miidnightcowboy

[miidnightcowboy]

he, of course, didn't realise helen's struggles - in reality, compared to many vampires around town, abraham was still relatively young and unsure of the world around him. he wasn't a learned man, and though had travelled in the US, had never stepped foot outside of it. the world was large and yet, abe had never even considered exploring it. "s'ppose," was his response, gleaning for a short moment that there was something going beneath the woman's exterior. what had he once likened her to? a deer in the headlights, perfectly still, caught in the moment between life and death for something like an eternity.

strange how abraham saw such a thing in someone he barely knew. "we won't get lost," he reassured her quickly, for however great the woods around greywood were, his vampiric powers were sure to help. "promise,"

she admitted needing help and abe nodded, getting ready to give helen a leg up onto andalusia's saddle, the horse calm and waiting, having had this happen numerous times. "grab on an' give me ya left knee. i ain't gonna let ya fall, so don't worry about that,"

"Ah, I see," she said after a short silence but really didn't. In her head stagecoach robbery did not fit today's world, even if it filled her books. And today's world was all she had to cling to in order to pretend that her life was still mundane, despite being what it was. She was just merely human and so was everyone around her. Her intention was in no way, shape or form to disregard what Abraham was telling her, but keeping to her sanity was a fragile thing now and if she were to accept his words for what they were she would need to accept that he was not part of this century. And she wasn't sure she was ready for that. "At least here, I believe, you should be safe from that now, right?" she asked with a confused smile though didn't let her tone reflect it. Or she hoped she didn't.

"Well... I will trust you know them and we will not get lost," she asked nervously, though trying to keep her emotions in check. She knew that horses felt your emotions and could react to it. She wanted Andalusia to be calm around her so she needed to stay calm too. She was also glad for the offer, nodding. "I do think i might need a bit of help," she admitted, knowing she might otherwise try for a while and possibly not succeed.

[miidnightcowboy]

"damn, ain't that some wisdom. didn't realise ya had the mind for it," abe quipped back with a sly grin to hide the worry he still privately felt, something that would lessen with time and while on his watch. still, he took a second weapon, always preferring rifles for this type of situation, even though abraham was adept with a few firearms, and a damn savage with a hunting knife when he wanted to be.

the vampire took somewhat of a perch upon the roof like a bird would, getting down on one knee and lining up his sight - it didn't allow for a complete 360 view but, abraham was quick on his feet thanks to his affliction. chances were, he'd hear it before anything else, and could react appropriately (pulling the trigger with little hesitation).

"shit, i'll buy ya two," the gesture of goodwill was for another time, though. "naw. i see pretty fine in the dark," if anything, it was better than his vision in the daytime. "i'll holler if i need anythin' else,"

While Abraham dealt with Andalusia, he gathered the equipment needed to ward off any unwanted creatures.  As he got the boxes of ammunition together, gathering everything in the living room and the different weapons he had in different hiding spots, he started to fill up clips so they would be prepared.

“Better to have it and never need it, then to need it and not have it.”  Roman commented.  Truth was, there was some paranoia that he suffered from.  It came with being part of a secret unit and eliminating different enemies in the name of freedom.  You never know who might come and try to find you later in life.  Plus, Greywood always had an array of issues it seemed.

“No problem, after this you owe me a nice bottle of bourbon” the wolf teased as he helped get Abraham situated on the roof for the night shift.  “You need flashlights?”  Roman asked, not sure about the night vision of the creature.

[miidnightcowboy]

it hadn't always been a choice - when fever came to the brothel where he lived and took his mother, there was simply nobody else to care for abraham. he was 12 and scrawny, and a place like that had no use for children. at first, it had been a matter of survival but later, in time, had evolved to mean something more. the truth was, abraham didn't really remember the harshness of it all as a babe out on his own. "well..." the vampire began, hand scratching the rough prickle of hair around his jawline. "that, an' i was wanted in 4 states for stagecoach robbery. ain't exactly safe to stop in towns an' that when yer face is on their sheriffs bounty board," he said, once more letting off more about himself. most called abraham a cowboy - few knew that he'd been an outlaw.

dark eyes watched her pat andalusia, the horse shaking her mane though allowing helen close. "they feel like they go on forever," abe commented. "easy t'get lost in. now, ya need a leg up?" there was height difference between the horse meant for himself, and helen. abe wouldn't blame her for having difficulty getting onto the mare.

She listened as he explained. Her first reaction was to want to say that this sounded awful and she was sorry but she didn't let the words come out of her open lips and instead she thought it over. By the way that he was speaking, it sounded like he did quite enjoy his lifestyle even if in her head having no roof since you were a child sounded bad. She herself had not enjoyed the brief months during which she had nowhere to go and had slept mostly at bus stops. But then, if this was the life that you had chosen it did sound very nice and freeing. "It sounds like a good way to be, not much holding back and slowing you," she said finally, after what in her head had been minutes, but it could have just been a dozen seconds. "And you have your companion to go everywhere with," she added as they approached Andalusia.

She observed with a smile as Abraham talked to the horse and she imagined this was as close to a hug as it could be, patting her neck with both hands before taking her reigns. Helen took a deep breath and also walked closer, though slowly, not wanting to ruin their reunion. "I do not think I have been anywhere in this part of the town's woods," she said slowly, raising a hand to put on the horse's muzzle.

[miidnightcowboy]

“The Feeling Remains” by Matt McCormick

[miidnightcowboy]

the others challenge was childish and made abraham scoff audibly in a way he rarely did. "ya fer fuckin' real?" the vampire responded with clear annoyance in his tone, looking at eris through the deepened frown now on his face. "you know what? i ain't gonna fuckin' make ya. if ya drop, i'm gonna leave ya to bleed out since that's what ya'd prefer to do, clearly,"

abe's anger came from himself - he was trying to be better. open with strangers, kind in a way he'd never been before and the first real attempt at such a thing was being thrown in his face. the words were harsh, and gruff, things abraham had always known he was, and had never challenged.

there was a bout of silence afterwards, he listened but didn't respond, staring ahead as the sidewalk began to melt into the dirt paths that lead towards the outskirts. there wouldn't be an apology for the outburst, just another awkward attempt and conversation.

"i'll show ya. assuming ya make it,"

Eris swayed on his feet as he walked next to Abe down the street. He could tell Abe was torn between rushing him home to get him off his feet and letting him take it slow so he didn't make the wound worse. He didn't like moving slow either. It was okay when he was drunk and walking home. But doing it sober was worse somehow.

"Make me." Eris said before he could think better of it. There was a challenge in his voice that he'd never heard before. He didn't know why he said it. Abe was helping him get home, and maybe saving him from hitting his head if he passed out. He should be thanking him. But something in him didn't want to just accept his help. It was stupid to be provoking a vampire who was probably already on edge from being around his blood. He was tired of fading into the background and hiding. He wanted for Abe to remember him, even if it was as some asshole who refused to let him help.

"Maybe. I'm hoping I won't need to stay at Roman's for much longer." Eris felt bad having Roman waste his time and attention on him. He'd shuffled rooms in his home so Eris could stay, and he'd been sleeping on the couch ever since. He found it difficult to sleep no matter how he exhausted his body during the day. And on the rare occasions he did manage to sleep, he screamed. He didn't know how Roman stood it. He enjoyed spending time with the man, but on the other hand, he'd feel better if he was on his own and not disturbing his dad's sleep. He wanted to go back to his house, where at least he knew he wouldn't bother anyone. "Never ridden before. But I might learn to like it if you teach me how."

"Hopefully I'm going back to my house in a week or two." He told Abe his address even though he knew it was dangerous. He never let anyone in his house. He wasn't even sure if Roman knew where it was. "You should bring your horse there sometime."

[miidnightcowboy]

Heath Ledger as Ennis Del Mar Brokeback Mountain (2005) dir. Ang Lee

[miidnightcowboy]

he whistled, pulling at the reigns in an attempt to guide andalusia towards the barn, the horse reluctantly doing as she was told, nervous whinnies and the occasional attempt to rear up hindering the journey. abraham had never seen her like this, jumping off halfway and having to half-drag to horse in with the other barn animals. if she bolted, abe knew that he'd never get her back, and that she'd most likely become some creatures dinner.

"c'mon you silly filly," the vampire grumbled, eventually getting her inside and quickly shutting the doors the moment she was, bolting it up immediately afterwards and letting out a soft sigh. he met his wolfish friend halfway back to the house, looking through the ammo and taking a box and a half.

"yer sure packin' for a guy in the middle of nowhere in a trailer," there was humour to abe's tone, despite the circumstances.

"thankya,"

The wolf nodded, in the same position he would do the same.  Roman could only hope this was one of those weird Greywood occurrences that did not last too long.  “Yeah, I got ammo.”  People called him paranoid, but he stocked up over the years on guns and ammunition in case something ever did come his way.  Although weird critters were not on his BINGO card.

“Get her in, I’ll grab the ammo.”  While Abraham tended to his dear horse, Roman ran inside making sure his own animals were okay and going to the back closet where the boxes of ammunition were stacked up upon each other.

Returning, he brought an arm full of boxes. 

[miidnightcowboy]

her words were so sad for someone so young, and despite knowing very little about helen, abe sensed the melancholic truth within them. but, what had caused that shift? what had caused the bravery to disappear, the wild hare becoming the frightened rabbit? abraham had questions that he knew weren't appropriate for someone he knew only on the surface, looking around the forest as he searched for words. "well. here's hopin' we can rediscover that part o' ya," the vampire said, trying to sound sure in his statement.

the question might've gone amiss if it wasn't for that vampiric hearing. abraham didn't enjoy divulging details about himself but, he felt helen had been a little vulnerable early, even if she didn't think so herself. "i ain't lived under a roof since i was 12," he explained, leading helen only a few steps away to where andalusia was tied, nose stuck in a trough of water near to where the trail started. "and i ain't gonna start now. i never liked cities, and i'm not used to living alongside other folk - think i forgot how to. i prefer my solitude in the evenings. jus' me, the horse, and a beautiful nights sky,"

of course, the crew had been different. abraham once knew how to live, work, rob and die with those he considered brothers. closer than that, if there was a thing, like an extension of the self. that turned to ash long ago, the years without them all outweighing those with. the moment he came within distance, andalusia looked up at the approaching to, abe clapping a gentle hand on her neck affectionately.

"hey there girl," it must've only been moments since he saw the horse yet, he greeted her as if it had been hours. "you gonna be real good today, hm? let helen ride ya?"

Helen nodded happily at the suggestion, since her previous attempt to get on a horse had not been very good a few months prior and she had found herself just brushing the animal for her hour, walking it around the ranch and talking to it. In a habit she put a hand up and pulled at the strands of her hair that had escaped around her face, pushing them back into the neat clump that she had brushed it into earlier. "I do like that idea, I do think I have lost some of my bravery since childhood," she noted it in a nonchalant tone, but she did mean it. Her heart did race more easily now and she had found herself unsure of her own strength when she had been at her riding lesson and had given up on climbing up on the horse. She hoped that her hands would be able to hold tight on the reign and she would have the strength in her feet to push herself up this time.

"Do you just prefer to live away from the noise of town?" she asked, though the question was quieter than her previous words, unsure if it was okay to ask a personal question. She knew she would rather not answer any of those herself, but she thought that it might be nice to know something else than the name of the man and where he lived.

[miidnightcowboy]

#for science

PEDRO PASCAL | Corona Extra

[miidnightcowboy]

he nodded in acknowledgement of eris' name, noting how from the darkening patch of blood, a fresh bloom seemed to seep through. abraham had given what he felt were the smart options and they'd been shot down, though he felt that the man wouldn't last halfway to the outskirts. as if in an unconscious response to this, the vampire grabbed a few more napkins to shove against it. "press these on the damn wound right now,"

abe knew if he didn't tell this guy - eris - to help stop it, he probably wouldn't, he felt as if there was very little self preservation under the skin. "c'mon,"

out of the cafe finally, he was torn between the need to rush and keep slow enough for the other man to keep up. "maybe next time. if you're still at roman's, i can bring her round?" abraham suggested, thinking that maybe keeping him talking was good, as he was keeping him awake and upright and least.

"ya like riding?"

"Abraham. Pleasure," he said, finding that he meant it. "I'm Eris."

He braced himself and stood up. It was strange to feel that one section of the wound move and stretch with him. The stitches were tight and, up until now, immobile. He had to be careful to not move his chest too much when he was walking or it'd pull the skin. He felt another gush of blood leak down his shirt.

It didn't hurt. But it did make the dizziness worse. He leaned on the table as he waited for Abraham to move. He'd been playing along earlier when he talked about Abe making sure he didn't faint. And yet, it was starting to look like a possibility. He felt the color leave his face, leaving him pale.

He hated feeling weak. Not being able to run meant death if he met the coven. But at the same time, he was curious about what it felt like. To show his wounds and not expect a knife in the back. Maybe other people found it easy. Eris never did. Would Abe stab if he saw the opportunity? Or would he try to help?

"Works for me." He said, voice quieter than before. "Pity I won't be able to meet your horse today. Maybe next time you can introduce me to her."

[miidnightcowboy]

the address was, of course, familiar to abraham who only lived a stones throw away from it. so, this feller was an acquaintance of roman's - maybe another one of his kids? the wolf did seem to be unable to wrap his johnson up, and abe thought it wasn't a far fetched idea.

so, he wouldn't go the hospital but, he would go to the home of roman. abraham grumbled something under his breath about there at least being plenty of disinfectant in the trailer at least.

"well, if yer ain't gonna go somewhere to get it checked then yeah, i might as well walk ya, i only live down the road an' i gotta collect my horse from the barn,"

not always but, abe sometimes left andalusia amongst the small menagerie of farm animals his friend had. the vampire liked to think she liked the company.

he was the first to stand, holding out an arm incase the other needed it.

"never introduced myself. i'm abraham,"

Eris took a deep breath, and then another. Let his eyes flicker down to the man's hand, and then back up to his face. Touch was always strange. It hurt him. Put him underground. But once the shock wore off, the longing hit. It got lonely and silent and heavy being as alone as he was. He wanted to be close to someone. He'd just forgotten how. Or maybe he'd never known. The problem was that he was intimidating and he scowled and he had to make sure he could trust someone. That was enough to scare off pretty much everyone. This man was, at least, able to tolerate him enough to staunch his wound.

It occurred to him that he might be in danger. That he was sitting next to a vampire with an open wound. Somehow, the thought didn't bother him. He wanted to stay there in the bruising grip. But the man did have a point: he should probably get home and lay down.

He told the man Roman's address. He'd be going back to his own house soon, but for now, Roman was still taking care of him.

"No doctor. I just went to one of those, and it reminded me why I need to avoid them. I've had worse happen to me than a stitch popping."

He shot the vampire an appraising look. He seemed concerned. He was talking like he was worried. Eris didn't quite know how to handle that. He'd spent his life taking care of himself, and nobody besides Roman had ever cared if he was okay to get home. His choice in the past had been to keep moving or die. But he did appreciate the worry this man held for him. He found it cute.

"You want to walk me home? Make sure I don't faint on my way back?" He asked. Wondered with delight if he'd get home or whether the vampire would corner him and ask for a drink. Eris wasn't going to say no to him.

[miidnightcowboy]

it hadn't occurred to abe not to try and stem the bleeding best he could - how many times had he been shot? how many times had his posse been wounded? it felt often that if abraham were to peel back the rough skin of his palms, he would only find the blood that had soaked them over the years. like now, the tissue slowly absorbing delicious red that would mark his hands to for the crime of touching what he shouldn't.

the way the others pupils faded into the whites, the way abe tensed up - ready to act upon something else without a moments notice but, nothing comes. the stranger sucks in a breath, apparently coming back to himself which keeps abraham on edge in-case it happens again. it makes him wonder how such a wound came about, and how dangerous the man truly is.

"where'd ya live? got a bad feelin' ya might bleed out before ya put the key in the lock," abraham didn't like the idea of this man walking home alone with blood seeping from his chest but, couldn't really stop him. "i ain't no doctor but, i don't think ya should be goin' anywhere but some form'a hospital," the vampire licked his lips, letting out a slow breath. it smelt so good, didn't it? the blood. would it even be noticed if he just pressed his fingers to his lips for just a taste-

he reels back, pressure lessening. "y'know what? do whatever ya want,"

Eris could hear the man's voice, but not what he was saying. Not with the way he was touching him. One moment, he was watching as the man's hands reached out and pressed into his wound. The next, he was back in the black nothing of the underground. He couldn't see. All he could feel was the press of the earth around him.

Behind his glasses, his eyes flickered and went white, burning with heat. He sucked in a breath. Fought back the urge to bite what was touching him. He froze instead.

He thought about Roman stopping the bleeding when Eris had collapsed on his floor. He trusted that Roman wasn't going to hurt him. That had made it okay for him to touch Eris even though it hurt. He didn't know if this man wanted to hurt him or not.

Very distantly, he felt bruising pressure on the wound. Cold hands. He told himself that being touched didn't mean he was going to be tortured. He was bleeding. He let the vampire press into the wound.

Surprisingly, the overuse of pressure helped. After a few heartbeats, the blackness retreated. He was back in the cafe. He felt sick and sweaty, but not terrible considering. He looked into the eyes of the man. He looked hungry and almost frantic. It didn't unsettle Eris.

He sucked in a breath, letting the familiar weight of the cigarette against his lips sooth him. Ran a hand through his hair, hoping the man wouldn't catch the trembling in his limbs. He was suddenly exhausted down to his bones. It had nothing to do with the popped stitch. But he found that being as stressed for long enough would leave him with periods of fatigue. That was what was happening now.

"I should get home." He didn't try to move. Just kept watching the man's hands soak up the blood on his chest with a napkin.

[miidnightcowboy]

greywood pride 2024; abraham alvarez. outfit inspired by the original rhinestone cowboy, nuta kotlyarenko aka "nudie cohn". not pictured is the matching cream stetson adorned with yellow and red roses and the red neckerchief, as the shirt is worn partially open. its the nicest outfit abe has ever owned and worn, and he quietly takes great pride in it, if not in himself.

[miidnightcowboy]

he looked away for a moment, unsure of how to feel about that. we used to remember our dates. abe felt it, having spent so much time in the plains of this great country, bound by no measure of time nor significant events - history moved around him, while the vampire stood stationary within its grasp, like the figures within a snow globe. everything shifted but him.

there was much to catch up on, to understand, for he'd lived on the outskirts of it all for so long. the sudden, sharp scent of blood brought the vampire out of his thoughts like a slap, bones in his neck cracking with the speed, dark eyes immediately drawn to the crimson stain slowly spreading across the strangers chest. it wasn't just abraham interested, a few others in the cafe glancing over to see where the sudden delicious scent of ambrosia had come from.

"shit," abe breathed out, grabbing some of the napkins from the table and immediately going to press them against the shirt with little regard for boundaries, just immediately attempting to help. "just gonna put some pressure on, alright? ya need the hospital? i can get the cashier to get ya a cab there or call someone out,"

it had been a long, long time since abraham had tasted blood from anything that wasn't an animal, and he was trying to stop it from affecting him. this wasn't the place to lose it.

the vampire was putting enough pressure on to bruise.

"I don't know what year Jefferson died either. It's funny how we used to remember our dates."

Eris felt heat blooming in his chest followed by a stinging pain. Just as he'd feared, laughing had popped one of his stitches. He peered down and saw red seeping through his white shirt.

"Shit," he said. He didn't think about the fact that he was sitting in a vampire cafe next to a vampire. He was just concerned about bleeding all over the furniture. He wished he'd thought to bring some kind of gauze with him when he left the house. He'd just been in a hurry to get out of Roman's house.

He pressed his hand over the area, trying to staunch the flow. All he succeeded in doing was spread the blood around. His fingers felt sticky.

[miidnightcowboy]

he couldn't put into polite words how he felt in regards to being given a gift - that it didn't matter if they were terrible, they would always be good by default because helen had gone out of her way to make them for him. abraham would try one, even if he couldn't taste them. it hadn't ever occurred to tell her what he was, an underlying fear that it would put the woman off. vampirism was an aspect of himself that he was particularly proud of, or open about after all. most people knew due to their own afflictions - the wolves could smell it on him, and the blood suckers knew one of their own.

once again, helen talked in a way that made him mildly concerned for a woman he barely knew about. how could she not have a solid idea of how long ago it had been since she rode? abe thought about that scent that lingered on her, not quite death but...

"alright," abe said with a nod. "so, a while then. maybe we put ya on her and i'll lead with the reigns? till ya get back into the swing o' things?"

She couldn't help the smile that spread widely on her lips as he agreed with her. It was rare for her to get what she wanted so currently it felt like a victory even though it was so trivial. "I do hope they are good, I have... recently picked up baking things and I don't have much else to offer for thank you, so this has been my way, I suppose," she said, needing to excuse herself in case in fact the goods turned out to be totally horrendous. If she had accepted where she was and who most the people around her were she was sure she would have noticed some of the dead giveaways that Abraham was a vampire and human food was not something that she should be bringing for sustenance. But her denial had no end and so she had ignored the coldness of his hands when they had previously met and the paleness to the skin, the crimson in his eyes.

She had to bite her lip in thought as he asked her, time a bit of a blur for her. "Well... I did grow up with my own horse, but I do believe it has been quite a while since I've seen him," she added and had to remind herself to stop chewing her lip in unladylike manner. She knew now with her time spent in the town that they had celebrated 2024 this New Year. She had not dwelled on that at all during the months, but now... "Six years, maybe," she added.

[miidnightcowboy]

the laugh was odd, stunted, as if it was the first sound to pass the strangers lips in many years. abraham was just glad it hadn't put him off sitting near him, still in some ways getting used to social cues and etiquette in the 21st century. even so, he was a straight-talking man, to the point, always had been. people talked in many riddles to him and abe wished they would just be plain and honest instead.

"200, huh?" never would the vampire get used to those who looked physically younger than him being older - abraham was finding that so many others who lived long lives seemed to have arrived at that place much earlier than he had. the man sitting near him didn't smell of vampire, however, and there wasn't a trace of fae in his scent. what else was there that lived so long? abraham wasn't overly familiar with all that lived in greywood.

"ya got a few years on me, i think. i was born the year jefferson died," and abraham didn't know the date, nor the year. "don't ask me when it was, i ain't sure," the man had had a newspaper clipping, it had been front page, and his folks sensed its important, so kept it with him.

Eris was glad to hear that the man had some sort of companion. Someone to keep him company over the years. At the same time, he was jealous. He wished he could've had someone there to be with him through the worst the coven had done to him. But at the same time, he wouldn't wish a hundred years stuck underground on his worst enemy. It would've been nice to talk to someone through the years, even if it was a pet.

"Sounds like she's pretty special to you. Helps keep us old men sane to have someone around."

He couldn't stop a chuckle from slipping out at the other's morbid statement. He could appreciate a darker sense of humor. It was pretty hard to crack him. Roman had tried to make him laugh with dad jokes, but he'd been too stressed to laugh. He could barely remember the last time he'd so much as smiled. It sounded strange. Like some kind of strangled crow having an asthma attack. He held his chest, hoping his stitches wouldn't pop.

"Fuck, that's funny. Sorry." He took as deep a breath as he could manage without hurting the wound further. "I have. Been in this world for 200 years."

He'd been living in the Chasm for a bit longer than that. His mom tried to raise him for a while in the Realm of Virtue before she dumped him with his father. But he'd been here, in this body, for close to 200 years. "What about you?"

[miidnightcowboy]

(c)