Doubt.
Warnings: Feelings of not being good enough, hurt/comfort.
Pairing: Phantom/Dewdrop.
Summary: Phantom keeps messing up his parts on stage. He’s afraid he’ll never be able to fill the huge shoes he’s been put in.
A/N: Apparently all I ever write is hurt/comfort fics lmao.
Feeling tears well up in his eyes, Phantom avoids Dew’s angry gaze. He messed up again, clumsy fingers fumbling over the strings, hitting the wrong notes. He was breathing shakily under his mask, staring out at the crowd. Phantom felt it as hot tears made their way down his cheeks; in that moment, he was thankful for the mask.
After the show, the ghouls all exited the stage, excitedly talking amongst themselves. Phantom was dragging his feet behind them, his cheeks felt wet from the tears. He could feel Dew’s gaze on him from across the hallway, but then he felt an arm being slung around his shoulder, and he looked up to see Swiss grinning through his mask.
“Great job, Phantom! You did so good!” Swiss smiled, looking down at the younger ghoul. Phantom mumbles a ‘Thanks, Swiss’, trying to make his voice sound even.
The others all headed to the dressing room, but Phantom just headed straight for the bus, going to his bunk. He sunk into it, pulling his mask off as he let his tears fall. Knowing that he had at least 20 minutes before the others came back, he just let it all out.
He felt awful; he was not doing Aether any justice- he was messing up every show so far. Phantom’s breathing was uneven and shaky as he cried, he was trembling, letting out little whimpers.
Upon hearing the door of the bus open, he pushed his face into his pillow, attempting to stifle his sobs. It wasn’t much use, he couldn’t stop himself. Phantom heard footsteps making their way to the bunk area and he held his breath, but accidentally lets out a small whimper.
“…Phantom? Is that you?”
It was Dew. His voice much softer than Phantom could have ever imagined; he breathed a shaky breath as a sob made it’s way out of his throat. Hearing the curtain being drawn, he didn’t move, keeping his face pressed tightly into the pillow as he tried to catch his breath.”
“Oh shit… Phantom, bug…” Dew sighed, seeing his new packmate cry made him feel a slight amount of guilt.
Phantom whimpered at the nickname as he slowly bought his head up, looking at Dew. Sighing, Dew crawled up into Phantom’s bunk, leaving a decent amount of space between them, shutting the curtain behind himself. The younger ghoul’s breathing was rapid and uneven as tears streamed down his cheeks.
“Okay, bug. I need you take a deep breath, alright? You’re freaking yourself out.” Dew said, his voice soft.
Phantom tried, but his breathing just got worse as he sobbed. Dew sighed again, gently reaching a hand out to touch his shoulder.
“Can I hug you, bug? Is that okay?” Dew asked, trying to calm him down. Once Phantom nodded, Dew pulled him closer and wrapped his arms around him. The younger ghoul pressed his face into Dew’s chest as he kept sobbing, his entire body trembling.
“Come on, Phantom. Breathe with me, okay?”
He kicked up a purr, making it so that Phantom could feel and hear his breathing rhythm. Eventually, Phantom’s breathing became more even and his crying slowed.”
“D-Dew, I’m sorry- s-sorry I’m not Aether.” He mumbled into Dew’s chest. The older ghoul tensed up at hearing Aether’s name, but then he sighed and brought his hand up to Phantom’s head as he gently ran his fingers through his hair.
“You’re your own person, bug. Stop trying to be someone else.” Dew muttered. He had said those words before, but this was the softest he had ever said it.
“I- I can’t do-” Phantom started, but Dew interrupted him as he kept stroking his hair.
“Yes, you can. I’m sorry I’ve been a dick to you, bug. That probably hasn’t helped, huh?”
The younger ghoul didn’t respond, just nuzzled further into him. Dew sighed, holding him closer as he continued to stroke his hair soothingly. He heard the bus door open as the other ghouls piled in, chatting loud amongst themselves. He heard Phantom whimper at the sound and tightened his grip on him, rubbing his back to soothe him.
“Hey, it’s okay. It’s just the other guys, alright? Keep taking deep breaths for me.” He reassured.
Phantom takes a few deep, shaky breaths as he clung onto Dew.
The curtain suddenly opened, and Swiss was standing there, a mix between a grin and a smirk on his face, just as he opened his mouth to speak, Dew glared at him, putting his finger to his lips.
“Swiss, don’t say a word.” He muttered. Swiss put his hands up in mock defence, closing the curtain again as he walked away. Dew felt it as Phantom pressed his face into his collarbone. Bringing his hand back up to his head to stoke his hair, Dew mumbled.
“It’s okay. I’ve got you, bug.”
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i feel like phantom was a virgin when he first joined the band and he didn’t know what a knot was, so he just randomly came and asked them what a knot was, and no one ever told him cause they treat him like a fucking kid. 😭
swiss, rain, and dew, just sitting at the table, eating, minding their business.
midas : “guys, what’s a knot?”
dew spit’s out his coffee and rains mouth is just agape, unsure of what to say, while swiss is just laughing his ass off at their reaction.
swiss : “a knot is when yo—”
dew slaps a hand over swiss’s mouth.
dew : “SWISS. SHUT THE FUCK UP.”
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I imagine at first, Dewdrop was determined not to like Midas. He didn't like Midas. He doesn't like change. Aether knows that. Stability isn't something Dew has grown familiar with. He's uncomfortable and itching to run at the first sign of catastrophe. Aether feels it twitching beneath the surface of Dew's skin as he holds him. When Dewdrop should be sleeping, and the walls around them creeks as it settles with the night. The body in his arms flinch, and Aether pulls him closer.
But Aether won't be there on tour. And the tour won't be the same as before. Dewdrop doesn't cope well with change, eyes slice through Midas as he growls. 'I don't want a replacement. I want you.'
Aether is perhaps the most tense out of all of them as he stays behind. Everything will be fine, of course. He trained Midas personally, and the others wouldn't lead him a stray. But perhaps one would leave Midas to drown.
That fear disappears quickly, as his heart swells when he hears reports of Dew and Midas' performances together. For a moment, Aether wonders if they might even become close.
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