Hearts of the Lonely (Reader x Mountain Ghoul)

23- Ghouls & Angels

"You are injured."

"No shit, dumbass," I bit back, trying not to cry. I sat up and tore off a strip of fabric to tie around my arm as a bandage.

"Do you have feelings for the human?" I don't know why, but the angel's soft, golden glow calmed me. My breathing became normal, and I felt comfortable sharing with them.

"Yes, I actually do. I promised to stay with them, but I was caught and dragged back here. I can hear my phone exploding up on that bastard's desk, I'm worried about the consequences if I'm caught, and my body hurts from being glamoured for so long."

I thought that the angel was dozing off, but he slowly nodded. We sat in silence for a while, until a gust of wind almost blew me over.

"I think I can help you!" The angel gleefully told me, still flapping his wings.

"Calm down, I don't want to be blown away," I told him, clearly disgusted by having his feathery appendages wave the holy stench towards me.

"Oh, right." He folded his wings back. "Okay, so I might be able to help you. I can make the officer forget this whole thing, and you can go free."

This was too good to be true, so I had to question it. "What's the catch?"

"You will say the Lord's Prayer."

"No. Ghouls are strictly forbidden from reciting any holy prayers. We only pray the unholy ones. You know this." I pointed my claw at them.

"Then you will be reported for loving a human. And I know that will not go over well. You want to be free, don't you?"

"Fine. Let's get this over with."

"I will hold up my end of the bargain if you say the whole prayer."

"Deal."

"On your knees. With hands clasped in prayer."

"Well, who's the boss here? I thought you were innocent?" I fell to my knees with my hands clasped, smirking at him.

"I still have no clue what you mean."

"And you still are."

"Get going."

"All right, all right."

I shook as I realized what I was about to do. The angel fed me the lines, and I repeated them.

"Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name."

I was dead if anyone knew I was reciting this.

"Thy kingdom come."

I chuckled. The angel gave me a look.

"Thy will be done. On Earth as it is in Heaven."

I kept droning on, but I was aware of the tingling sensation spreading on my skin.

"Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us."

I cried out, looking at my hands. They had a red rash-like appearance to them. They burned.

"Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."

My pulse quickened; I feared I would have a heart attack.

"Amen."

The angel watched me collapse onto the cell floor. It was over. My skin burned and some of it was peeling from the time I spent praying the holy words. The cool concrete somewhat helped, but I whimpered in pain until I fell asleep.

. . .

The first thing Copia did was take Y/N inside, and try to get the whole story out of them. He made them tea, got out a sleepy rat for them to cuddle, and rocked them in his arms, but nothing worked. They would only babble out semi-comprehensible words and cry trying to explain.

"Shh, shh, cara mia. Breathe with me. In and out. In and out."

"Mou-Mountain is gone and it's all my fault. . ." Y/N cried into his shoulder.

"I have to call Sister Imperator. He needs to be found immediately," Copia told Y/N, trying to let go of them to reach his phone.

"No! No, no, no! He will get in trouble!" They cried.

"I will respect your wish, but we will have to send out a search party first thing tomorrow morning. Ok?" Copia gave Y/N a hug.

"What if he's gone forever? I should've stayed with him!"

"Mountain is a very resourceful ghoul, and he knows how to use his glamour. I promise that he will be found."

"He promised me that he was right behind me! Look how promises can easily be broken!"

"He will be found. Wrap up in this fuzzy blanket and try to sleep, cara mia."

. . .

Something buzzed in my pocket.

I rubbed my eyes, light bothering them as I woke up. I sat up, and a voice startled me.

"Wake up, ghoul."

I opened my eyes to see the angel sitting on a log.

In the forest.

We were in the forest.

He kept his end of the bargain.

"You can go. The officer has no memory of last night, and you are free. Go while you can."

"You are really young and dumb."

"Why?"

"What angel lets a ghoul have a second chance?" I questioned as I got up off the ground.

The angel shrugged. "One who doesn't like his job. I'm getting tired of watching humans. Perhaps I could stay with you?"

"What?" My eyes widened. I never knew of an angel willing to stray from their holy lifestyle. "You aren't going to convert us, right?"

"No. I'm actually quite interested in what you believe."

Voices rang out through the forest.

"Mountain?"

"Mountain!"

"Mounty, are you there?"

"Is that your name?" The angel asked. I noticed that they were no longer glowing.

"Yes. What is yours?"

"Abstinence."

"No. Too holy for a fallen angel. How about 'Phantom'?"

The angel thought for a moment before nodding. "Has a nice ring to it."

"MOUNTAIN!!!"

Y/N charged towards me; tightly wrapping their arms around me.

"Don't you ever leave me again!" They sobbed into my side.

I spent a few moments frantically apologizing to them, and then the rest of the ghouls and Copia came. We all spent a time reuniting until I remembered Phantom.

"Get that holy asshole away!" Aether growled.

"Oh, uh, Phantom, you're going to have to-" I told him.

"Ope, yea." Phantom made himself visible to Copia and Y/N. He lost his glow and halo completely, his wings disappeared, and he had two eyes instead of the multiple he had before.

"Whoa," Y/N breathed.

"This is Phantom, previously know as Abstinence. He helped me escape." I walked over to him; putting an arm around his shoulders. "He is a fallen angel, and would like to join our church."

"Hello, everyone. I believe the Earth custom is shaking hands?" Phantom walked up to Sodo. "Nice to meet you! Can you explain to me what a blow job is?"

Sodo took Phantom's hand with a shocked look that turned into a smirk. He looked at the innocent fallen angel up and down before Swiss gave a light growl, putting a hand on Sodo's shoulder.

"Well, I believe that is a conversation for another day! Phantom, you will need to stay with me so you can go through a special ritual." Copia broke the tension and started to explain the ritual to Phantom as we all walked to the village.

Y/N held my hand and I wrapped my tail around their arm as we walked together, grateful to be with them again.