheart, I was just asking if you were okay after everything?"

"I'd say more than okay, heh," Terzo butted in and nodded to the three by the recliner, "their first time meeting the Ghoulettes," he smirked, "Pittore, I didn't take you as a person who couldn't talk to girls."

"I, no... I, of course... It's not that... fuck off, Terzo," you shoved your hands in your pockets. "Plus, Ghoulette, is that official? Feels... like a massive gender divide."

"And for a good reason, Sugar," Cumulus purred in a Southern American accent and stroked the calf of the ghoulette to her left. "You think we want to be paired in with that lot?" she pointed a clawed thumb at the others.

"S-sugar?" your mouth dried.

"No offence, Rain~" Sunshine perked up; her voice was built on Broadway.

"None taken," his voice was sweet, quiet, Canadian and shy, like him. He had a thick amount of shoulder-length dark brown hair. Half was up in a bun, leaving the rest to curl around his cheeks and neck. A white strip weaved in and out of his bun. He had some scruff on his cheeks and sat on the couch, hidden in the shadow of Mountain.