Moth and Flame [Dew x Reader] {Complete}

Chapter 12 - Finally

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"______?"

You didn't want to be found. You curled with your tail to you on your bench in the dark. The only thing you had felt sure of and safe in was that you hated Sodomiser, the fire ghoul and didn't care that he hated you back. And now—if that wasn't true... what did that mean? He was the one person it was safe to be hated by.

"______," Rain stood in the light outside the alcove. He wore a midnight velvet suit jacket, black on black beneath and a bow tie at his neck. He'd left his shoulder-length mass of thick hair down to frame his face. Another handsome devil.

"The sad place under the stairs is full; I'm sorry, Rain, you'll have to come back later," you informed him softly.

You had returned to your people for a time and mingled enough to feign a headache and disappear. You didn't think anyone would notice. You didn't want to see Sodo make a move on Mari—you weren't usually so... singular. The difference, you supposed, was he wanted her and not you. In any other circumstance, it was usually both and all and... no one was left out. But this felt... purposeful. An attack you saw coming and yet never tried to dodge.

Rain shuffled a foot against the ornate tiles. "You know Mountain comes here sometimes..." it seemed he didn't want to leave.

"Makes sense... I smell him here sometimes," Something about the stair felt abnormal. As if from its angle, the light should touch it, but it was left black. Dead pixels on the face of reality. It was like the abyss—it may scare you, but home was homely.

"Are you... okay?"

You bit your lips together. You weren't. It was somehow worse than anything Sodo had ever pulled. "I am probably just hungry or something." You passed off, "You know a ghoul's well-being absolutely relies on what they've had to eat that day..."

You didn't know what was in your voice that had him turn and perch beside you, but he did. "I could maybe find you something if you'd like?"

"I couldn't ask you to do that..." you shook your head. You cleared your throat to save yourself the subject of your well-being after falling for an asshole who would take joy in and manipulate any feelings you accidentally felt for him. "How are the shoes?"

He looked at his feet as if he remembered they existed. "Comfy," you heard a grin in his voice in the dark.

"Elk is some pretty tough leather," you nodded to yourself.

"Tough..." he murmured softly before a moment of silence. "I think I owe you an apology, ______."

"You?" You frowned. Out of all the ghouls...

You felt his soft, bass-worn hand cover yours on the bench. "I saw how you were treated, and I never said anything."

"It's safer not to, right?" You shrugged and just watched his hand over yours. Warm. Your tail flicked with curiosity.

"I'm sorry, ______." You felt an arm rub against yours, and his thumb traced the back of your hand. "We aren't in hell anymore—it's no way to act."

You shivered. You wondered if you were in his position, would you have done the same? You couldn't know. "Thank you for saying so, it's water under the bridge, Rain..." he was silhouetted in torchlight from the hallway, your night's silver lining, "Here, he's my last one." You pulled the unopened bud from your pocket. "I'm afraid he is a little late to the party, but if you give him some water—" You offered it. "He might bloom for you."

He cocked his head this way and that to take it in, "Beautiful even if he doesn't..." He shifted so you had access to his lapel pocket, and you planted the bud there. "... kindness is rare in the depths."

"And yet, here you are." He'd figured you were upset and came looking for you. He must have the same kindness illness that led you to find Phantom here. "You poor thing," you sighed.

He chuckled at his feet, "I don't know, I think I like it... Hell didn't break me."

"How so?"

"It is much easier to be cruel than kind, ______."

You wondered about that. "I think the depths might be a bit different to the abyss," You frowned at Rain.

"Might be why water demons... like earth demons—or at least I seem to..."

Did you hear correctly? It really sounded like he just said he liked you for a second there. "You like... Kindness?" You weren't about to ask if he liked you; that would be silly.

He smiled down at his feet. "And I know to treasure it when I find it..." he pulled his eyes from the ground to read your face. "And I should have." He leaned into you with shyness.

You'd never been so close to him—he smelt like sage wood and amber salt. His dark eyes lowered to your mouth. What was he...? He.... What... When you didn't move straight away, he pulled back, embarrassed.

"Sorry," he chuckled to himself and hid his face.

"No..." You touched the scruff of his jawline for him to look at you. This ridiculously sweet creature. He... he liked you? His cheek was so soft. You memorised his dark lashes and the hook of his nose—was he always so pretty? And the way he looked at you.

You moved together slowly as if not to scare the other; when he did kiss you, he did so with hunger. He dragged out every movement as if to keep you there forever. You drew soft sounds from his chest.

He seemed to struggle with himself from going further and ended up leaning his forehead to yours. "I've... been thinking about doing that for a while," he rubbed his nose against yours before pulling away altogether, becoming interested in the hands in his lap.

You were... dumbfounded. You thought one of your best powers was to read the room and become whoever it needed in that moment. Rain had never flirted with you... not once. "Huh." He did watch you sometimes; you've felt those doe eyes and soft smiles when caught. You shook your head as if to get your mind back online.

"Would you, maybe, want to eat together sometimes?—no pressure or anything..."

"No, that would be awesome," you cocked your head. He wanted to spend time with you... "Do you, maybe, like hunting?"

He nodded and grinned, still unable to face you. "You catch meat for the clergy, don't you?"

"Yeah~" So he had been watching you?

"Have you found the lake by the forest? It has trout if you feel like going for a swim..?"

"I would love to." You perfectly sparkled, and his eyes glittered as he finally looked at you. Both your tails thumped softly against the wooden bench. You'd made a ghoul friend. Finally. And he was kind.