Ghost Oneshots /// Ships (pt.1)

🔞 Mountain x Phantom - Bondage

Dom: Mountain
Sub: Phantom

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A fire was crackling in the common room, it's soft glow illuminating the room and casting shadows on the wall. It was already dying down, as if someone hadn't added any wood for a while, giving the fire no room to cling to. Only one ghoul was there, laying on the sofa, gaze fixed on the fire, though his eyes were empty. Phantom had these days every once in a while, days when everything was just too much. Days when he was overwhelmed and overstimulated by everything and nothing. In his mind, thoughts, ideas, expectations and energy swam around, mingling together and merging into one big thing. Phantom was unable to deal with it, and every time it happened he would end up laying around and doing nothing besides staring at the wall, or in this case, the fire.

He would feel guilty. He was failing Papa, and he was failing his pack. They all expected a lot from him, and yet he was here, doing nothing because his stupid mind couldn't comprehend everything that was going on. He felt weak, stupid even. Mountain entered the common room in his usual, unhurried pace, and his gaze immediately fell onto the younger ghoul - curled up into a ball, arms encircling his knees, glassy eyes fixated on the dying fire across from him. He saw the signs, as he always did. Mountain had great understanding for people in general, and even more so of the people he held close in his heart. Phantom was one of them. The two were close, felt comfortable around each other. The earth ghoul cared - and worried - for Phantom. He didn't like when he would question himself.

The tall ghoul sat down next to the quint, cushions dipping under his weight. He left a bit of space between them, just to give Phantom the choice wether he wanted to lean in or not, but he still sat close enough to let his calming aura envelop the younger ghoul. Mountain didn't speak yet. He knew that sometimes, the most healing this was simply being there. Phantom didn't move much, almost as if he barely even registered the presence of the other ghoul. All night he had been ignored - intensifying the feeling of being a disappointment and pretty much useless. But he knew Mountain was different, so slowly and carefully, he allowed himself to lean to the side - to lean against his Mountain of support.

Everything was loud. Even the silence made Phantom's head ache in a way it nearly never did. The crackling fire, the quiet hum of the air, even the breathing of the person he usually loved most - it all felt like pressure behind his eyes. He wanted to move and do something, to be productive and do what the others expected for him,  but all thoughts were bottlenecked in his chest, hold tight together in a knot he couldn't untie. It left a feeling of weight on his chest, and he felt as though it made it harder to breathe. So he just sat, motionless, trying to get some safety and comfort from the earth ghoul, but it just... wouldn't work. The knowledge almost made him want to cry. It would usually always works.

The air felt thick and heavy, and there was a tension that was almost palpable. Mountain could always tell when it was one of those days - when the common room was too quiet. But today, it was different. Not hearing a single word from the quintessence ghoul made Mountain feel uneasy - a slight churn down in the pit of his stomach. It usually wouldn't be this bad. He would always give Phantom time to speak up for himself, to decide when he was ready, but today was different, Mountain could tell. "Hey... you still in there?" his voice was low and careful, as if trying not to startle or worry Phantom any more. It was like a warm hand reaching through thick fog, trying to reach Phantom's mind that was locked up.

His eyes narrowed as he didn't get any response. It was almost as if his voice didn't even reach Phantom. As if any noise, any words were blocked off from his mind. "Phantom...? Hey bug, can you hear me?" he tried again. Phantom shifted a little, face contorting into pain for a moment before it relaxed again. Mountain's voice made his head pound with pain, but it quickly turned into something soothing - something that reached Phantom's racing mind and felt as though it was a soothing balm. "I- I'm fine... sorry." Mountain snaked an arm around his waist, looking down to catch a glimpse of his face. He didn't buy it. He could hear the tremble in Phantom's voice, the way it clung to apology like a lifeline. Gently, he pulled Phantom closer, letting silence settle over them again. But if was different this time. Not suffocating and thick, but calm and grounding.