Den of Ghouls | Ghost Band One Shots

⚠️ The scars inside you [Swiss x Phantom]

CW/TW:
• mention of conversion therapy
• panic attacks

❗️No real love story, 'cause of the topics.
I feel like this would only be trauma response if I included a romace subplot.❗️

Always remember: Communication is key and only consent is sexy. Stay safe🫶🏻

-------------------------------------------------------
To all the people that have been sent to conversion therapy:
I'm sorry for what you've been through and I know I'm just some random stranger on the internet, but I want you to know a few things:

1st - You deserve love, don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise.
2nd - There's nothing wrong with you.
3rd - You are not worthless.
I love you and I hope you're safe now❤️
_______________________________

Phantom PoV
The loud slamming of doors woke Phantom from his restless sleep.
His first reflex was to hide under his blanket, although he knew it was pointless. They would come and collect him anyway. They always did.
They would drag him out of his bed, strap him to this horrible chair, put the electrodes on his head and give him electroshocks until he passed out again.
He didn't want it. He prayed that the heavy footsteps would not stop in front of his door. They could take any of the others, but not him.
Not now.

Of course the footsteps paused in front of his door, he was always out of luck.
Someone knocked. Why would they knock? They had a key and privacy was nonexistent in this facility.
Under the blanket he curled himself up in a ball, just hoping, praying.
Then they came in. He imagined how they took in the scenery, how he was in their plain sight. Like a predator and its prey.

He heard boots squeaking over to floor. Someone crouched beside his bed. Phantom felt his heart hammering in his throat, his sleep fuzzy brain still couldn't handle the situation right.
Someone spoke to him and he vaguely recognized the voice, but he couldn't point out who it was.
"Hey Phantom, buddy, what's up? Why are you hiding under your blanket?"
Phantom couldn't help but whimper.
"Phantom? Talk to me, please." The voice grew more concerned every second.
Phantom couldn't breathe, he felt the panic attack coming, black spots dancing before his eyes.
His whole body went numb, slipping into survival mode, telling him to run and hide.
Except there was nowhere to run and nowhere to hide.

The person in front of his bed pulled his blanket away from his head, staring down at him.
Phantom's eyes snapped close.
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, I didn't do anything, I swear! Please don't... please don't... please don't..." Phantom cried and howled and begged. Why can't this nightmare be over, he silently asked himself.
A warm hand touched his skin, he tried to move away, but they now grabbed both of his shoulders. He tried to wiggle free, squeaking like a pig in the slaughterhouse.
Instead of dragging him out of his bed, the person pulled him close, wrapping both arms around him and rocking softly from side to side.

"Phantom! Phantom sweetie, it's me. It's me, Swiss." A soft voice rang through the fog in his head.
"S-Swiss?" He croaked.
"Yea, it's me. Please calm down, sweetheart." Swiss's voice seemed to ground him. He opened his eyes and saw Swiss's face in front of him. As soon as he recognized his friend tears of exhaustion welled up in his eyes.
Unable to hold them back, he rested his head against Swiss's shoulder and let them flow.

He didn't know how long they sat there until he had no more tears to cry.
His breathing finally calmed down and he knew where he was: This was the ministry, his new home.
He escaped the hellish procedures of the facility just a few months ago and he hoped that his anxiety would get better, but until now there was no improvement.
The other ghouls knew nothing of his past and no one asked why he woke up screaming every night.
At first they came running and asked if everything was okay, but he had told them that he had really bad nightmares and that they shouldn't bother.

The only one who didn't seem to believe him was Swiss, the multi ghoul just knew that there was something else behind his nightmares.
He absentmindedly traced the seams of Swiss's pajamas, listening to his soft purrs.
"You won't believe me when I say that I have just nightmares..." Phantom stated quietly.
"No, but I won't pressure you into telling me either. I'm always here for you if you need someone to talk to." Swiss whispered in his ear.
Phantom closed his eyes, softly rubbing his cheek over Swiss's shoulder "I..."
He hesitated, his breath hitching. Swiss resumed his purring, grounding Phantom once again. He took a few deep breaths before the words stumbled out of his mouth.

"I was sent to conversion therapy as soon as my parents found out that I'm gay. I escaped the facility just a few months ago and I still have nightmares and panic attacks.
I don't want to fear every shadow on the wall, every pair of footsteps in front of my door and yet I do. Help me, Swiss, please just help me."
He felt Swiss's arms tighten around him and heard the growl deep inside the multi ghoul's throat, making him whimper.
"I will find them and tear them apart, limb by limb, with my own hands." Swiss's voice was so gravely low, that Phantom barely understood what he said, his demonic side taking over.
As soon as he realized that Swiss's anger was not directed at him, his shoulders relaxed and a sob left his lips.

Suddenly Swiss talked again, seemingly he gained back control of the demon hidden inside all of the ghoul's.
"Listen to me, little guppy: No one, and I repeat, NO ONE will ever hurt you again! I will protect you with my life." Swiss swore.
Phantom hesitated, why would he say that? "Swiss..."
"I mean it! I won't let anything happen to you." The earnestness in Swiss's voice let his eyes tear up again. No one had ever bothered to protect him.
"Thank you." He whispered tiredly, barely suppressing a huge yawn.
Swiss pressed a soft kiss to his forehead, purring and whispering him to sleep, holding him tight in his arms.
And finally, after years of torture, Phantom was able to let go of his burdens and the pain gnawing at his heart.