It's a ghoul's life - short stories

Chapter 1 - Mountain/reader

Halloween - Mountain

The days are short and the nights incredibly long. By the time the sunlight would enter your bedroom, it felt like it was almost noon. Today everyone in the abbey got a day off duties. To relax before the halloween party tonight. Together with a few other sisters you planned to go dressed as fairies of the forest. All in different shades of green en wings that are bedazzled with glitter and gold. You are looking forward to it, because everyone will be there tonight. Also the ghouls. And thinking about one in particular, makes your heart skip a beat. You have become rather close with one of them because one of your main jobs is to help in the garden, making sure there is food on the table every evening.
He is nicknamed Mountain and you always have to chuckle when you hear his name, it just fits him so perfectly.

The first time you met him you were a little overwhelmed. You had never encountered one of the ghouls and this one was towering over you while you were picking some herbs. Everyone in the abbey had told you to stay away from them. Apparently they were really mean and scary and overall ugly without their masks. But that fear quickly faded away when his soft voice asked you what your name was, "I have never seen you here before. My name is Mountain, or at least that is what everyone calls me." He continued.
You looked up and were met with two emerald green eyes which were waiting for you to answer the question. You rose to your feet and only then you realised how tall he really was. You still had to look up to look at his face.
"I am (y/n) and I was reassigned to work in the garden only yesterday."
You could see that he was smiling behind his mask.
"Nice to meet you, (y/n), if you would ever need something, or have a question. I am here outside most of the time."
You smiled at him, "thank you".

"(Y/n)!" Your name being called pulls you out of your thoughts. "What do you think?" Sister Elizabeth asks you when showing of her costume. "I love it!" All of you are thrilled with the results and get ready as quickly as possible. Tonight is going to be amazing.

With the golden glittery wings and small tiara on your head you glide your hands over the fabric of the dark green dress when walking to the party. The hallways of the abbey are beautifully decorated in orange, black and green. The candelabras being slightly dimmed to create a ominous atmosphere while the music was playing loudly.

When you walk trough the door in the party hall you feel sister Francesca pulling at your wrist and taking you to the middle of the crowd. People are bumping into you and on every part of you body you can feel something touching you. This is not what you had expected and you start to feel your breathing getting heavy. The first thing you feel ripping are the wings on your back. "Great" you mumble to yourself while taking them off and tossing them to the side. It gives you more room to manoeuvre through the mass, but you're still not comfortable.
But you try to enjoy yourself anyway, Halloween is only once a year.
"I need some drinks" is the last thing you hear before sister Francesca leaves your side. Leaving you aline in the middle of a crowd with masks and painted faces looking at you.

You really thought you were over this after all these years. But the memories are just coming back to you. Men and women, all taller than you pushing and pulling each other and you see yourself falling to the floor again. Sister Francesca is nowhere to be seen and you feel your head starting to spin. Your vision gets blurry and you feel like you are going to faint.
That is the moment you feel a hand on your waist pulling you out of the crowd, through the hallway and outside. The person has a strong grip, but you can't really make out who it is because of the tears streaming down you cheeks.
"Hey (y/n), look at me."
You look into the face of someone you can't immediately recognise, this because your head is spinning. It feels like you can't breath and you're gasping for air.
"Please, let me help you. Do as I say."
Two large hands are put on your shoulders, holding you in a tight grip.
"Take a deep breath in, hold it for a few seconds and breath out." You do as you are told. "And again." You follow the person's instructions a couple more times and slowly the storm in your head fades away, making it possible for air to stream back into your lungs.
The hands on your shoulders disappear and are moved to your back. The person takes you in a hug which you gladly accept. You let your face sink in his chest and let your tears roll. Sobs are leaving your mouth while you hear soft shushing in your ear. "You're safe here, it's ok"
After a few moments you let go of the hug and take a step back. You wipe of the remaining tears of your face with the back of your hand. The cold air and loss of body warmth makes you shiver but gives you the feeling you can breath again.
You feel a warm hand under your chin and lift your head. You are met with two dark green eyes that are filled with worry.
"Are you ok?" His voice is soft and a great contrast with the loud music and tears you were engulfed in a few minutes ago.
"Yeah... It's just... everything was a bit too much inside. But now it feels like I can breath again. Thank you."
Mountain gives your shoulders a soft squeeze before letting go, leaving a tingling sensation on your skin.
"Not a problem at all. What about a walk?"
"I'd love that" and that's his cue to start walking. You can see that he is trying his best not to walk too fast taking rather small steps with his long legs.
"Has this happened before?"
You take a deep breath and consider to tell him the whole story.
"You don't have to tell me, if you don't want to".
"No, it's fine. I trust you."
Mountain takes your right hand in his large one and gives it a soft squeeze while he keeps walking towards the open space a little into the forest.

"The last time I went to a party there was a fight in the middle of the crowd and people started pulling and pushing each other. Some of us fell and got trampled. That is when this happened." You raise your left hand high enough so it would be visible in the moonlight shining through the trees. You had arrived in the open space where Mountain guided you to a couple of large rocks on which you both sat down.

"Dear Lord, I never knew" Mountain takes your hand is his and brushes over the area where your ring finger used to be.

"After that, I was rushed to the hospital, but my finger couldn't be safed."

That is when you realise the warm hands holding yours are not the ones you are used to see. The skin is darkish grey with different shades of blue speckles and some small scars over their fingers, his thumb hovering over the scar between your fingers.
"Does it hurt?" You look up in Mountains bright green eyes. He looks at you as if he can break you at any moment, gentle and soft.
"No, it only itches every now and then, but doesn't really hurt any-"
"Oh fuck" you are snapped out you thoughts when Mountain lets go of your hand and grabs his face while turning around, facing the other way.
"I am so sorry" you hear him say, "I totally forgot about my face. You must be-"
But you don't let him finish that sentence. You walk towards him and kneel in fornt of him, cupping his cheeks with your hands. His face feels warm against the cold night air.
"I am nothing but interested in this beautiful face of yours."
His eyes light up and his lips curl into a soft smile.
"Why do you always hide it?"
"We have to. Other siblings have told papa numerous times that we are too ugly and scary to walk around without our masks." His voice cracks when he thinks about the last time a brother of sin saw him and ran away screaming with pure horror on his face.
"Why aren't you-" that's when it clicks and you remember it is Halloween today. They can look ugly and scary today. Your fingers trace over his face, feeling every scar and freckle.
"I've already received a lot of compliments on my mask, while this is just me" the last words are just a whisper.
You let go of his soft cheeks and let your hands wander to his chest where you feel his heart beating faster than it should be.
He closes his eyes not wanting to see that same horror and fear in your eyes.

"Hey, fuck what other people think. I don't care. I think you are so beautiful."
And that's when he slowly opens his eyes and you can't help yourself any longer. You crash your lips on his and he pulls you as close as physically possible. Your nostrils are filled with the scent of fresh flowers and earth right after raining. It is almost like you could drown into this feeling.

That's when a loud groan leaves your chest when you feel your phone ring and buzz in your pocket. You sigh as you grab the device and see sister Francesca's picture. She never calls except when it is really important, so you unlock the phone while you settle on the earth ghouls lap, his strong arms clinging around your waist, your back against his chest.
"Yes?" The video on the other end of the line is shaky and you can't see anything until Francesca comes into view.
"(Y/n), where are you?" Her voice sounds concerned but excited at the same time.
"Uhm, outside. I needed some air."
"Great, because I claim our bedroom tonight."
"Wha-"
A chuckle fills your ear together with a soft rumble coming from Mountain's chest.
"Mounty?" A pair of amber coloured sparkling eyes appear on screen next to your roommate.
Mountain gasps, "Swiss?"
Now it's your turn to laugh, the two ghouls looking at each other with confusion.
"Looking good, Mount. But we take the sisters' room"
The last thing you see is Swiss getting dragged into your bedroom before the video is turned off.
"Great, now I've lost my room to one of you ghouls"
You can feel Mountain smiling in your hair before he plants a kiss right above your ear.
"I have some room for an extra person."
You turn around to look at his face and shiver because of the sudden loss of warmth. "I really like that offer."
Before you know it he picks you up as if you were a feather, your cheek buried in his neck looking up at his face.
"You're so gorgeous" your words are just a whisper when walking through the halls that are once again filled with the loud music from the party but slowly fading away the closer you arrive to the ghouls wing of the abbey. All you hear are Mountain's footsteps and slow breathing, his hands holding you close engulfing you in his warmth and addictive scent.
"Thank you" and the feeling of a kiss on your forehead is the last thing you hear before your eyes aren't able to stay open anymore and you drift into a peaceful sleep.