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lucky-clover-gazette · 2 years ago

Text

the girls are bitingggggggg

Teen | 4613 words | Vio & Shadow, not explicitly romantic or platonic

This one-shot is a sort of "filler" piece based on the excellent Four Swords Vampire AU by @kaitopitoo and @othervio. I'm a huge fan of both creators' work for this AU and in general, and highly recommend checking them out if you somehow haven't already.

Specific dialogue towards the end of this piece is directly taken from this comic.

Thank you again to the AU's creators, you guys are the coolest!

“I really don’t understand why you’re not letting me help you,” Vio pouts, and Shadow has to stop himself from laughing at his expression. Are all Hylians this expressive, or is this specific Hylian strange even among his own kind? Perhaps that’s why Vio seems so comfortable with Shadow—outsiders recognize outsiders.

Nevertheless, Shadow will not be swayed. “I told you already,” he tells Vio, “I’m not feeding from you again. The first time was out of desperation, and I shouldn’t have done it.”

Vio shrugs, which brings Shadow’s attention to his bare shoulder. Hylia, it really is just out there in the open, isn’t it?

“I mean, sure,” says Vio, “I definitely would have preferred a bit of warning. At the least, you could have made me dinner first.”

“In a way, I did make you dinner.”

read the rest under the cut or on ao3

Vio stands in the doorway with his arms crossed, lilac-colored blouse too loose on his shoulders to be accidental. “You look like death.”

“I am death,” Shadow retorts, although he grants his guest attention all the same. He, of course, has no intention to bite Vio again—not after the days of gracious hosting he’s spent making up for it—but he is hungry. It’s his own fault, as he’s been so busy trying to provide for his surprise houseguest to secure any kind of sustenance for himself. He may feel woozy, but he can handle the discomfort until the evening allows him to venture outside the castle. He’s certainly withstood worse.

Nevertheless, Shadow will not be swayed. “I told you already,” he tells Vio, “I’m not feeding from you again. The first time was out of desperation, and I shouldn’t have done it.”

Vio shrugs, which brings Shadow’s attention to his bare shoulder. Hylia, it really is just out there in the open, isn’t it?

“I mean, sure,” says Vio, “I definitely would have preferred a bit of warning. At the least, you could have made me dinner first.”

“In a way, I did make you dinner.”

This makes Vio chuckle, and Shadow has no idea why that feels like an accomplishment.

“I suppose that’s true. But you were starving, right?”

“Yes. Normally I can restrain myself, but the injuries from battle had already weakened me significantly.”

Vio rubs the back of his neck—his damn neck, can he stop it with the neck? “I am sorry about that, although we really couldn’t have known any better than to attack. We’re knights and we do what we’re told, and the Princess has convinced everyone that your kind are evil.”

Shadow raises an eyebrow. “You’ve been perfectly well for days, yet you’re still here. Would your Princess approve of a knight voluntarily cohabitating with someone so evil?”

Vio gives him a small smile. “Well, maybe now I know better.”

Shadow isn’t sure how to respond to that, so he picks up his book instead.

“Hey!” Vio exclaims. “I’m talking to you, you can’t just abandon a conversation like that!”

Shadow looks up, genuinely confused. “I… can’t?”

“Not if you want to be polite. Do you get any kind of social interaction on a regular basis?”

“Not really.”

Vio’s expression softens. “That’s… well, that’s a shame, then. Sorry.”

Shadow places the book aside again. “It’s all right, Vio.”

“I mean really, who am I to judge, I’ve spent half of my life with my nose in a book. It’s a very effective way to ignore people. I guess it’s just not very fun being on the receiving end.”

Shadow slides the book even farther away from himself, so much so that it falls off the desk. Vio notices, but ignores it.

“Seriously,” Vio says, meeting Shadow’s eyes. “You don’t look well, and you’ve been holed up in your room all day. If my being here is too much, I can leave. You shouldn’t have to feel like some kind of predator in your own home.”

Shadow shakes his head. “You don’t have to leave. I really am happy to have your company, for as long as you’d like to stay. Do you… do you know how long you’d like to stay?”

“No, if I’m being honest. I had initially planned to leave as soon as I felt physically able, but you ended up intriguing me. Quite honestly, I am still intrigued.”

Normally when a Hylian is intrigued by Shadow, they have already deemed him a monstrosity deserving of brutal execution. They examine him like a threat they need to neutralize, like a wild animal whose only desire is to kill. Yet somehow, Vio’s interest feels completely different. It’s still strange, because Vio is an undeniably strange person, but he seems to regard Shadow with the same confused fondness Shadow fosters for him.

Because Shadow is fond of Vio, he realizes, and this entire situation becomes all the more intriguing.

“I usually feed at night, so that I don’t feel weak during the day,” Shadow explains, truly wishing to dispel Vio’s concerns. The fact that the knight is concerned about him at all is astounding, actually, and wholly undeserved. “But in the past few days I have been… occupied. Feeding from a Hylian is able to sustain me for much longer than from an animal, so I’ve forgone hunting in the time since I brought you here. But even a Hylian feeding won’t last me forever, so I’ll have to visit the woods tonight. It’s really not much longer, Vio, I’ll be okay.”

Vio looks thoughtful as he processes this information. It occurs to Shadow that his explanation must come as a surprise, as vampire literature distributed by the royal family is undoubtedly full of inaccuracies.

“It doesn’t sound like you enjoy hunting very much,” Vio says slowly, sitting on Shadow’s perfectly-made bed. It’s identical to the one Shadow had prepared for Vio just days ago, after smuggling his unconscious body back to the only safe place he knows.

Shadow still isn’t quite sure why he had done that—he could have just left the knight to be rescued by his allies. But perhaps Shadow felt embarrassed about the consequences of his hunger, and leaving Vio for everyone to see would have reinforced Hylian beliefs about the brutality of his kind.

And even if Vio had lived, he would still have had to cope with memories of the bite itself—the terror, the pain, an inherent sense of violation far more intimate than any typical battle wound. Waking up in the care of the Princess, Vio could have been made to feel pitiful, disgusting, tainted. Shadow had hurt him profoundly and irreversibly—perhaps giving him a safe place to awaken had partially been an attempt to make up for that.

“I don’t enjoy hunting,” Shadow admits with a sigh, “but it’s something I have to do.”

“But you said yourself that animal blood is far less sustaining than Hylian blood. Like, you have to feed from an animal every night just to survive, while feeding from a Hylian would last you days. And that was when you were wounded—if you’re not wounded, would it last you even longer?”

Shadow grits his teeth. “It doesn’t matter how long it would last me. I don’t feed from Hylians.”

Vio glances pointedly at the still-healing bite on the left side of his neck, then at the perfectly unbitten skin to the right. Shadow groans.

“Can you please wear the shirt normally?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Vio hums, playing with the ruffled sleeves. “Besides, this isn’t my shirt. My shirt, my favorite shirt, was perfectly tailored to my body by the royal seamstress herself, and would never slouch off my shoulders in such a scandalous manner. But I can’t wear my favorite shirt, on account of the copious bloodstains, so I have no choice but to make do with your cast-offs.”

Shadow, again, does not know how to respond. Licking his lips is definitely not the correct response, but he finds himself doing it nonetheless.

“I’m just saying,” Vio continues, mercifully ignoring Shadow’s involuntary response, “that you wouldn’t need to hunt tonight, or for several nights afterward, if you just let me help you.”

Shadow grips his own arms, only stopping when he remembers that he has claws. The nerve on this Hylian, truly, to just burst in and antagonize an actual monster while wearing said monster’s perfectly well-tailored and stylish shirt…

“I really do want to help,” Vio says, no longer teasing. “But I also respect your wishes. I’m not trying to torture you here, and I really appreciate everything you’ve done to take care of me. I suppose I just want to take care of you, in return.”

Shadow shakes his head. “You don’t owe me anything. I bit you, I helped you recover, and now we’re even... at least, as even as we’re ever going to be.”

“Good, then,” Vio replies with a smile. “I’m glad we’re even. Now you know I’m offering my blood as a genuine kindness, and because I’d very much like to keep you around.”

Shadow rolls his eyes. “Hunting takes me three hours.”

“You’re not the only one in those woods on a hunt,” counters Vio, and there’s a sudden sharpness in his voice. “The others are looking for me, Shadow. And if they find you instead…”

Ah. That had not occurred to Shadow.

“Ah. That had not occurred to me.”

“If you really don’t want to bite me, I will go to the forest and hunt something down for you myself.”

Shadow looks Vio up and down. On one hand, he is a knight—but on the other, he still seems like the kind of person who would kill a deer and cry about it for hours. Hylia knows Shadow had been like that, before he’d been forced by circumstance to desensitize himself completely.

“Seriously,” Vio says, rising to his feet. He places a firm hand on Shadow’s shoulder, and Shadow can’t remember the last time someone did that. “I admire your dedication to your values. If animal blood is the only thing that’s going to keep you alive, I will get you some.”

“The knights could find you just as easily,” argues Shadow, and he doesn’t want Vio to go, not yet, not when his hand is so warm and his mind is so clever and his presence is so unbelievably appreciated.

Vio just winks. “I’m pretty good with stealth. How do you think I was able to sneak up on you during combat?”

“Still,” Shadow says, bowing his head, “it’s risky for you, too. I worry what they’ll think, whenever you do go back… will they accept you, even though you’ve been bitten?”

“I think they would. But my return would also make them hate you even more, and I don’t want to be Zelda’s final argument for completing the genocide of your people. She’s been holding off on an offensive strategy for years, in line with her parents, but your lack of action is starting to make her paranoid. She can’t comprehend the idea of you just minding your business, far away from Hyrule’s citizens, and posing no threat to them or the kingdom. At this point, she’s desperate for reasons to finally take you down, and I’d be a pretty damn compelling one.”

Shadow wishes Vio was wrong, but they both know he isn’t. And with the Hylian standing so close, his bare shoulder and neck only an arm’s length away, Shadow finally loses his resolve.

“Are you sure you’re okay with this?” he asks Vio, finally meeting those intelligent eyes.

Vio nods without hesitation. “I am.”

“Did it… did it hurt, the last time I bit you? I’ve never gotten to ask.”

Vio smirks. “What, the deer weren’t interested in a debriefing?”

Shadow doesn’t smile back, and Vio takes a deep breath. “Sorry. Uh, I don’t remember it hurting too badly. I was mostly just shocked and scared, because of everything I’d been told about you during my training. It hadn’t really occurred to me that a vampire attack was something a person could survive. I think… once you actually started feeding, I was confused whether I should grip you tighter or push you away. It was like you comforted me by holding me steady, but you were also the reason I needed comfort in the first place. I felt myself getting weaker the more you fed, I eventually passed out, and then I woke up here.”

Shadow blinks.

“But really,” Vio adds quickly, “it was fine.”

“I’m sorry,” Shadow tells him. “I don’t really know what else to say.”

Vio gives him a reassuring smile. “You don’t have to. I’m not afraid of you anymore. Honestly, I think if most Hylians actually got to know you, they wouldn’t be either.”

Shadow frowns as he opens the drawer of his vanity. Wincing, he withdraws a small item wrapped in white cloth. “Take this,” he tells Vio, “it’s dangerous to… well, you’ll see.”

Vio nods as he takes the item and unwraps it, revealing a weighty metal triforce symbol. “Oh,” Vio says, tossing the talisman in his hands. “Didn’t expect you to have one of these.”

“My kind are weak against holy symbols,” Shadow explains, standing up and motioning to the vanity chair. “If you feel like I’m taking too much, or out of control, you should be able to stop me using that.”

Vio takes the seat, turning to face Shadow’s mirror. Despite the fact that Shadow lurks right behind him, only Vio is visible.

“Damn, Shadow,” Vio laughs nervously, “if you can’t see yourself in mirrors, how in the world do you manage that eyeliner?”

Shadow rolls his expertly-lined eyes. “I have a lot of free time.”

“I’ll bet. It looks great.”

“Thank you,” Shadow says, unsure of how exactly one is meant to take such a compliment. Vio, meanwhile, appears to blush. At least Shadow can spare him that embarrassment by relieving him of any extra blood running through his veins, giving him that delectably rosy coloration—oh, he did not just refer to Vio as delectable.

“Are you squeamish?” Shadow asks, firmly gripping Vio’s bare shoulder. The knight tenses for only a second before relaxing himself.

“Kind of? The first time I was mostly just shocked, and I’ve obviously dealt with wounds before… but I try to avoid seeing doctors. I don’t like the idea of someone knowing my body better than I do.”

Shadow nods. “You have the triforce, so you can stop me whenever you need. Of course, I will also try my very best to stop myself, but…”

“I get it,” Vio says. “I say the same thing when it’s pumpkin soup night at Hyrule Castle.”

Shadow chuckles. “You’re the strangest little Hylian I’ve ever met.”

“How many Hylians have you met, again? I call selection bias. And I’m not little, you’re only an inch taller than I am out of those platforms.”

“I enjoy our banter immensely, Vio, but I’ve been staring at your bare shoulders for the past ten minutes and I find myself quite frustrated. Permission to proceed?”

Vio loudly gulps. “Granted.”

Shadow eyes the side of Vio’s neck he hasn’t yet bitten, then the clean bite wound he had recently left behind. He feels an odd sense of protectiveness over the Hylian, a sort of supernatural possession undetectable to anyone but himself. For the millionth time, he wishes for the presence of other vampires, or really anyone capable of providing insight regarding his condition. The only thing Shadow has is written history, saved before the royal burnings and stowed away in his castle.

He recalls writings of the relationships his fallen kin had once maintained with Hylians, before the church created a divide and carried out its genocide. Many vampires had once been happy to coexist with Hylians, even safely feed from them with full consent. These kinds of recorded bonds had been sometimes platonic, sometimes romantic, and occasionally unlabeled in nature—but in the writings, there is a consistent feeling of intimacy, even exclusivity, projected onto each.

Of course to some of these vampires exclusivity was not important in the slightest, but to Shadow… there’s a sense of security in an exclusive bond. He could feed from any Hylian, and would be mindful of their comfort all the same, but Vio… Vio, he wants around after the bite. How can Shadow possibly explain to the knight that while he appreciates the offer to sustain him with blood, Shadow values his company above all else? How can he himself even begin to understand this unfamiliar and terrifying feeling?

Not on an empty stomach, Shadow decides, running his tongue against a sharp fang.

“Hey,” Vio says, looking over his shoulder. “Are you okay?”

“Yes. Now, with what you said about wanting control of your body—I suggest that you focus on your reflection, as it will keep you from becoming overwhelmed.”

“So that’s why we’re doing this in front of a mirror.”

What Shadow doesn’t say is that he cannot stand the very idea of himself feeding, that he is profoundly ashamed of what he must do to survive. Erasing the sight of himself is just as much a comfort to Shadow as it is to Vio.

“Hold eye contact with yourself,” Shadow says, gently tucking Vio’s hair away from the skin where his collarbone meets his neck. “Especially if you’re sensitive to the sight of blood.”

Vio nods, accidentally displacing Shadow’s hands. He winces as Shadow regains control of his posture and hair. “Sorry. I’ll stay still.”

“It’s all right, Vio. You’re doing perfectly fine.”

This seems to placate the knight, if only slightly. His body is so tense, and this worries Shadow—but what else can he do? Stalling will only perpetuate Vio’s anxiety.

“It shouldn’t hurt,” Shadow mutters, literally breathing down Vio’s neck. “There’s venom—it numbs the wound, should help you stay calm.”

“I am literally so calm right now,” Vio counters, clutching the triforce tightly.

Shadow leans in, just an inch away from Vio’s skin. He notices, out of the corner of his eye, that Vio’s eyes are squeezed shut. “Remember what I said,” Shadow tells him, and Vio winces at his cold breath. “Eye contact.”

Vio opens his eyes. “Got it.”

“I’m going to bite you now.”

“Go ahead.”

Shadow’s fangs ache as he lightly touches them to Vio’s bare skin. A slight pressure, just to get him used to the feeling of something there…

“Did you do it?” Vio asks, and Shadow can feel his neck muscles tense as he speaks. “I’m making eye contact with myself, like you told me, but I feel something on my neck—your teeth, maybe? Are you biting me right now, Shadow, because it doesn’t feel like you are, and—oh. Okay, yes, this definitely feels like you’re… you’re biting me. Shadow, you’re—”

Shadow hums into Vio’s warm flesh, already beginning to draw blood from the small punctures his fangs have made. It flows easily, more easily than Shadow is used to, although that might have something to do with the lack of struggle. And it… it’s good. Usually while feeding he loses himself, becomes the rabid animal he’s always believed himself to be—but right here, and right now, he feels like he’s in control. Because Vio has given him control, and trusts him enough to hold it over him, and can easily stop him if he so pleases.

And this is how vampires must have lived among willing Hylians, all those years ago, and Shadow can see how they’d managed not to be absolutely miserable. Not like he is now, lonely and starving and steeped in self-loathing. In a way, it’s comforting to finally understand everything his kind has lost—but in another way, this discovery makes the loss all the more infuriating.

“Shadow,” Vio mutters, his body slumping against the chair. “Sh—you… I’m…”

Shadow’s grip only tightens. He hasn’t felt this good, this strong, in decades. He would ask Vio how he’s feeling, tell him he’s doing wonderfully, but with his mouth full all he can do is hum louder.

“I… I think ’m gonna close my eyes,” Vio sighs, although his eyes are already closed. Shadow nods. Thank you, Vio. Thank you thank you thank you thank you.

I promise I’m almost finished.

“So tired,” Vio continues to narrate, and Shadow could almost roll his eyes. “And… warm? That’s… odd…”

Stop analyzing it, idiot, Shadow thinks with all the affection in the world. While the venom in his fangs and the physical weakness that comes with rapid loss are almost always viewed as negative side effects of the feeding, they do not necessarily need to be frightening. They could serve as a relief, couldn’t they? Surely Vio must have known that, even subconsciously, when he’d asked to be fed upon again.

Shadow knows Vio’s eyes are closed, and he knows he doesn’t want him unconscious again. That feels wrong, feeding off him while he’s totally out, and this amount of blood should be more than enough to sustain Shadow until he can figure out a way to hunt safely. Or, he supposes, until Vio recovers and allows him to feed again. Not that he expects that, or wants that amount of codependency between them. Because, whether he admits it or not, Shadow is pretty sure Vio gets something from this too. It’s hard to ignore the weak smile on his face and the way he ever-so-slightly leans into Shadow’s touch—seemingly not out of fear, but in search of comfort nonetheless.

Shadow pulls back from Vio’s shoulder, removing his fangs from the flesh, and then leans back in to lick around the wound. He tries to savor the last taste he might ever get of this Hylian (his Hylian, a primal voice in his head corrects, although it is immediately shut down by Shadow’s rational instincts), and then searches the vanity drawer for the closest things he has to first-aid supplies. Still, he makes sure to keep at least one grounding hand on Vio, just to remind him he’s not alone.

“Still awake?” Shadow asks gruffly, clearing his throat. He places a glass bottle of alcohol and a roll of bandages onto the vanity, immediately pressing a clean cloth to the small bite wound.

“Just a little,” Vio slurs, the smile on his face growing. Then he frowns and furrows his brows, and it’s objectively adorable. “That’s not the right way to answer that, is it?”

Shadow removes the cloth. “You did very well.”

“Damn straight.”

“I’m going to disinfect the wound now,” Shadow says, pouring some of the alcohol onto a new cloth. “It will hurt, probably more than the bite itself, but only for a second.”

“I’ve had wounds disinfected before, Shadow,” Vio says, really drawing out the ‘sh’ in his name. “Do your worst.”

Shadow presses the cloth to the wound, hoping that in his relaxed state Vio will tolerate the pain. Shadow had done this before, of course, when he’d first brought Vio back to the castle—but the knight had been unconscious then, unable to resist his care. Now, Vio seizes up slightly, but seems not to mind.

“Done with that,” Shadow says, removing the cloth and putting it aside. “Almost finished, and then you can rest.”

“But my bed’s so far away,” Vio whines, his posture wilting. “Why do you need such a giant castle, anyway?”

“Sit up,” Shadow instructs as he unrolls the bandage. Vio does as he is asked, although there seems to be a time limit on his cooperation.

“You’ll use my bed,” Shadow tells him as he wraps the wound. “Right here, in this room.”

“I’d argue with that,” Vio says, and Shadow believes him, “but I really am exhausted. Are you done?”

Shadow finishes up the wrapping and places down the remaining bandage. “You’re all set. Think you can get yourself to the bed?”

He watches as Vio tries to stand on shaky legs, only to collapse back into the chair. Shadow takes that as his answer.

“Is it all right if I carry you?”

Vio looks like he’s already nodding off, but still grants him a slight nod. Shadow picks him up bridal-style, one arm supporting his back and one under his knees, and gently deposits him onto the large four-poster bed.

Shadow turns to leave and hears the rustling blankets as Vio tucks himself in. He’ll come back in a few hours with some water and food, as Vio will need to feed himself sooner rather than later to get back his strength. In the meantime, Shadow can begin thinking of ways to hunt that won’t result in his or Vio’s capture, for however long this arrangement between them persists.

He will not, however, allow himself to think of the many terrible ways it could end.

“Wait. Don’t go.”

Shadow slowly turns his head to see Vio, all cozied up in his bed, reaching out a limp hand.

“What do you need?” Shadow asks, already calculating how quickly he could get him a glass of water or entire loaf of bread. He said he liked pumpkin soup—Shadow could make that happen, probably, or at least he could try—

“No, I don’t…” Vio tries to sit up and Shadow moves to stop him, guiding him back into a relaxed position by the shoulder.

“Just rest, Vio. You need it after that.”

He turns to leave again, but feels Vio’s hand grab his own. Even while weak, the knight manages a firm grip.

“Wait,” Vio repeats, this time with a smile. “Stay here, with me. I’d like your company for a while, Shadow.”

A small gasp escapes Shadow’s lips.

Well.

It would be an effective way to monitor his health.

“I’ve never had another person in my bed,” Shadow admits, and he actually finds himself nervous at the prospect.

“Loser,” Vio teases, and squeezes Shadow’s hand twice. “But so am I. Don’t worry, I don’t mean anything by it.”

“What… what would you mean, if you did?”

“Dunno. I’m tired.”

Shadow blinks. He almost wants to pry harder, ask Vio how he really feels about him while his guard is down. But, of course, he could never actually take such advantage of his weakened state.

And besides… Shadow isn’t sure exactly how he feels, either—just that he does. Somehow, despite all the odds against them, he likes Vio and feels safe around him. Those are not easy bars for just any Hylian to clear, and Vio has managed both with surprising ease and only minimal blood loss.

He tucks himself in bed beside Vio, whose warm body is entirely foreign and admittedly pleasant. Shadow wonders what he’s meant to do next—lay beside Vio, leaving distance between them? It seems like a silly hesitation for someone who had his teeth in the knight’s neck just ten minutes ago, but an important one all the same.

Vio curls on his side to face Shadow, not-so-subtly making grabby hands in his general direction. “You could hold me, you know. If you want.”

And Shadow does want, meaning be damned. He takes Vio in his arms, allowing the knight to nuzzle into the space between his shoulder and neck. The irony of this is not lost on Shadow, although ‘irony’ may be too cruel a word for such a tender parallel.

Shadow wraps an arm over Vio’s waist and hears him sigh contentedly. “Shadow…”

“Yes, Vio?”

“I don’t want to lose you. I won’t… let them…get you…”

Shadow’s eyes widen, but only for a second. He shushes Vio and hears him exhale, almost as if he’s wanted to say those words for days.

Despite popular belief, a vampire’s heart does beat. It is the rate at which it beats that is determined by the amount of blood in their system. So it makes perfect sense that Shadow’s heart beats quickly now, given the recency and potency of his last feeding. It is an anatomical feature, divorced from emotion, and the notion of any other possible explanation is simply absurd.

Shadow watches Vio sleep peacefully in his arms and smiles.

Absurd.

#fs #four swords #four swords manga #vio link #shadow link #four swords vampire au #vidow #vio x shadow #my writing

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youmixxx · 2 years ago

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This is a small contribution to @kaitopitoo and @othervio ‘s FS vampire AU! The story immediately starts after the plot of Kaito’s comic. I’ve been greatly inspired by this AU and just needed to write a little something. Kaito has also created a few drawings related to this fic, and it is just such a great honor! I had a lot of fun writing this fic and I hope you guys enjoy it as well! Read the fic on Ao3 or underneath the marker! Thank you so much to the AU creators for allowing me to participate! :)

“Go find Green and Vio. I’ll stay with him.”

“Huh–” It didn’t occur to Blue right away that what Red demanded of him was probably close to a death wish, but when it did, it struck Blue like lightning. Leaving Red alone with a vampire?! Sure, they were all capable fighters in their own right. Still, Vio, as well as Green, were living proof that alone by themselves, they were nothing but weak meat sacks against a starving vampire. They couldn’t be trusted. It was a call for disaster. “H-Hey! Are you out of your goddamn mind?! I’m not just leaving you alone with him! Mind you, he was feasting on a dead animal! What do you think he will do to you once you’re alone with him? You remember what he did to Green and Vio, right?!”

Red turned towards him with a gentle, comforting smile, unfazed by his ranting. “Sure, I remember all that. But… What if what Vio said was true?” he offered softly, lowering his rod that was loosely resting in his hand. “I mean, just look at him! If he really posed a danger to us, why would he rather eat from an animal’s corpse rather than go on a hunt in the nearby villages?”

“Because he knows what awaits him when he gets caught! He’ll get killed. That’s why! That doesn’t stop him from jumping at the next closest opportunity when he gets it.”

“Still… Vio trusts him.” Red’s eyes lowered to where Shadow was still cowering on the floor, hunched over, hand pressed to his face in a vain attempt to stop his supposed meal from leaving his body, shaking and convulsing in a way that made Blue’s own guts constrict from nausea. “And we trust Vio, so… why can’t you trust him?”

Blue released a disdainful grunt in response, turning away from the scene and vigorously refusing to have his better half scratched by this pitiful sight, his consciousness stirred. As pathetic as this whole situation was, he couldn’t let it influence him. What if this was a ploy? What if he lured them into believing he was defenseless and entirely at their mercy? Vampires couldn’t be trusted. They were the enemy, vicious, disgusting things that could mess with their minds, break bodies and alter their perception in order to suck the life out of them like humongous ticks. They were nothing more than evil reshaped in its most devious form, a stain upon this holy land that belonged to their grace Zelda. That was why they became hunters and devoted their whole life to–erasing these pests from the earth’s surface. It was their duty, their calling. And suddenly, everything they had believed until this point was supposed to be what? Nothing but a lie?

“Have you forgotten about the oath we swore?” Blue hissed back, facing Red again, the grip on his sword so tight it made the leather of his handle churn angrily from the abuse. “We are hunters, Red. It is our job to kill the likes like him. We should take and kill him as we speak! And you want to reason with me about trust?!”

“Blue…”

“Vio threw away our trust when he decided to return to this pest! He-!”

“But what if he is right?! What if they aren’t what we think they are? What do we really know about them apart from what Zelda told us?” Red countered sharply, his eyes fierce with determination. “Oath or not, you can’t deny that this whole thing is not adding up anymore! If Shadow is the killer we take him for, why is Vio still alive? Why is Green still alive? Why is he drinking the blood of a decaying animal? Don’t you at least think it’s strange that none of our expectations about vampires have been met yet?”

Blue grit his teeth, shaking his head furiously in denial. “Even so, Zelda’s words stand above everything-!”

“Forget about Zelda’s words and look for yourself!” Red stepped aside, gesturing at the pitiful pile of misery still moaning and wheezing in agony. “Does this look like a dangerous killer to you?!”

This time, Blue couldn’t find it within himself to argue, for one, because he knew he was in the wrong to agree and, maybe, just maybe, a part of him wanted to doubt, wanted to believe what Vio said to be true. But he couldn’t. It spoke against his principles, against every fiber of his being that had spent sweat, blood, and tears into becoming a hunter, becoming Zelda’s extension to execute her will. Allowing himself to doubt was a betrayal beyond fixing, a stab in the back to his queen, comrades, and himself. It just couldn’t be… if only he had enough evidence, enough proof to justify this.

Evidence. Proof. Vio’s word couldn’t be trusted, not with him being the only person around Shadow and staying alive. He could be brainwashed, manipulated, or something along those lines. However, one judgment he could trust–his own. So if he stayed behind and remained alive as well… perhaps that could sway his opinion.

“Fine then,” Blue sighed, his features softening while remaining sharp and focused. “You go find the others. I’ll stay here.” The smaller man’s eyes widened in surprise.

“B-But-”

“I’ll see for myself how harmless he really is…and how much the bookworm’s judgment is worth. And, if things go south after all, I can buy us more time than you can. We both know I’m stronger. Now go.” Red seemed like he wanted to object, his mouth opening, the look in his eyes indecisive. But despite all this, he remained quiet, closed his mouth again, and gave Blue a meaningful nod before quickly skipping into a sprint back to town. Blue’s attentive gaze followed him until he disappeared behind the trees and shrubs, and the sound of steps lost itself in the distance. Only the airy wheezes of the vampire before him remained, him still dealing with the aftermath the foul drink had caused, but now calm enough to grace him with a spiteful stare from below under painfully slow and controlled breaths.

“You should have followed your friend….” Shadow groaned, his hand reaching up to wipe off the remains running down his chin.

Blue’s eyes narrowed. “Is that a threat, scum?!”

“No.” Blue would have taken it as a lie if it hadn’t sounded so annoyed and strangely nonchalant. “... you’re just wasting your time.”

“I wonder if you’ll say the same once we have you tied to the stake and burnt just like the rest of your cursed kin.”

The corners of Shadow’s mouth moved up to a crooked smile, but it appeared sadder than… amused. “I can’t say it enough… but killing me is pointless.”

“Is that what you told Vio as well?” Blue scoffed. “I’d be shocked if this was all the convincing he needed to believe you. And here I thought he was the smart one.”

“He is the smart one,” Shadow insisted, pushing himself up slowly. Blue pulled the tip of his sword forward, ready to strike at any given time should he decide to attack. He intently watched his every move, every little twitch of a muscle. However, despite his expectation, he remained peaceful, not moving rapidly. “He immediately understood that slaughtering my people served nothing other than that supposed savior king’s wicked fantasy. And that bitch of a queen on the throne right now is no better. She is but the mere image of her father’s insanity.”

“How-!” Of course. Tarnishing the mighty king’s and Zelda’s name suited a vampire just right. Blue’s anger flared with newfound fuel, and he thrust the sword forward as a warning. “Don’t you even dare say her grace’s name!” Completely unfazed, Shadow moved the blade aside with a swift brush of his hand, his expression remaining unnervingly neutral, pushing Blue further into defensiveness, expecting something underhanded to happen any second now. Vampires were known to be unpredictable. But no worries. If he wound up dead, his friends would know what to do and take out that monster once and for all. He’d gladly take it if all it took to clear the fronts was his sacrifice.

“Your queen means nothing to me. She is an heir to a bloody throne, nothing else. Protect her all you want, and praise her name. She will always be a murderer.”

“She? A murderer?!” Blue spat, infuriated, his arms shaking from adrenaline. “It was you! You and your cursed kin! Don’t you think we’ve already forgotten what you did to us, all the innocent people you slaughtered like pigs!”

Another exhausted sigh. “You mortals are so quick to forget… But I guess it’s easier to put the blame on others, isn’t it?”

“What are you saying, filth? The blame for what?!”

“You said we murdered your people, but you completely ignore that it all started with your people, not mine,” Shadow explained. “It was you who attacked us first, not us. You wanted us gone while we were just trying to get around. It was you who invaded our land and took everything away that once belonged to us. That doesn’t sound very fair, does it?”

“That’s-” Blue swallowed heavily, unable to wrap his head around what the vampire was trying to convey. Was it supposed to be their fault? Nonsense! Lies. Just more lies. He wasn’t going to fall for it. He wouldn’t be as naive as Vio! “-That’s a fucking lie! We never-!”

“That’s what your precious Zelda wants you to believe–that it’s all lies. Do you know what else she wants you to believe? That she has a claim to this land, that it’s hers. It had never been her land. It’s the land of my people, the land your kin invaded under the savior king. But it was never an invasion, right? It was but an attempt to save everyone, even though there was nothing to save, to begin with. But it sounds better to suggest your ancestors saved everyone from the evil vampires instead of saying that you murdered vampires for the sake of murdering them.”

“Shut up-!”

“Because that’s what you did, what your precious king wanted. He wanted us all dead-”

“Shut up—!”

“And now that bitch of a queen is continuing on her legacy of killing and more killing and justifying it as saving-”

“SHUT UP—!” Unable to contain his anger any longer, Blue drew his sword up before bringing it back down with a powerful slash. His blade met little to no resistance as the body in front of him seemed to tear apart into black shreds, recollecting and reassembling tiny, leathery wings and dashing past his face in a rush of cold wind and ear-piercing shrieks. He spun quickly, catching Shadow staring back at him from arm’s length, wholly unharmed and hardly impressed.

“Don’t,” the vampire warned, his tone flat. “I told you it’s pointless to fight me.”

“As if I’m going to listen to a pest like you!” Blue lashed out once more with a grunt, but again the vampire dispersed into the air and swished past him, his blade singing menacingly as it connected with the ground.

Curse this—!

Tempting his luck, Blue blindly threw the sword around himself in a circle, letting the weight of the steel carry his body as he smoothly turned with the move. Still, the other saw it coming immediately and dodged again, reappearing a few steps away in his field of vision. Blue gritted his teeth in frustration as he regained his balance, pulling the sword in front of his body like a shield. “You–! Stop messing around! Fight me honorably, coward!”

“Honorably?” Shadow mocked, his fangs flashing against the stark light of the moon under his mildly amused grin. “In which way is it honorable to die for a genocidal maniac and his offspring?” Blue’s blood roared with fury, his arms shaking violently from how tightly he was clutching his weapon, teeth bared, his jaw tense. This disgusting low-life just couldn’t stop. To hell with waiting. He would no longer listen to this preposterousness. He would finish this abomination here and now. No one called his queen and the mighty king names like that!

“That’s it–!” Completely blinded by rage and stripped of all caution, Blue charged forward, tempting his fate and slashing at the vampire in a storm of dancing silver. Each move was controlled and focused, his feet like ankers against the ground while his upper half floated from stance to stance. He had been training for this day since he was little, spent sleepless nights perfecting each little move, each twitch of a muscle. It would all come to use now, and he would give it his all. Serve his queen. Serve this land and its people. All that devotion he had put into his body to fulfill his calling. Everything, he would do everything to meet his purpose, that which he had sworn himself into–even if it cost him his life.

But it only did so little when his opponent ran past his grasp like ink dripping through his fingers like he was trying to cut down a wafty curtain dancing in the wind. Shadow shifted into his semi-present state, where he could evade the blade’s sharp edge, but Blue found confidence in the knowledge that it couldn’t go on like this forever. At some point, the vampire had to grow tired, weakened, and thirsty from the start, but so could he. The question was, who would give in first?

“Quit– it–!” Blue hissed through clenched teeth, his head spinning as he tried to focus on the black shreds before him, not stopping his furious assault. “You can’t dodge forever! Might as well give up now!” In response, the shreds collected to bats again and wildly began to circle around Blue’s head, tiny claws picking at his hair, tearing his collar and scarf, and obscuring his vision. “Hngh–! Damn it!” It did what it was supposed to do. Blue fell out of rhythm to instead wave and slap at the tiny creatures distracting him. He stumbled away in a rush. Shadow used the opportunity to gain distance and reappear again, his expression mere annoyance rather than the possibility of fear.

“Stop this nonsense….” Shadow groaned, struggling to stand upright, a little slouch to his stance. “You’ll achieve nothing out of this.”

“Why stop?” Blue panted heavily, smoothly flinging his sword through his hand as he pointedly stepped forth once more. “I’m only getting started.”

Shadow’s gaze darkened. “Believe me, you don’t want me to hurt you. So don’t make me.”

“I’m not scared of you.” Taking a deep breath, Blue lifted his blade purposefully, eyes sharp. “You can threaten me all you want. I’m not running away. You’ve caused far too much trouble already, hurt people, hurt my friends, brainwashed Vio into believing your vicious lies, and stained my queen’s name! I have to put an end to this. I’m not leaving until I put you out of your miserable existence!”

Blue’s arms extended out wide as he built up momentum for another strike as he dashed forward, mouth torn open to release the roar humming against the back of his throat. He brought the sword down fast, and, this time, Shadow did not budge, almost as if accepting his fate. That was it! He had him! He had him! However, before the steel could connect, there was a flash of black, and Blue felt the hilt of his sword being torn out of his grasp, followed by a sharp sting running along his upper right arm.

“Ack–!” The force with which his sword had been sent flying caused his body to helplessly tilt to the side. He managed to brace himself, skipping to stop, and watched bitterly as his sword landed a good few feet away from him, throwing up dust and dirt as it landed with a shattering sound. For fuck’s sake-!. His left hand shot up as the slight sting turned into a full-fleshed burn, feeling the rough edges of his torn shirt and something warm and moist collecting in his palm. A small inconvenience. Blue had had a couple of injuries before. That little cut wouldn’t hinder him much. However, it didn’t quite occur to Blue just yet that this small inconvenience, in addition to him being without any protection, had just so created a mixture of disaster. The reality of it only struck him when he looked back at Shadow, his pupils dilated, any kind of expression melting from his features as something primal seemed to take hold of him. His hollow gaze fixated on Blue, pinning him down securely like an archer with his target, the blue of his iris slowly fading to a vibrant ruby red. No thoughts laid behind those eyes, only an intense hunger that needed to be quenched and a maliciousness that promised an agonizing death.

The blood… he could smell it.

“... I beg you….” Shadow’s voice was distant, a desperate call from a faraway place. “Run….”

Blue hadn’t been scared before, but seeing the other detach himself like this, letting his instincts take over, he couldn’t help but let his ego fall and feel the dread grow in his chest. This wasn’t just fun and games anymore. This was serious.

“... leave….”

The hand around his arm clutched the wound tighter despite the pain, almost as if he was hoping it would keep the smell away, but he knew better than to believe that. Nothing could hide the scent of a vampire’s most precious fluid, especially not a starving one.

“... just… leave, please…!” Blue quickly searched for his sword in the distance, finding it glistening in the moonshine, too far away for his liking but still close enough if he just made it there fast enough. The rigid grip of fear let loose enough for him to slowly move backward, mentally hoping that Shadow would keep himself together until he made it there. Nothing rash now. Otherwise, this would end quickly and… very messily.

“Blood….” Blue swallowed heavily, nervously glancing between the vampire slowly unraveling before his eyes and the sword that, with a lot of luck, might save him. He could run, but to what avail? There was no running away from a vampire. He would get to him faster than he could scream for help. “Blood… I– need blood–!”

Shit… shit! Only a little further. He almost had it!

“... I need it…. I need it! I need it– NOW!”

There was no time. Blue took a leap for it and dashed. It was either waiting for demise or taking the risk of turning his back and maybe saving his sorry ass. He couldn’t count on the others. Knowing his luck, they weren’t even close. It began as a one-on-one, and it would end as such–and he was on the short end of it. How short, he would witness right away because he didn’t get far before two arms pulled him right back, clinging to his body strong and unyielding like iron chains, hands clawing at his chest, daring him to try and resist. His collar was yanked off forcefully, cotton ripping, exposing his neck to the cold air.

But the frigid touch of nature wouldn’t last long. What first felt like a nasty prick instantly turned to an overwhelming pain that had every single fiber of his body vibrate in resonance as the vampire pierced through his skin, sinking his fangs mercilessly into his neck. Venom quickly burned through his veins, raw and hot, a scream erupting from his lungs as it took hold of him, forcing him into submission and stunning him momentarily. But, for the smallest of frames, his self-preservation began to take over, and Blue struggled against his captor, leeching off of him with fierce determination.

“Let go–!” Blue brought out breathlessly, pushing against the arms around him, jerking and twisting, tilting his head back and forth, anything to free himself. But Shadow stayed persistent, too entranced by his meal and having every means to continue feasting.

“Re-lease— me!”

Then, Blue managed to reach around himself and get his hand on Shadow’s face. Without thinking, he got a fist full of Shadow’s hair and yanked as hard as possible. It showed effect as Shadow tore his mouth open in a howl of pain, and Blue used the disturbance to shove him off for good. Blue stumbled forward, nearly kissing the floor without the other’s strong hold, and ran for his sword. He picked it up with shaky hands, righting himself and ignoring the pulsing sensation along his side and the hot stream of blood running over his neck and shoulder. His stance was wobbly, unsteady, his legs heavy like cement, the rush of adrenaline making his head spin. The image of Shadow, standing there with this dumbfounded, almost shocked expression on his face, tilted dangerously from side to side. For a second, he was convinced he would charge at him again like before, but instead, he just stayed put, eyes strangely clear, his mania barely present any longer. Had he drunk enough to be sane again? Or had the sudden disturbance beaten it back into him? Whatever it was, it gave Blue enough time to steady himself–and make one last attempt.

This wasn’t over yet.

“... you… filthy pest–!”

His sword weighed a ton as Blue strenuously lifted it over his head for a swing. One step, barely a second step, and suddenly, his body turned numb, his legs giving in, his sword leaving his loose grip, and he tilted forward, completely at the mercy of earth’s unyielding gravity. The ground wouldn’t quite embrace him yet as he felt a strong pull, something, whatever it was, holding him up in the air, causing his useless meat shell to hover. His vision swam from dizziness, white and black blotches dancing before his eyes. If it hadn’t been for his mind still rioting from panic and his sheer will to survive, he would have long surrendered to whatever was sucking the energy from his bones. But he was still there, he was scrambling, kicking… maybe. He wasn’t sure if he was still resisting. He had to fight somehow. He couldn’t die like this. He just couldn’t die like this! So undignified, so exposed, so shamefully. This couldn’t be the end yet…

I can’t… I can’t die… Leave me! Leave me be–!

“You won’t die….” Blue heard a strange echo through his detaching mind. “Please… stop resisting. I don’t want to hurt you more than I have to. Please stop… I- I’m just so thirsty.”

Blue’s vision cleared a little, and he realized he was facing the sky, half laying half leaning against something or someone, gentle hands holding him, cold hands, but so incredibly gentle, on his arm, as they brushed back his hair.

“It’s okay. You’ll be okay. Just… don’t resist me.”

The anxious voice in his chest told Blue not to listen, but a part of him wanted to believe that strange, comforting echo. Don’t resist… What was he actually resisting? His head felt pleasantly empty. What was there to resist?

“... please forgive me.”

Through the numbness, Blue felt his body twitch violently, a familiar sensation running through him, one that should have alerted him right away. Still, he couldn’t find it within himself anymore to care, not with how fast his head and body seemed to shut down. The only things that remained were a foreign cold, a burn against his neck, and the mesmerizing sight of the moon against the blackened sky.

…

Some time might have passed. Blue remembered someone calling his name, but whatever followed ran through his head like water through a sieve.

“... Hey.”

The swishing of the curtain surrounding his bed had already become too familiar, a sound that–despite being quiet–always managed to unpleasantly pull him out of his semi-delirious state. Reality and sleep still seemed to fade into one another. It was hard to tell whether he was truly awake, grasping what was happening around him, or simply swimming in yet another vivid fever dream immediately forgotten as soon as this unfamiliar soreness crept back into his sense of self. He became awfully aware of the dull ache flaring along the curve of his neck and felt himself groan internally from resignation.

He felt it now, quite prominently so. Therefore, the small ball of light slowly closing in from the foot of his bed had to be real, and so was Vio’s calm form taking shape behind the candle’s soft glow. Vio, huh? Maybe he was dreaming after all. Whenever would Vio come to visit him?

“How are you feeling?” Blue idly watched through half-lidded eyes as Vio gently placed the candle on his nightstand before slowly sinking down on an empty spot on the bed, the mattress shifting ever so slightly under his weight, sending waves of strain through his entire form despite all the caution. His gaze was mild, analyzing, and also sort of expectant in a way. It took Blue a moment to realize that what Vio had said to him had most certainly been a question, one he would probably expect an answer to. He ended up juggling it through his head repeatedly to make some sense of it.

“... how do you think I’m feeling?” His voice was rough, throat still sore from screaming, most likely, and lack of moisture, but the message came across, forcing a light chuckle from the other.

“Can’t be too terrible if you manage to be sassy about it. Though, I have a suspicion.” A light way to say that he had a decent idea of how he was feeling, having been there before, if not multiple times by now. Blue could only wonder why one would volunteer to undergo this over and over again. It was far from pleasant the first time, and he greatly doubted it would get better the more frequently it happened. Frankly speaking, the circumstances hadn’t been ideal for him, and he didn’t necessarily contribute to making it easier on himself. Oh well, he was smarter now, which didn’t mean he was keening for another go. And definitely not now anyway. He was fine just being alive. “Can you sleep alright?”

“It comes and goes, but it’s far from restful,” Blue replied honestly under a long sigh, letting his head fall to the side to watch Vio reach for his drinking cup while pulling a brown, ominous bottle from his belt. The liquid pouring into the cup looked like ink against the candlelight, viscous in its quality and harboring a strange, sweet smell. “What’s this?”

“I’m not entirely familiar with all its contents, but it’ll help you recover faster,” Vio explained casually, stopping the bottle again. “Shadow gave me something similar when he first bit me.” Reaching down, Vio looped his arm around Blue’s shoulders and carefully lifted him up into a sitting position. Even though he tried his best to cooperate, the urge to succumb to the dizziness and soreness and flop right back into the sheets was strong. So, in the end, most of the workload was on Vio despite his efforts, leaving Blue shamefully resting against his side to brace himself as he couldn’t trust his body to hold him upright, shaking like a leaf as the warm embrace of his blanket slipped off his shoulders. Vio was thankfully foreseeing enough to not let go of him and held the cup steady for him as he had barely any strength in his hand to hold it by himself, shaking with the hardship of lifting it up to his mouth. Unlike the smell suggested, the drink wasn’t particularly sweet but herby and overwhelmingly fruity and sour, like someone had boiled a whole tree of apples down and combined it into this syrupy, goopy sludge.

He had difficulties swallowing all of it, but Vio’s persistence made him finish it despite the distaste.

“... nasty…” Blue exhaled harshly, feeling the drink annoyingly clinging to the back of his throat.

“I know,” Vio said with empathy in his eyes as he lowered the cup. “But it helps, I assure you.” He waited briefly, studying Blue’s posture with finical precision before slowly pulling his arm away, making sure he sat steady enough without his aid, which he did. But he was still shaking mercilessly. “Are you cold?”

“Very….” Not needing further words, Vio reached for the blanket draped over the foot of Blue’s bed and laid it over his shoulders, wrapping him up securely to shield him from the relatively cool ambient but knowing awfully well that it probably did nothing short of an improvement. Nevertheless, Blue could still appreciate the gesture. His eyes darted back to the bottle. A strange shape, kind of dated. “Did Shadow give this to you?”

“Uhm–” Vio needed to follow his gaze briefly to follow his trail of thought. “Oh, yes. It’s from him.”

“Did you meet him?”

“I did. Or, well, tried to would be a better way to call it.” Blue raised a brow at the remark, causing Vio to act sourly. “He– is keeping himself covered. He hardly ever leaves his place, to begin with, but he thinks it’s best if we keep our distance for now.”

“Sounds like it bothers you….” The look in Vio’s eyes was empty as he met Blue’s eyes briefly. It lasted a couple of seconds, silently conveying the conflicting feelings of the other before he averted his gaze entirely.

“He feels very guilty for what he did to you, Blue. It rarely happens to him that he snaps like this. At least, that’s what he said,” he sighed in defeat. “From what I’ve witnessed, he is perfectly able to control his urges… but I guess he fears he could do the same to me now, and that’s why he doesn’t want me around.” Vio seemed to notice that his tone conveyed guilt, and he chewed the inside of his cheek in an immediate response, attempting a different explanation. “Don’t get me wrong, what happened to you was unforgivable. He shouldn’t have done it-”

“But he still did.”

“But it wasn’t a conscious choice he made,” Vio quickly intervened sharply. “That’s who he is. He is a vampire. He needs blood to survive, and if he was starving the way he described it, he would have jumped anyone nearby if they had been bleeding.” Blue pondered on this statement for a bit, recalling the memories from that night, that divisiveness between that feral being inside of him that thirsted for a drink and his consciousness trying to relent. Even though he hadn’t seen it back then, he knew now that nothing could have prevented this from happening. And, to be frank, he also did nothing to detain the inevitable and instead played right into Shadow’s claws. It was meant to happen, and, all circumstances considered, he sure could call himself lucky that Shadow had been sane enough to not kill him within the skirmish.

“... I know that,” he finally uttered, canting his head slowly.

“What?”

“I know he didn’t have a choice. Nobody with the benefit of choice begs you to run away from them,” Blue explained, meeting Vio’s eyes firmly. “And they certainly don’t apologize for what they did if they willingly committed themselves to it.”

“You…” Vio appeared startled upon the reveal, mouth agape in a lack of fitting words.

“I’m not a fool, Vio. He knew what was coming and he wanted to prevent it from happening. If he had every intention of biting me and killing me in the process, why would he do that? It doesn’t make sense.”

“So…” Vio finally closed his mouth, his expression hardening. “You believe me when I say he is… not what we think he is?” Believe. It might be a harsh term to mention, not after everything he had believed about vampires had been shattered to pieces. But, with what he had just witnessed and what he had gone through, it was easier to accept this reality as a given. It wasn’t all black and white, vampires evil, Zelda good. He understood that now. But what was truly right? He wasn’t so sure.

“I– honestly don’t know what to believe,” Blue responded sincerely, taking a sharp inhale, his head growing heavy on his shoulders. “I mean, Zelda must have her reasons for wanting vampires dead and gone. And she isn’t heartless either. It’s a fact that many of Shadow’s kin have killed Hylians before, ruthlessly so. Whether it was self-defense in the end or not doesn’t matter. However, it doesn’t justify punishing someone for… what they are, or does it? And, if what Shadow said carries any value, vampires and the likes like us could live together. So why all this now?” Vio nodded vigorously, seemingly sharing the same ideas as him. It wasn’t easy to see this through, but given their current situation, it wouldn’t get easier either, not when the broad mass was convinced of the bad and evil that vampires resembled. One thing Blue was sure of, however, was that Shadow wasn’t at fault. If anything, he just tried to survive… just like they did.

“When you meet him again,” Blue added after a long pause. “Tell him he is forgiven. But- I’d rather not have him near me as of now. Not that I’ll be going anywhere any time soon… though… ugh–!” The longer he sat, the more he felt his energy leave him, his body wobbly and unsteady. His hand already shot up to hold himself up on Vio’s shoulder, the other clutching the side of his face as his head started to throb and his ears sang with white noise. Vio was alerted before he could even voice what was wrong and got his hands on him before he could tilt to the sides.

“Shit… ‘m light-headed….”

“I know. Come on, lay down. I got you. Easy now.” The pillow swallowed his head as Vio gently lowered him back down, his limbs heavy like stone bricks against the mattress. Sinking, sinking… his body just constantly sank without stopping. Blue carefully blinked his eyes open, the haze of dizziness settling again, Vio hovering over him as he tugged the additional blanket in place, making sure to wrap him up tightly. It was probably a wasted effort because Blue was still unpleasantly cold, but just having his body tugged in and pulled together like this was quite comforting. “Get some rest. Red will look after you in the morning.”

“I’ll try….” Blue hummed, closing his eyes as his eyelids grew heavy instantly. “Just… don’t do anything stupid.” There was a noise of confusion, and he attempted an explanation but was already drifting off into the abyss that was his wildly deteriorating sub-consciousness. A part of him was worried about Vio. Even though he could understand his motivation better now, he also understood the danger that came with it. Vio was the type to settle things by himself. And if he had learned one thing in the past, it never ended well.

He could only hope that Vio–smart and foreseeing as often claimed–was indeed smart enough to see that this was an affair that he couldn’t fix by himself. Not this time.

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