Archive of Our Own ^beta

Being old was something that humans often talked about and growing physically old and frail was a very human concept, especially to a demonic creature. Ghouls could not grow old in a physical sense, they only matured, then remained relatively the same. Scars and marks could appear, but their bodies did not deteriorate. The minds and powers of Ghouls, however did mature and grow old. Power increased with age and the mind was a strange tool that remembered centuries worth of memories. Ghouls didn’t often forget things, not until they were thousands of years old. Air watched the younger Ghoul’s prance around one another around the Grand Papa and glanced at the old man. He had grown frail these past few years, the constant need for an oxygen tank was evidence enough of that, but still there was a great amount of happiness within the pope. He played with the small Ghoul spawn and laughed, even if his eyes could not see the full details of their faces. Air briefly wondered what growing old was like before he was snapped out of his trance.

A small Ghoul pounced on his leg, chewing the fabric of his band suit, growling with small nubs where teeth would soon burst through the gums. Air leaned down and picked the spawn up by the back of its shirt, his dark eyes staring at it for a moment before he drew back his mask and grinned with huge pointed, needle like teeth, his eyes glowing white. The spawn giggled and wriggled in his grasp. Air rolled his eyes before tossing it up into the air and catching it on a gust of a breeze, propelling the little demon into a large pile of beanbags. The tiny Ghoul tittered in glee as it landed with a soft noise, before crawling out of the pile and running back for another go.
Air shook his head softly, “No little one. Then everyone will wish to have a go.” His words were quiet but strong and the little Ghoul pouted before being swept up by the other tiny Ghoul’s running around playing a game of tail tag.

Papa Nihil watched Air lower is mask over his face again before speaking, “You seem troubled, my old friend. Is there something you wish to talk about?” The Papa pulled his slipper free from the jaws of a mischievous Ghoul and groaned as it exploded, half still in the Ghoul’s jaws. Air watched the small Ghoul run away, howling like it had killed a great beast. The other child Ghouls ran to pull the half the slipper out from between the other’s teeth.
He rolled his shoulders in a shrug, his eyes looking at the old man through the holes in his mask, “There is nothing to concern yourself with Papa. I just have a strange feeling of reminiscence today.” Air glanced at the rolling mass of fighting baby Ghoul’s and clicked to them in a dark tone. They quickly untangled themselves before eyeing him with downcast looks and picking up their small instrument toys again.

Papa Nil also glanced at the Ghouls, watching them tap instruments and giggle before looking back at Air’s dark eyes, his frame too large for the small chair Papa Nil had spare in his drawing room. “I’m sure having been alive for as long as you have, there must be much you have seen. It is normal to feel nostalgic about things, Air.” Nil patted his knee and lifted a child into his lap before pulling a brush free and beginning to untangle the little female Ghoul’s long hair. The arthritis in his hands wouldn’t let him do much else, so after passing a hard brush over the girl’s little stubby horns, he passed her over to the intimidating frame of Air. Air swept the Ghoul’s hair back and split it into three equal pieces before deftly braiding it back out of her way.
“It is a strange concept for Ghouls, Papa, to be able to feel things about the past. It is like it is all catching up with me at once.” Air remembered the dark rings under his eyes from the lack of sleep the night before. The girl squirmed as he tugged the braid sharply to test its tightness and squirmed away soon after he tied the end off with a band.

Air looked up as Papa Nil placed down a small male Ghoul and watched the frail man sigh with a small sad smile, “Memories are precious, my friend. Being able to feel things about them more so. It’s a very human concept, but after being alive for a thousand years I am surprised you are struggling with it just now.” He chuckled and placed his cane on the floor between his knees, “Perhaps reliving some things may help you understand them better?” Nil reached for a cup and sipped the hot black coffee before looking out of the window beside him, his breathing a little laboured.

Air quickly stood up and wheeled the old man’s oxygen tank over, offering the mouth piece gently with large hands. The Grand Papa accepted the mask and took a few shuddering breaths, his chest wheezing as he inhaled and exhaled.
“Be thankful you Ghoul’s have your bodies still, Air. Growing old is the worst thing to ever happen to me.” The two chuckled together, Nil’s voice muffled through the mask.
“Is there anything else you need, Papa, before I go?” Air tugged the bottom of his suit and picked a piece of hair off his sleeve before looking at the old Papa again. Papa Nil waved a wrinkled hand, placing a cough sweet in his mouth he shook his head, sucking the thing noisily. Air refused a sweet that he offered but took a small cake before exiting the old Papa’s quarters.

The keyboard playing Ghoul had managed to consume the sweet treat by the time he had made it back to the Ghoul’s section on the chapel. The light was noticeably dimmer here and Air wandered further into the shadowed corridors with his cake wrapper in his grasp. His fingers tapped along his leg in a rhythm as he walked, hyperaware of the feeling of the breeze moving around him as he walked. The closing of a door to his left caught him off guard as he was lost in the images of sheet music and delirious playing. Earth softly closed his door and turned around, jumping as the imposing figure of Air stood next to him, unannounced.

“Hey, Air…” Earth waved a hand awkwardly before looking at the taller Ghoul curiously, “You okay?” “Yes, I’m fine.” Air looked at him before nodding, clutching the wrapper for the cake in his hand and hiding it behind his back. Earth was sharper than he appeared, however and pointed at the wrapper with wide eyes.
“Did Papa Nil give you cakes again? How come you always get his cakes? I only ever get cough drops or those nasty rice things.” Groaning Earth grabbed Air’s fisted hand and pushed the long fingers open before pulling the wrapper free.
Air chuckled behind his mask and shrugged, his fingers linking behind his back, still tapping against one another in rhythms “I helped him with the spawn, you know he loves it when we help out. He needs it, despite what he may say.” Air looked down at the other Ghoul as Earth pouted at him.
“’Still not fair that you get the cakes.” He opened the door to his room before throwing the wrapper into the bin by the door. “So, what are you going to do now?”
Air tilted his head a little and raised his hands in a shrug, “I was going to practice some things…have a think about somethings that have been on my mind.” He motioned with his hand vaguely.
Earth nodded and patted the taller Ghoul’s shoulder, “Just tell me if you want to talk. I think I promised Water we would go make the perfect skipping stones. But if you need to talk, I’m here.” Air smiled beneath his mask, “Thank you, Earth, enjoy your stone skipping.” The taller Ghoul walked to his own room to fetch his sheet music before wandering off to the main chapel.

The main chapel was the only place in the building with a piano. The organ was seated on the far wall, tall intimidating pipes shined to perfection, not a speck of dust on the bronze, and the Grand Piano was placed in the corner, tucked away beneath a large seat which was replaced after every tuning of the instrument. A set of candles had been set on top and lit next to rosemary incense, which burned with an acrid smell. Air walked over and moved the offerings dish off the white linen sheet, setting it on the altar, away, where is would not burn his nose so intensely. Fisting his hands in the sheet he whipped the cover off the piano and patted the top with a smile, the glossy black reflecting his mask and dark eyes back at him. The Ghoul heaved the great top open and felt for the wood pole to prop it open. With a heave it was open, and Air looked at the insides with a small amount of giddiness. Quickly, he pulled over a small black stool over to the instrument and sat down, stretching his fingers out and shuffling his music onto the stand before tapping a key.

The note pinged as the hammer tapped the tight string and reverbed around the cool room, bouncing from the stone walls as an echo. Air breathed before placing his hands above the keys and gently beginning a song to explore his feelings, that were turbulent like the sea. Long clawed fingers danced over the keys in the beginnings of a quiet and peaceful tune, the notes tinkling as he tapped the pedals. Soft tapped notes rose into a wave of humming ominous chords as the tinkering became sharper and more frequent, the song swirling into a darker theme as something rumbled through the air. The Ghoul opened his glowing eyes, watching as the music almost danced through his fingers and into the room. Suddenly he wasn’t seated at the Piano as a breeze seemed to run across him, the air filled with the dark hum of the beginnings of a storm. Rain pattered on the roof of the church, trickling down the stained glass as the song rose in crescendo, hard chords and the crashing of the rain growing louder as thunder rumbled in the distance. Air leant over the keys, his head bobbing as his fingers danced and thumped the keys to create rumbling notes that crashed around the room. Lightning struck in the distance and the thunder roared again as the rain hammered on the roof. Air let his head fall back, eyes glowing white as he paused for a second and flicked his wrist back down onto the keys, the notes growing softer and the tapping of the rain slowing around him. The staccato beat slowed and hummed away in a movement of his hands and the howling winds quietened to a gust through the chapel. Air sat straight as he pressed the last note and closed his eyes, listening to it bounce and die in the room.

The pianist opened his eyes to see his brothers crowded in the front pew, their masks off and eyes wide as they watched his hands twitch above the ivory keys. Earth’s face spread into a wide grin as Air shifted on the stool, fiddling with his hands as the small ghoul watched him, “Air…That was amazing!” Earth leaned over the pew and pointed at the Grand Piano with excitement in his eyes, “Can you do more? Please?” Wide eyes begged him to play more but the other Ghoul’s then stepped in.
Aether gave a rumbling chuckle before leaning back in the pew and smiling with massive teeth, “I agree that was relaxing. You play so beautifully.” The nonchalant Ghoul laid his head back and closed his eyes with a peaceful smile.
“We all came because we saw the storm. We thought you were in trouble because it was filled with such emotion.” Water snickered and crossed his legs under himself, resting his head in his hands as he stared at the Piano. Air hadn’t realised he’d gotten so carried away.
 Fire chipped in next with a smirk, “Who knew you’d be so good with your hands…” He received one eyed glare from Aether, a grumble and a roll of his eyes in mock annoyance, “But genuinely, it was astounding. Its like you wrote it yourself or something.” Fire made an ‘okay’ sign with his hands and winked before leaning back and crossing one leg over his knee, purposely hitting Aether as he did so. The other Ghoul ignored him.

Air was a little overwhelmed, he wasn’t used to such attention, he was always a background player in the band, never one to try and steal the spot light either, he was content with his role, and so squirmed under the high praise. Clumsily, he stood up and wrung his hands together behind his back, “I don’t think that. I… I can’t.” He looked at the Piano and back to the seated Ghoul’s before taking one large step towards the stairs back down into the pews. Another voice chiming in from the back of the chapel stopped him. Papa Nil shakily walked forwards with his cane and a Sister of Sin. She held his arm and helped him down the aisle with a patient smile. The Ghouls scrambled for their masks, but were soon waved off as the Sister snickered, obviously she had seen their kind before, and Nil made no move to encourage them. They placed the masks aside as the eldest Papa took a seat in a large overstuffed seat that was specifically set out for him, when he attended the ceremonies organised.

The Grand Papa sat down, his joints popping, and sighed before smiling and waving to Air, “It has been a long time since I heard you play, my friend, please,” He looked the dark eyed Ghoul in the eyes with a wistful expression, “Play us something from your time in Vienna, I miss those songs, they were of happier times.” Earth was the only Ghoul that appeared shocked by the revelation of Air’s age but soon looked back as Air stood on the precipice of the stairs, his eyes flicking between the exit and the people present. With a sigh he walked back to the stool and shuffled through his crinkled sheet music before pulling a long clipped together piece and stretching his fingers out ready to play. The chords rumbled gently as Air began another tune woven with energy, his fingers gracefully tapping the keys as he briefly looked up every now and then to glance at the notes. It was a piece he had not played in a long time and it was an elegant sonata, written with calming notes yet a melancholy undertone.

The Ghoul’s quietly listened, Aether’s breathing was even as though he was drifting into sleep. Water was quietly listening, his eyes closed and even Fire had closed his eyes to relax. Only Earth still had his eyes open as he watched Air play, mouth open in slight awe and admiration. Papa Nil hummed along in the corner and tapped his fingers on the back of his hand as his own eyes began to close. It was as though they were being placed under a sleep spell. Air’s eyes glowed white as he threaded his power into the music, the breeze making the Piano sing and carrying the notes around the room in a dance. Earth watched entranced before finally smiling and listening to the pleasing hum of the instrument beneath Air’s skilled hands. Air glanced at the people in the room and smiled softly, watching the keys moved under his fingers. The piece bled into another lighter piece and Air smiled as he lifted his own mask off, playing the tune with one hand, his horns reflecting in the wood before him.

Happiness, he realised was something he had all along here. A dysfunctional family which had given him far more of a purpose than he’d ever had. The time he spent wandering was nothing compared to the wholeness he felt here. Even a demon, he decided should be able to feel this feeling, because it was one of pure contentment. He flicked back to the harmonies with one hand and looked about the room with a soft smile. They had all closed their eyes, and Air glanced at them each individually. This was where he truly belonged, with his happiness, not in his own memories of the past.