Nameless Ghoul

Update Chapter: Afterlife

*** This chapter takes place around three years after Santos. ***

“No,” Itzal said, shaking his head firmly to show that he meant business.

“Go on. You’ll love it,” Air told him.

“I won’t. I’ll hate it.”

“Awww come on, I’ll be a lemon with Fire and Water and Quinn won’t come. Don’t even get me started on Earth. You’re my last hope.”

Itzal frowned.

“Thanks, Air. You really know how to make a ghoul feel special.”

Air sighed and pouted.

“Take a Sibling with you. Double date,” Quinn said with an amused look on his face.

Secondo’s ghouls had just finished a weapons practice and Air, Fire and Water had decided they wanted to have a night out in the city. Itzal couldn’t think of anything worse, and it seemed Quinn agreed.

“Maybe I will,” Air said.

Quinn's eyes flashed, and Earth shook his head.

They packed up and headed out of the gym and through the Abbey’s grounds. It was early evening and the weather was turning colder. Itzal shivered. He couldn’t wait to get back to Sunshine and the warmth of the lair. They’d both been busy for the last couple of days, so hadn’t spent as much time together as they’d have liked. They both had the next few days off, though, and he’d been looking forward to it.

Itzal said goodbye to the others and headed to the canteen to pick up a treat for Sunshine. He got her a bubble tea and some cake for them both, then grabbed himself a hot chocolate. He sensed her before he saw her and his lips quirked into a smile as the ghuleh in question walked into the dining hall.

“Hey you,” she said as she snaked an arm around his waist. “Oooh bubble tea?”

“I wanted it to be a surprise. I heard they’d started doing it and I know how much you love it.”

Itzal wasn't a fan, but Sunshine was partial to it. He looked down at her and she smiled up at him.

“Thank you.”

He could feel eyes on them and his anxiety spiked. This was one thing he still struggled with. The canteen was about three quarters full of Siblings having their evening meal and it had taken a long time for Itzal to work up the courage to come in here on his own when it was busy like this. The ghouls always drew attention from the Siblings anyway, but he still wasn’t used to it. He and Sunshine especially seemed to be of interest to them, purely because everyone knew what had happened to them and their story had been big news back then. So now he felt like they were always under scrutiny and it made him uncomfortable.

Itzal didn’t mix with the Siblings, anyway. He stuck to Omega, the rest of his pack and Sunshine’s, and that was enough. He had no need and no desire to interact with anyone else outside of his job.

Sunshine didn’t care about the attention, and he loved that about her. She was oblivious to the whispers and the stares and she had been trying to get Itzal to feel the same way, but it was slow progress. The whole business with Santos and his escape had happened over three years ago now, but apparently the Siblings had long memories.

“You okay?” Sunshine asked him, mind to mind.

She must have sensed his anxiety. If he didn’t think about it, he could usually manage coming in here when it was busy, as long as he didn’t have to wait too long. But when Sunshine had arrived just then, he’d felt the humans' interests grow and it made him want to leave.