So I went down a bit of a rabbit hole for putting the ghouls in different clothes other than their stage uniforms. It started out with these Phantom sketches and thought that I might as well do it for the others.
I decided to make it 3 things: their work clothes outside of the band, a casual outfit, and then lounge wear/whatever they find in the ministry's lost and found bin. I'll update this more with the ghoulettes and Mountain in the reblogs (maybe I'll also redo Phantom and put him in more dynamic poses)
I almost forgot that I could finally post this illustration publicly, the progress of which my Ko-fi supporters have been able to follow since August.
It is, in a way, a twin illustration to ‘The Shepherd of the Damned Souls’, which depicted Copia riding on a festive mound of skeletons rather happy with their fate.
On Perpetua's side, it's more of a soul gathering, at least that's what we can understand from the sight of these bodies emerging from a muddy mass and, as they rise upwards, reforming from flesh and shreds of skin.
It doesn't look anything like it, but what inspired this idea was Adolf Hiremy's ‘The Sea of Acheron’ (1898). Obviously, what I had in mind was completely different, but I ran into a whole host of technical limitations and skill constraints. Nevertheless, I hope you like it.
You can find it as a print here
tldr: bug is the cutest ever, dew is a grumpy little guy but a softie at heart, and rain is a proud wingman (of sorts). all my ghoul boys get a happy ending in my barbie dream house :)
so much fluff it’s almost too much under the cut!
thinking about phantom, who is more than used to dew being a little standoffish with everyone but rain, especially when it comes to physical affection. and he’s fine with that… for the most part.
he just wants so badly for dew to like him, to feel comfortable with him, to trust him. but he’s accepted that at this point, even though it’s been a while since he was summoned, he’ll just have to go without dew’s affection. and yes… it stings, but at least everyone else is more than willing to cuddle our little bug whenever he wants! still, it hurts every time dew steps past him in favor of rain’s arms.
he’s so used to it, that when he’s laying on the couch watching tv with rain after a long rehearsal day, he’s unable to get comfortable. he’s anxious because he knows that when dew comes in looking exhausted… he’ll curl up next to rain, leaving bug painfully alone until someone else hopefully makes their way to the common room for some tv time.
so when dew finally does make an appearance, looking like he was dragged out of the pits just moments earlier, phantom unintentionally holds his breath. even though he knows what’s about to happen, he also knows it’s going to hurt like hell when dew makes no effort to acknowledge him.
that’s why it surprises the hell out of him when dew shuffles over to his side of the room and flops down on top of him.
for a second phantom just lays there. his mind is blank, he’s as stiff as a board, and he has no conceivable idea what he’s supposed to do in this situation. he’s convinced that dew must have mistaken him for rain because of how dark it is in the common room. either that… or he must be hallucinating.
but when dew turns his face and nuzzles it into his neck, phantom snaps out of his trance. he’s still laying there frozen when dew wraps his arms around his middle, unsure if this is actually happening. phantom turns his head the tiniest amount to look over at rain, hoping to find some help, or at least some acknowledgment that he’s not dreaming.
when they lock eyes, he’s entirely surprised to find that his water ghoul friend is already looking at him, grinning ear to ear, looking happier than he’s ever seen him. all of a sudden, it hits phantom that this is real, that dew really did choose to lay with him instead of rain, and that he better take full advantage of the situation.
so bug gingerly wraps his arms around dew’s waist in return, trying his best to calm his erratic breathing and slow his rapid pulse. for the first few minutes, he continued to look over to rain for reassurance. he’s wanted this for so long, he can hardly believe it’s real, and he wants to make sure he’s not going to fuck it up. he can’t fuck this up.
and sitting on the couch across from them is an entirely too giddy rain, who is just so happy that dew is finally letting his guard down with bug. he knows dew is rough around the edges, and that he only truly gives up the tough guy act around those who make him feel comfortable… which is hardly anyone. it took dew ages to warm up to him, and rain genuinely didn’t think he’d live to see it happen with any of the other ghouls - especially not a newbie.
but when rain met phantom? he just knew that their sweet little bug would find a way to crack dew’s heart wide open and make a home there for himself. he’s been waiting for this day for months. he’s actually so confident that bug has finally won dew over, that he thinks bug can pull off a special little move rain has perfected - one that’s saved for when dew is extra grumpy and tired, one that’s sure to have him melting even further into phantom.
so rain gets phantom’s attention, and he mimes to bug that he should scratch dew’s head, right up near his horns. phantom goes wide-eyed, subtly shaking his head at rain. bug is worried, no, terrified, that dew is gonna freak out if he tries to make it even the least bit more intimate, and then this whole thing will be ruined. months of hard work down the drain, possibly for good, but rain just nods his head in encouragement, still smiling like phantom has never seen him smile before.
and well, like phantom always hears dew say: go big, or go home.
his hand is shaking, and his heart is pounding, but he goes for it, gently placing his hand on top of dew’s head. when dew doesn’t immediately pull away, phantom starts softly scratching his head, right around the base of his horns like rain had shown him.
dew stiffens up, and phantom’s breath catches in his throat. he wills himself to stay put, to not run away or start crying… and then it happens. dew does melt. he almost immediately starts purring, burying his face deeper into the area between bug’s neck and shoulder, and lets out the biggest, happiest sigh phantom has ever heard a ghoul make.
♡ “i missed you.” “i was gone for two hours.”♡ soft shoulder kisses.
For dewtom plss:33
His signature warmth has faded from the sheets by the time Dew slinks his way back to Phantom's bunk. The cooled cotton under his palms as he pulls himself up from the floor leaves Dew feeling ever so slightly guilty. Reminds him of just how long he's been gone, much longer than the five minutes he had promised Phantom before he took his buzzing phone and slipped towards the front of the bus as quietly as he could.
The absence being as prolonged as it was hadn't been intentional. A quick call from Aether had gotten away from him, turned into something more than catching up and saying goodnight, and it hadn't been Dew's fault.
Phantom had been conscious when he left. Not quite awake, more so dozing in and out, but Dew finds him well asleep. He half considers leaving for his own bed, perhaps a bit too late, as he tries to arrange himself against Phantom's back. Another twinge of guilt hits him when Phantom stirs, shifts closer to the wall to try to give him more space though there wasn't really much to offer.
He chirps weakly, a half-hearted sound as Dew slots himself to his back.
"Sorry bug." Dew whispers against the nape of his neck, earning a little shudder. "Go back to sleep."
"Where'd you go?" Phantom mumbles as the fire ghoul begins to adjust the mess of blankets he'd been hiding under. He presses back to him as the cold air slips in. "Missed you..."
"Didn't mean to be gone so long."
"Felt like forever." He whines. Small and a little sad. Dew brings him closer. Finds his hand beneath the blanket and laces their fingers together apologetically.
"Was two hours, and you were asleep for most of it." He laughs and Phantom huffs. "You only missed me because you got cold."
Silently, Phantom's eye narrows, then begins to droop for a moment like his body remembers to be tired. It's clear he doesn't have the energy to pout, though Dew's certain he will in the morning.
"Warm me up and I'll stop bein' mad..."
Dew hums. Resists the urge to roll his eyes at the demand, Phantom is starting to sound like Rain. He leans forward and kisses the curve of his shoulder, acquiescing before he can land himself in any more trouble with the half asleep ghoul in his arms.
