Chapter Text
No, no, no, no, NO!
“FUCK!” Dew yelled, a hand flying to his chest as he hunched over against the wall in the corridor.
The searing agony in his soul made his knees go weak as he slid to the floor. He hadn’t felt this pain for years. The immense strain on his body was surely making every tendon and vein bulge and pop out all over his form, his glamour dissolved completely. Curses and groans were leaving his throat and the Siblings in the corridor were leaving more and more space around Dewdrop, probably thinking he’d finally gone truly feral. There were still scorch marks on the wall from Alpha’s own descent of course…
Descent . It finally made Dew snap back into his own mind enough to remember why he was in such excruciating pain. The last time he felt this was when Ifrit and Zephyr left.
Half-blind from pain and not being able to take a full breath, Dew stumbled as quickly as he could down, down, down through the Ministry, ducking and diving through the secret passages this place was littered with. Anything to save even a few seconds of time because right now, every second mattered. In reality, he knew it had already happened. That bond breaking apart only meant one thing. But he wouldn’t, he couldn’t believe it.
He didn’t know it was today. He knew it was going to happen, they all did. But no one had said when it was happening. Not even so much as a message that morning. What had happened that morning was Dew waking up at the last possible minute before work.
“Morning, Sleeping Beauty.” Aether smiled over the top of his coffee cup, pushing Dew’s own towards him.
Dew, still half asleep, only managed a vague mumble of a response.
“You have 10 minutes until you need to clock in at the music room, do you want to take breakfast with you?” Aether asked.
Dew nodded, slurping down his steaming coffee.
“I know you’ve been Fire for years now, but that still makes me very concerned for your oesophagus.” Aether grimaced.
“You weren’t that concerned about my oesophagus last night.” Dew countered.
“Touche.” Aether toasted his mug with a smile before blowing on it and sipping it, not able to drink it as hot as his Fire mate.
“Do I have to go? Can’t I just pretend I sprained my wrist again and hide out in the infirmary with you?” Dew whined, putting his head on the table.
“Dewbug, what time of the year is it?” Aether said, standing by Dew and coaxing his head up to look at him.
“Winter?” Dew was very confused at the topic change.
“And what does our dear Earth Ghoul get out around this time of year?”
Dew managed to catch on quite quickly, “His growing lamps.”
“Mhm, and what does he like to use those lamps on?”
“Winter pot.”
“If you go to work today, and you stay there , then we’ll go raid Mount’s stash later, yeah?”
Dew liked the sound of that and nuzzled up to Aether’s arm, “Can we still have our movie night?”
“Of course!” Aether responded, as if their weekly tradition was ever in question, “Twilight while we’re high is always a trip.”
“Fine, I’ll go. But only if I can hold you to that.” Dew said, holding his hand up with his pinky out.
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world, baby.” Aether smiled, linking his pinky with Dew’s and giving him a quick peck on the lips to seal their deal.
“I’ll take breakfast with me.” Dew said, “Need to go sort this out.” He waved his hands up to his bed head.
"That's why I said Sleeping Beauty and not Rapunzel." Aether smirked, laughing as Dew threw a middle finger back over his shoulder.
After Dew was in his uniform, not bothering with his mask, and his hair brushed through and sleek, he kissed Aether, reaffirmed their promise for movie night and said goodbye.
“I love you, Stardust.” Dew shouted as he left, fixing his glamour into place.
“I love you too, Waterlily.” Aether returned.
That was a couple hours ago. Oh God, was that the last time Dew was ever going to see Aether? No, it couldn’t be. Dew had requested to be there when Aether got sent back, no one had told them anything. They wouldn’t just do it without him, right?
Who was Dew kidding? The Clergy had sent Ghouls back with no warning before. Hell, they forced Dew through an Elemental change as an experiment for their expense reports. Despite the less-than-stellar track record, one kit-like shred of hope in Dew’s soul thought that it would all be okay.
Dew finally found the door in the catacombs that lead to the summoning room. Aether’s scent was strong here. Something akin to a vibrant bakery and the Quintessence signature of ozone, accompanied now by the underlying scent of fear and remorse made Dew audibly whimper. Another dagger added to the gaping chasm in his chest.
He opened the door, ready to pull Aether out of the portal himself but he was too late.
“Where the fuck is Aether?” Dew’s voice came out as a mix between a sob and a snarl as he scanned all the faces in the room, just goading someone to come forward so he could rip them to shreds, making them feel a fraction of the pain he was in.
“Dewdrop, cara-” Copia’s voice sounded softly.
“Where. Is. He?” Dew demanded, tears rolling down as he did.
“Tesoro, this is Phantom.” Copia said, voice as diplomatic and professional as he could get it as he gestured to a tall and slender Ghoul, “He is our new-“
“Don’t say it.”
“Quintessence Ghoul.”
“No.” Dew strained shaking his head, “No! Aether’s our Quintessence Ghoul. Where’s Aether?” Dew begged Copia, holding onto his sash and no doubt ripping through the fabric with his claws.
“Dew, you knew this was coming.” Copia said, voice solemn and eyes grave.
“Not today. I- I- I didn’t know it was today. I didn’t say goodbye. Not properly. Please Copia, bring him back. Just let me say goodbye PLEASE!” Dew broke down crying, sliding to the floor at Copia’s feet as he choked on tears and snot and futile pleas for Aether to come back.
“OUT! EVERYONE OUT!” Copia ordered as he joined the Fire Ghoul floor and gathered Dewdrop up in his arms, “You too, Phantom. Go with the other Clergy.” Copia said in a much softer tone.
Dew felt his Fire taking over, fury dousing the floods of his sorrow. He gritted his teeth, his gaze bore holes into the violet eyes of the younger Quint. His red eye glowed like magma with his anger; his blue one flashed in a furious tsunami.
“Go. And never come back.”