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brutal-nemesis · 3 years ago

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Arthropod Day 2021: 🦀Time For Crab 🦀

Malacostraca Moment 😳🦀

So fun story I wanted this to be on a Saturday because SIDEWAYS SATURDAY but when I was deciding on the date I looked at the calendar for July without realizing it. Happy Sideways Stuesday I guess?

Castys Masterlist

Ingredients: drowning mention, animal attack (kinda chill tho it’s not really violent), dehydration, autocannibalism mention, parasitic insects, partial nudity, heckin surgery (but it’s CONSENSUAL (⊙ˍ⊙) who am I), suicide for convenience (immortal)

“This looks like a lovely spot for a vacation; thank you guys so much for finding it for me.” The small dingy had just landed on a sandy beach enclosed by dark rocks on either side, a lush forest leading deeper into the island. Casyts’s captor glared at him before harshly tugging the rope tied to his wrists, trying to get him to stand and step onto the beach with her.

“Shut your trap, Ragnarok, or I might change my mind about gagging you. Now get up or I’ll have my men drag you.”

Castys sighed and rolled his eyes, getting up and following her so his rope burn didn’t get any worse. “Aye aye, Yvonne.”

“That’s Captain Veldna to you,” she growled, jerking him forward. He stumbled a bit, but he was able to catch himself before he got sand up his nose. He debated trying to yank the rope out of her hands and running away or stealing the boat, but her very strong men were right behind him and that would probably just end in him having extra bruises. So he just followed her like a stupid little goat as she led him towards the rocks, hoping she wouldn’t leave him tied up so he could at least enjoy his time being stranded. But no, this was about sending a message to his crew or making him suffer or something. He didn’t really remember, he’d been dazed as hell when he’d initially gotten captured during a fight between their two ships. Blood loss was a bitch sometimes.

They forced him to sit with his back against a large rock, yanking his bound hands above his head and worming a large nail through the knotted rope before hammering it into the rock. “Not gonna lie, this seems a little extra. I’m not going to go anywhere, so, like, just let me-” Yvonne slapped him harshly across the face.

“You’re not here to have fun, you annoying little parrot.” She looked over at her men, who had just finished tying his ankles together and nailing them down in a similar fashion to his wrists. “If you lot are done, let’s leave.” She turned back to Castys, a wicked grin on her face. “I wonder how many times you’ll die before your crew finds you?”

“My money’s on eight. Do you want me to keep track and tell you next time we see each other? If only I could write in a diary what horrors I suffer sitting on this warm rock that you tied me to during high tide so I won’t even drown later. Now that-agh!” Yvonne stabbed him in the stomach, and Castys bit back a scream as she twisted her blade.

“The sound of your silence is something I could get used to.”

“Well, the real question is, is silence actually a sound-” Castys’s very valid observation was cut off by the bitch yanking out her sword and promptly kicking him in the stomach. He couldn’t help but cry out, doubling over as far as he could. Yeah, yeah he should probably just shut the fuck up and let them get on their merry way before he got more unnecessary injuries.

“Enjoy your vacation, Ragnarok,” Yvonne spat. As one last gesture of maturity, she kicked sand at him before walking off, and some of it definitely got in his stab hole, so that was nice. He watched them row away, sighing. Now it was just boredom city, but hey, at least he had a nice beach view. The sun was a few hours away from setting, not that it mattered that much since his skin was dark enough that he probably wasn’t going to get sunburned.

Being tied to a rock on the beach was...just about as boring as he expected. His arms got all tingly after a while from being stuck above his head, so he couldn’t even properly relax, and a man could only watch little waves roll for so long. He had a nice view of the setting sun, and hey, that means the light of dawn wouldn’t be shining in his face. While the sun was still a little ways above the horizon, he heard an odd rustling noise over in the vegetation, different from the background sounds he had gotten used to. He looked over, hoping it was a friendly man with a knife.

It was not a friendly man with a knife. But it wasn’t something bad, either. “Oh shit hello crabs!” Castys watched as they scuttled out of the treeline onto the beach, glad to have something fun to watch. One of them was slowly making its way towards him, and Castys wondered if he would be able to convince it to snip his bindings. “Hey there mister crab man, come on down, and please for the love of god untie me.” Yes, yes he was talking to a crab, because why not go full send on the insanity right away? It would be so much more fun, and it’s not like anyone else was here to judge him. “Yeah crab get in my zone-wow you’re kinda big.” He’d thought the crab was closer to him, but nope, it had been farther away but giant. Not like giant giant but not, like, normal crab size. It was almost as big as his torso maybe, but he was never great at estimating the relative sizes of things.

“You’re large but you’re a gentleman, ain’t ya? I don’t know why, but you just seem like a polite fellow.” The crab stopped not too far from Castys and just looked at him blankly. Or maybe it was making a face at him, but he couldn’t read crab body language. Could anyone read crab body language? Crabs, he would hope. “Could you bring me some tea, good sir? Or just...water. Water that’s not salty. I don’t actually like tea it literally tastes like nothing but you know what I would drink it now because I am thirsty.” There was a moment of silence. “Not like thirsty in the weird way some people are. I have no idea what that’s about. But like, I want water. Or...oh my god, Mr. Crab, bring me a coconut!” Castys closed his eyes and leaned his head back. “Yeah… that would be nice. Food and water and it’s prepackaged and I don’t know how I would eat it because my hands are tied but I’ll figure it out.”

A sudden sharp pinch against his wound jolted Castys out of his daydream. He looked down in horror to see that the crab was holding something in its claws. Something pinkish-red that was dripping blood down onto the sand. The bastard. The crab brought the piece of his flesh to its mouth and just ate it while staring right at Castys. “That,” he blinked in surprise a few times, “was incredibly rude.” The crab stayed still, watching him as it did its weird mouth movements that were maybe chewing. “You are absolutely not a gentleman. I rescind everything. You little garbage boy. Rapscallion. I bet you never get invited to the crab raves.”

And the crab. Had the audacity. To reach out its stupid pincher. And do it again. “Little bitch!” Castys yelled, squirming against the ropes in an attempt to scare the thing off. Shockingly, it did not work, because wounded, dying prey squirmed all the time, and...that’s pretty much what Castys was in this scenario, wasn’t he? He was just stuck sitting here while that stupid crab ripped off little pieces of him with its stupid crab pincher and put them in its stupid crab mouth. If he was lucky, this would make him bleed out and die faster and then he wouldn’t have an open wound anymore, which would be a bonus. Though, it had sand in it, and then if it healed…

A problem for another day.

Not the next day, though, or the one after, because, hooray, he was still tied to a rock, so even though he did die a few hours later, he couldn’t do anything about the Sand In His Insides. He made up a song about it, but singing it loudly did absolutely nothing to scare away the crab, whom he had named Crabstard (Crab Bastard). Crabstard seemed to think Castys was his new best friend, coming back regularly for meals. Castys liked to imagine killing and eating Crabstard as a show of dominance, but that made him wonder...would eating Crabstard be a form of autocannibalism? Because Crabstard had eaten him...

He wasn’t sure what was worse, Crabstard and his stupid giant pinchers, or the mosquitoes. There weren’t a ton of them, but their bites were just awful, littering his arms and legs with swollen, white boils, which were unusual and also very concerning but what the fuck could he do about it. Because of course he couldn’t scratch them, and they itched so much it hurt and he just had to endure it. Just like he had to endure fucking everything. The heat of the sun, the awful tingling in his arms, the soreness of his wrists, Crabstard pinching off bits of his flesh, the maddening pain and itch of all his bug bites, the hunger and thirst, the boredom, and the...the loneliness.

No, he was fine, he was fine with just himself, it was always just him anyway. He wasn’t imagining his crew rowing to shore and untying him and tending to him in his cold, dark cabin, because he couldn’t get his hopes up, because they probably weren’t even coming for him. They were just going to leave him behind like everyone else and fuck he was wasting water like a useless idiot and he couldn’t stop or even wipe them away and he probably deserved this for everything he’d done so what did it matter?

And, great, the next day he started hallucinating a passing ship and a rowboat coming for him. Thank you, dehydrated whore brain! Let’s get our stupid little hopes up! Dang, the people on the boat kind of even looked like some of his crewmates, which was rude of his brain to make this so realistic looking.

It wasn’t until his first mate, Kaveri, was untying him that Castys realized that this was real, that they’d really...really come for him. “I’m so glad we found you, Captain.” She pulled him into a hug as soon as he was free, and he hugged her back as best he could with his sore arms.

“I’m glad y’all did, too.” He leaned back when she let go and looked down at himself, wincing. “Well, before we get back to the ship, I am going to deliver a much needed death upon mys-“

“Captain, Captain, wait,” the ship’s medic, Sixtus, called as he ran over. He knelt beside Castys, taking his arm and examining the bug bites closely. “I knew it. These bites all over you are...they contain fly larvae. We’re going to need to dig them out before you heal yourself.”

“...what if I’ve died since I’ve gotten bitten. Like, earlier.”

“Well.” Sixtus breathed in sharply. “We will just have to wait for them to, uh, let us know where they are.” He sighed. “For now, let’s get you back to the ship and I’ll get out the ones I can. I don’t have the tools for it with me.”

“Can I kill Crabstard first?”

“Crab...stard?” Kaveri gave him a concerned look, and Sixtus felt his forehead.

“He’s a very impolite giant crab. He is my rival. I wish to vanquish him.” The other two shared a look.

“Do you know where this...this crab is?” Sixtus tried.

Castys held up a finger and opened his mouth, pausing for a second before shutting it and blinking a few times. “I. I do not. He just scuttles out of the trees to commit crimes every now and then. He has no friends.”

“Alright, in that case, no. You’re in no condition to wander around the island looking for a crab.” Sixtus held out his hand. “So, come on.”

“Fiiiine,” Castys groaned, letting the taller man help him to his feet. He was a little unsteady, but he was able to make it to the boat with Kaveri’s help. As they rowed away, he turned back to the island one last time, cupping his hands around his mouth as he yelled, “Fuck you Crabstard I hope you starve and die in a pit and the other crabs eat you!”

Once they made it back to the ship, Sixtus ushered Castys into his office, instructing him to sit up on the examination table and take his shirt and pants off. Kaveri helped him, opting to stay in case Sixtus needed a hand. He examined Castys thoroughly, using a lightstone to get a good look at the swollen bug bites littering his body as well as the number of small wounds in his side.

“These from the, uh, crab?” Sixtus asked as he gestured to them.

“Yup. Him and his stupid pinchers.”

“Alright, I know you don’t really get infections, but I’m going to clean these out just to be safe.” He paused. “Also it just feels. Really wrong not to. It’ll bother me if I don’t.”

“Do whatever, doctor man.” Castys did his best not to let his pain show as Sixtus dabbed at his wounds with a stingy liquid. It really didn’t hurt that much, but when Kaveri placed her hand on top of his as he gripped the edge of the table, he didn’t wave her off. He’d let it be Fuss Over The Captain Day. For their sake. Because they seem to have been worried about him.

“Alright, I’m all done with that, so if you could lay down, Captain, I’ll get started with removing those larvae. Kaveri, get him some rum and then hold him down.” She nodded, leaving and returning soon after with a small cup.

“You know, I haven’t had water in days,” Castys mused before winking at her and downing its contents. Kaveri shook her head.

“You literally emptied my waterskin while we were rowing back.”

“Oh dang, I forgot. Nevermind I’m actually not funny and am just stupid.” He scooted a bit and laid down with his hands behind his head. “Get rid of my worms.”

“They’re not-they’re not worms, Captain, they’re insects, since-” Sixtus stopped himself, folding his hands in front of his mouth. “Nevermind.” He cleared his throat. “Arms at your sides, please. Kaveri, if you would.” She nodded, holding down his shoulders as Sixtus turned Castys’s arm, locating the first larva he was going to remove. Castys breathed in sharply as the knife sliced into his arm, doing his best to keep still as Sixtus slid a pair of tweezers into the wound. The rum dulled his senses enough that it didn’t hurt as much as it could, but it certainly wasn’t painless, and he couldn’t help but gasp as Sixtus slowly pulled a small, wriggling grub out of the incision. He dropped it in a metal tray, cleaned the wound, and picked up his knife.

Then the process started all over again.

Castys didn’t bother counting how many times those tweezers probed around inside him, how many wet little plops he heard as another larva dropped into the tray. He focused on staying still, on the prickle of the rough wood table against his bare back, on the feeling of Kaveri’s hands on his shoulders, more comforting than restraining. They reminded him that he wasn’t alone in his suffering, for once. But he wasn’t supposed to need comfort, he was their immortal captain, the one who’d been through everything before and was strong enough to go through it again, the one his crew could always depend on to be strong. And here he was, teeth gritted against the pain, his forehead resting against Kaveri’s arm, fists clenched to mask their shaking, all over a few cuts and some little maggots.

“Alright,” Sixtus wiped his brow with the back of his hand, “I think that’s all of ‘em. That I can see, at least.” He looked down at Castys. “You had seventeen of those things in you, Captain.” He grimaced. “And possibly more, so please let me know if you feel anything, uh, wiggling. But for now, you’re free to...die.”

“Can’t believe I got a new world record for worm friends.” Castys grabbed the small leather pouch that usually hung around his neck from his pile of clothes, pulling it open.

“They’re not worms-”

“Thank you, Sixtus.” With that, Castys stuck his finger in the pouch and touched his death stone. He came back to life feeling infinitely better, but Kaveri and Sixtus still insisted he rest after he cleaned himself up. He grumbled, but he let Kaveri force him into his bed and bring him something to eat. Once he was finished, she collected his plate and stood awkwardly by his bedside.

“Do...do you want me to come back, Castys? Will you be alright?”

“Look, I’m honestly fine, you’re good. I’ve been through a lot worse, and I’m all healed up now so it doesn’t really matter.”

She pursed her lips. “I suppose, but that doesn’t mean that that didn’t still take a mental toll on you, and…” she sighed. “Just...call me if you need anything, alright?”

“Will do.” She nodded, but as she started to walk away, Castys realized there was something he’d rather not leave unsaid. “Wait, Kaveri?”

“Yes?”

“Th...thank you. For, uh, finding me.”

“Of course, Castys. We’ll always be there for you.” Castys opened his mouth to reply, but he stopped himself and just smiled and nodded, his shoulders only falling once she’d left.

He wished that were true.

Castys Cult: @as-a-matter-of-whump @blackrosesandwhump @fanmanga1357-blog @thehopelessopus @just-a-whumping-racoon-with-wifi @hearse-song @muddy-swamp-bitch @whumpasaurus101 @yet-another-heathen @galaxywhump @starnight-whump @his-unspoken-words @misspelledwitch

#i wrote something #arthropod day #arthropod day 2021 #castys #immortal whumpee #dehydration cw #animal attack cw #painful caretaking #partial nudity #parasites cw #surgery whump #suicide for convenience #yes the rocks are basalt #welcome to castys's irrational hatred of crabs he now has a blood feud with any and all crabs #using my favorite life hack called ''these crabs are BASED on coconut crabs but since they are fantasy crabs they will do what i want''#the botfly larvae are botfly larvae ✨ grubby boys #i did write portions of this while on an actual beach so like 😎 kinda pog #wasn't gonna do the rescue bit but castys got sad and also that meant SURGERY #*gives sixtus my obsessive wound cleaning tendencies and adherence to biological classification schemes*#this random man can have these little traits of mine. as a treat #also i realized like a day after i named him that he is in the clan of lads who's names end in -us #six letter names that end in -us are simply peak boy name i dont take criticism #i literally have FOUR of them: erebus jairus corvus and sixtus

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jess-the-vampire · 5 years ago

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The Demon Next Door, Chapter 2

Previous / Next

Things got a little easier with Tom over the course of the next few days, not to say they had become the best of friends like he and star had almost instantly, but marco felt they were making better progress then before. Though Tom didn't really try to hang out with him after school and didn't even really call him at all, he quickly made it apart of his daily school routine to sit with marco and star at lunch and even got the hang of his schedule, making it to all his classes on time. Marco had the feeling maybe Tom still was a little uneasy about hanging out with friends he didn't know fully well, or maybe he just was that unsocial he wasn't yet comfortable with it. Though he had to admit his company was quite refreshing, Tom wasn't as zany as Star, he was a little more grounded and overall it was just nice to talk to someone who at least had a little more sense to him then the bubblly blonde who got into trouble every other week. Well, that wasn't all true, Tom's appearance and occasional bad mood seemed to make people anxious around him, but still, way easier to deal with then Star. Speaking of Which.... "Marcooooo pay attention! This test is tomorrow! Usually it's me who daydreams instead of studies..."

Star was of course hanging off his bed, upside down. But marco was more then used to it by now, snapping out of his current daydreaming to get back to their study session, star continuing her whining in the background. "You thinking about jackie again? Marco you just gotta go ask her out, otherwise some other guy or girl will ask her out before you and that plan of yours is never gonna work. Plus she like, really distracts you sometimes and i need you in top shape to pass some of these classes...". "Star, i can't help you with your homework anymore or you might get in trouble again...", he said, flipping through his book, "And besides, this time it wasn't jackie, i swear...i already got my plan for her all figured out..I think, anyways don't worry about it!". Star started to sit herself on the bed properly shoving the book into her face and grumbling, "Yeah but maybe we can do a better job this time? Maybe your handwriting a little less recognizable?". Marco didn't seem to find it funny though, shooting her a look as she sighed, "Fine fine, fine fine fine....no more cheating...." She groaned even more as she flipped open the book and peered over it, if only for a little bit to look over at the smiling human, humming as he read his textbook in content. "So...what were you thinking about then? I swear i'm not trying to stall i'm just....you normally don't think about anything but jackie anymore...like i know the dance is coming up later on but still....when was the last time you and me talked about all the stains on your ceiling looking like really cute animals again?". Marco snorted, "I do think about other things then jackie! Karate, music, my classes, and for the record...I was thinking about tom.". She groaned, the thought of that boy instantly kicking her into an further annoyed state, "Really? He hasn't left you alone at school since he showed up, he's not that cool....". The way she spoke, however, made marco think she didn't entirely believe what she was saying as he closed the book he was reading and put it down, so much for studying tonight. "Well i mean, he's the new kid, so he's just a little uncomfortable these days...new surroundings and people and all that! I'm sure he's just really thankful to have someone he can kinda rely on here!". She raised an eyebrow, "You didn't do that for me...?". "Star....when you arrived you chewed on the water fountain and skipped along the halls screaming at people, you were a little different when you moved....besides, tom seems...perfectly fine...I don't mind him hanging out with me....i'm honestly not used to anyone wanting to hang out with me besides you.". But Star still didn't seem pleased, her mood around tom was the polar opposites to marco's, while Marco found him kinda pleasant, star seemed to think he was horrible, while marco was always tempted to greet, him, star always stuck up her nose and ignored him. It was quiet strange for star especially, as a rather friendly student. She had been the one to want to have tom as their friend, and marco was iffy on adding anyone into their friend group, and as soon as both met him it seemed to go entirely in reverse. Marco had asked of course, but she never answered why she didn't seem to like him. Though he had his suspicions. Star's dating life was something marco was more then used to at this point, and how she approached dating and how he approached dating were very different things. Star was more out there then marco, and planned a lot less, and was known to do the weirdest things to get boys to be interested in her. He remembered Oskar last year, before he had dropped out of school, Star had tried desperately to get his attention by any means possible, even resorting to pretending he wasn't there. Though considering how that turned out, maybe she was pushing her luck trying it again on the new kid, cause tom didn't seem to be taking the bait. Star glanced over to look at him so much, marco couldn't really help but think she probably didn't actually hate him. This was star he was talking about after all, anyone who knew her well enough knew she tended to be stubborn and do crazy things when she wanted something, this girl skipped detention one time by jumping out the window and hiding in the dumpster. Though honestly if she liked tom, marco didn't mind, tom seemed fine and maybe he would actually be a decent influence on her. Cause even as much as Marco had to drag her out of situations and try and teach her, she was still the same ole Star. "Weren't you the one saying you didn't need any other friends besides me, what happened to that?", she puffed up her cheeks and frowned, "What's so good about him anyway? He's always tagging around and he dresses weird and he doesn't seem to know what he's doing most of the time...". This made marco laugh though, "So, basically just like you huh? C'mon Star, lighten up, there's WAY worse people to be mad about, Brittney practically treats everyone like garbage.". She made a raspberry noise as marco shoved the book into her face, "C'mon, focus on studying, we can talk about this stuff later, you keep getting distracted..". Star groaned as she got up and paced around the room, heading to the window and pressing her face against it to show her annoyance. Marco tugging at her arm to move her away as he spotted tom's house across the street, it was still rather creepy looking on the outside in comparison to the nice houses surrounding it though it looked cozy enough, even if it seemed like janna was the designer. Tom had been around for at least a few days but his house almost always seemed empty, he never saw his family really outside either. Tom entered and exited and that was it, like he was entering a whole other dimension when he close the door behind him. Marco would sometimes be outside with his little sister, or trying to wrangle star, but he never saw tom's family head out to work or anything. Then again, they could always work from home, his own dad did after all. I guess it just made the home more eerie then it already was, like a horror movie house. It'd be too weird to judge though, maybe tom's family were just horror buffs and didn't go out much? He could see it. He went back to focusing on their work, and by that he meant making star focus on their work when he heard a knock on the door, his mother entering and holding his baby sister in her arms, a package struggling to stay on her person under her arms. "Marco! Hey, i just got the mail and it seems the mailman put this in our mailbox instead of the new neighbor's, do you mind taking it over to them real quick? we're starting dinner soon and i don't want to wait much after...". Well, guess marco would be seeing tom sooner then he thought. "Alright alright, i'll be right back, but star, i swear you better be reading that book the next time i see you!", he removed the package from his mother's armpit and gave star a look before heading out of the room. Star wouldn't study, he already knew the answer, but he at least wanted to give her a fair shot. Though his bets were more on that the next time he'd see her she'd be playing with his baby sister then anything. He really hadn't even crossed the streets to tom's house before, not even to visit. He supposed he figured tom would call him to hang out or text him but he hadn't done that as of yet, so i guess this was technically his next best option. His house was more eerie the closer he got and he wondered if he should just leave the package at the door and just ring the doorbell instead. Though he decided against it as he made it to the front porch, the package was small and light and he wondered if were a collectible or t-shirt, it seemed addressed to tom specifically though, he must have ordered it to be sent to his new address sometime back. He tapped his foot, waiting for the teen to respond to instead hear snarling behind it instead. Loud snarling, something marco would hear from a scary movie in fact, followed by a large screech. Marco backed up, and before he knew it he had lost his footing and was falling off the porch, landing on the ground with a thud. He could her shouting on the othe rend of the door and suddenly tom came through, looking shocked as he quickly helped marco up and looked him over. "Marco....you ok?". "Ah...no...sorry....i heard noises and...". Tom looked him over and was quick to respond, "Oh don't worry, that was my uh.....great grandpa....he's a little bit of a pain, not very nice to guests, so he likes to scare them off if he doesn't know them...uh...don't take it too personally!". Then he looked to the package in marco's hand before the human could ask him any more on the matter. "Oh hey, thank you! I was wondering when that would uh....be arriving, i guess it ended up in the wrong mailbox huh?". "Yeah.", marco laughed, before rubbing the back of his head and making tom worry further as he took hold of marco and made him sit down on the porch steps. "Stay here, i'll be right back with an ice pack...", marco obeyed and tom was quick to return with something nice and cold to put on his slight bruises, "Thanks tom...". Tom felt embarrassed and a little angry as well, "I'm sorry, i should've answered the door first, I didn't want you to get hurt...". "Don't worry, i'll be fine...just a little bruise...". "I guess....". Marco noticed his shift in tone and as he used the pack on his head bump, he tousled his hair, "Hey uh...star and i are having a study session at my place...we'll be having dinner soon, you could stop by if you want to....you don't have to eat with us if your family already has plans but..". Tom looked surprised by the invite, glancing over to his own house and sighing, "I....I'm not sure....but thanks....". Marco was fine though a little saddened as well, "Oh well, maybe another time if that's ok?". "You like to invite me to hang out a whole lot don't you?". "Well, it's what i kinda usually do with friends, i mean...i guess we aren't super close friends but I thought it might be nice to maybe...get to know your neighbors a bit better? Hang out and get to know echo creek? I-I'm not trying to be pushy i guess i just wanted to help and I thought maybe you wanted to-?". Tom looked surprised, turning his head, "It's ok....I guess i'm just not used to being invited to do anything, I uh...I don't wanna be a bother if you're busy though...". "No it's not THAT bad, star is way more stressful then these times then you...". "You really think so?", he sounded touched at that sentiment and marco nodded, making tom feel a bit better, "Usually people don't like me so i guess it's weird having someone care this badly about me...i'm just a new kid, like i'm sure you have other friends you could invite or hang out with...". Wow, tom really was a downer wasn't he? Had the guy really been friendless back home? Marco knew what that was like, he practically was friendless until star popped in, the closest thing he had being his karate students and a couple of guys in his DND group. "No, truth be told i don't know a lot of people either, i'm not all that popular....actually i usually don't actually persist this hard trying to talk to the neighbor kids, i usually just ignore them....", he felt bad about it but it was true, "I guess i just thought you seemed kinda cool...no offense it's just from the outside you look a little scary....but then you were kinda really nice to me and well...i'd kinda be an ass if i let someone like brittney get her mitts on you...". "You didn't have to do that for a guy you didn't know...". "Well i'm usually the go-to guy to help new students, so I guess I felt I had to....but honestly i don't think you're that bad to have around at all in my opinion, i mean, i don't know what it's like back wherever you came from, but i don't see what the problem is...". The other boy stood up, rather quickly in fact, "Well yeah...you should head back to star....uh...thanks for delivering my package, maybe if it's a better time we can hang out or something...if you really want to...you don't have to do it because you feel bad for me...". "I do want to...if you want to be friends? You...don't have to be alone here too...". "I'll see you sometime soon marco...", he said before quickly heading inside and closing the door behind him. Marco sighed but still smiled, Tom said he wanted to still hang out sometime, that's better then nothing at the very least, it's not like he said no. He put his hands on his pockets as he headed down the stairs, looking behind him at the creepy house and biting his lips, he'd been out long enough anyways, he better get back to star and help her finish if he wanted any time to himself for tonight. What would tom even like to do? Maybe a movie night sometimes, or a game night, honestly he could probably invite him to just join at one of star's usual fun nights. Well, star might act a little weird over that but it might put tom more at ease with more company. He headed inside and sighed, though he was instantly removed from his thoughts as he saw star playing with mariposa in the living room. Yep, of course she wasn't studying and playing with his sister, just as he expected. "Star!", star was practically jumping and bouncing around the room with the small girl on her back, the little child smaling and giggling as much as star was. In the kitchen marco could smell his mother making dinner and he gave in as star just waved to him and kept running around the room, no point in trying to do much now. He feet carried him into the kitchen and his mother continued to mix the spaghetti sauce, "Thanks marco, dinner will be ready soon, call star..". "Oh don't worry, she's not that busy right now...", he leaned over and shot star a look in the living room. "They were home right? I haven't seen them leave their house almost at all so i wasn't sure". "Oh yeah, their son was there...tom, it was his package so i dropped it off.....I offered for him to come over but he said maybe another time...", angie smiled, "I'm glad to see you made a new friend, i thought you weren't interested in the new neighbors, what changed your mind?". Marco took a seat at the table, the tablewear already set up as his mom finished up dinner, "I dunno, I guess something about him made me kinda think I should just well...talk to him...". She brought the pasta over and started putting some on marco's plate, before handing him the meatballs and sauce, "Tom just seems...different I guess, he has my number so, we'll see if maybe we get to hang out sometime soon". Angie looked excited, calling out to star about dinner being ready before cleaning herself off, "Well, I was thinking about inviting his family over, a little get-together! We usually drop by their homes to meet our neighbors but they never seem to answer when we showed up to greet them....so perhaps you can invite tom and his family over.". "Well...", the boy hesitated, not because he didn't like the idea, but because he knew his parents, and how they were. If they invited the Lucitors over, good chance they would scare them with kindness alone, and boy any friendship marco may of considered with tom was done-for if his family started bringing out the baby pictures. It's not like they were bad people but the last time they invited star's parents over, his dad and River, Star's father somehow got themselves into a fight simply because River straight up thought the Diazes were trying to poison them with the 5 crate boxes worth of cookies they made for the visit. "Oooo wait, even better! I'll send them an invitation through their mailbox! We can have mariposa decorate the card and everything!", she seemed so giddy as she went to retrieve her daughter before marco could protest. There was no stopping his mom when she was excited about something like this, god, what would it be like when he started dating jackie? Would she start planning them date nights? Invite her parents over? God that thought process was not fun. Star hopped over pretty quickly, pouring the food practically on her plate and shoveling it into her mouth as marco motioned for her to eat like a normal being only for her to keep shoveling food into her cheeks. She swallowed and watched marco wrap some noodles around his fork before eating, "Heeeeyyy, marco? When are you planning to finally ask jackie out anyway? You've been staring at her every day but I don't think you've spoken to her once, like c'mon isn't your plan complete anyway?.". "W-what? Hey! Look, I told you I have an entire plan, i'm working on it, I promise i'll have asked her out way before the dance! Besides, having a plan is much better then embarrassing yourself right in front of them and them rejecting you cause you're too weird! And I don't want jackie to think i'm weird!", he was blushing in embarrassment and star was smirking hard at him, "Oooo boy you gotta snatch her up before someone else does, you know someone will.". "I can do it! I promise....I just...need, to fully figure out my plan, and no, i'm not taking your advice star....I know what you're like in relationships and asking people out, and i'm not doing it. Besides, I still got time, i'm sure she's still single....right?", star was giving him that look and he wiped his mind of those thoughts, "Anyways you watch Star, soon enough i'll have finally asked her out and you'll be eating those words!". However, right now star seemed more occupied eating dinner then anything else as marco sighed. It was going to be a long week. - The next day seemed to go by smoothly for the most part, marco checking up to make sure all his homework was as good as it could get before turning it all in. So far as a student tom seemed mostly ok, not as bad as star but not as good as marco tended to be, so it was at least reassuring to marco he didn't have to almost cheat for another one of his neighbors. He found his eyes lingering to jackie as they usually did and he could practically feel star's eyes rolling. She was supportive of his crush but no denying over time she'd grown a little sick of marco not just talking to her, she was probably never going to let it go, she mentioned it almost every single day in fact since she found out. She could go up and speak to jackie with ease but Marco? Marco could barley stand straight and look her directly in the eyes. He felt like he would melt if he ever told her how he really felt about her, he just didn't have the confidence star had. He wouldn't let that stop him though, he'd been looking forward to asking jackie out for that dance for years it seemed. Thinking about the two of them dancing usually was the reason he sometimes had a hard time paying attention in class. He probably would've dreamt off again if star didn't tap him awake and forced him to focus, later....later he could think about it some more. Sigh, sometimes he wished he had the confidence star had, or even the likability she seemed to, but that was something he'd have to work on later. Star failed her test with flying colors, as expected, and marco passed, also expected. Sigh, why does he even bother sometimes with helping her study? Star didn't seem to care that much though, her attention moreso towards the girl skating down the hall, a smirk upon her face as she nudged marco. Marco gave her a look and waved to jackie as she skated past, waving to him in return before heading out a sight, "No star, it's not a good time....i'm not set to do my first part till next week!". Star groaning in an exaggerated manner as a result of his excuses, she shoved her test into her bag and resisted the urge to shove marco up to jackie herself and make him ask her out. "What's not a good time?". Marco and Star practically jumped as Tom showed up behind them, looking timid despite his leather jacket and eyeliner. Marco quickly calming down and greeting the boy as star have tom a look and started walking off without even so much as a goodbye to marco. Ugh Star, couldn't you try to be nicer to the guy at the very least? Marco quickly drew tom's attention away from star outright ditching to sheepishly explain, "Oh it's nothing, it's just about me asking out a girl I like...you don't have to-". "You're trying to ask out a girl?". "Well, yeah, that's what I just said didn't i?". Tom shrugged sheepishly, "Sorry, uh...um...i'm not very familiar with all the students here that much..which girl are you interested in?". Marco felt incredibly embarrassed all of a sudden, was it really a good idea to tell tom something that personal? This was something he didn't even tell anyone other then star for the most part, and he knew tom only for a short amount of time. Tom sensed marco's embarrassment and sighed, before speaking in a low but noticeably frustrated voice. "Is it star?'. Marco's eyes widened and he was very quick to react to tom's guess before tom could make too many assumptions, "What? NO no no no no no, me and star are friends, nothing more. I'm....I.......". Tom looked him over and bit his lips as marco went back into silence, "Uh...you don't have to tell me I guess...sorry....I know last night I kinda dismissed you as a friend sorta and....you don't have to tell me....". He leaned against the nearest set of lockers, his mind wandering off as marco leaned against them with him. "I mean, i'd kinda give you advice...but....dating is hard for me...", marco examined his strained face, "The anger issues?". "Yeah..". "You didn't end up-?". "No, i didn't hurt anyone other then myself I guess...it um....It made me kinda rethink some things, sorta kinda wanted to stop being so angry all the time...", seems whatever happened in his previous relationships, he didn't want to talk about it. "Well, you seem to be doing better, if that's worth anything?", tom turned to look at him and nodded, trying to manage a smile, "Yeah...it is....I uh..Look, about last night....I kinda expected when I came here to be like it was back home....no one wanting to hang out with me...I really didn't think someone would-". "Give you a chance?". Tom nodded. "You were just trying to be nice and maybe I was a little pushy about it cause I wasn't used to it...I-I...", tom sighed, "Anyways, I....I...If you still wanted to be friends...I'm still open...you'll just...have to be patient with me....". Marco blinked at the boy, "What changed your mind so much?", making tom look off and pretend he was looking at something else, "My mom was really afraid when she came here that i'd just be alone and miserable in my room all day...and I guess...new place, new start....maybe a new chance for me to have an actual friend.....I can't push away any chance of well....making this move less rough on me". "I mean, a move is a good way to start a new life, you don't have to worry about whatever happened in the past, things are different here...and you might like it here more....", marco offered, "Forget about the anger issues and exs, this is your chance to be a whole new person right? I kinda think you're already off to a great start if that's ok?". Tom smiled the most her had all day, relieved he hadn't scared the only boy who thought he was actually cool and nice away with his attitude. "I'm not great at...making friends or keeping them, people usually don't wanna be around me...but...you seem...different. Sorry if that sounds weird, I'm still trying to get used to this...", he tried to let out a laugh and that seemed to make marco feel loads better, "You know, i think you're different too, usually the kids they made me show around or help or meet really never connected with me before, and never talked to me again after our first meeting...i'm kinda happy you like spending time with me....". They smiled at each other as they heard the bell ring, "Oh shoot, we gotta move!!!", marco screamed as he grabbed tom's hand as the two ran down the halls. Tom laughing behind him as he was dragged through the school. - That night marco found himself watching tv in the living room, his mom was already talking with his father about what to do for the lucitors when they came over though honestly marco wasn't sure they would come at all just because a note told them to come. He just knew that the most likely outcome was this weekend they'll have set up a whole meal and it'll end up being just for them at this rate. One of these days he'd have to tell his parents that maybe not all their neighbors were interested in being greeted with big dinners at their house. Though as he sat back and enjoyed his tv, he heard the bell ring. Knowing full he had to get up for being the closest, he convinced himself to stand up and shuffle his way over. Ugh, was it star again? No, she usually liked to sneak through the window in marco's room when it was past her curfew. So was janna, he couldn't recall the last time he'd even seen her use a door in fact. And sure enough, when marco opened the door, it wasn't star or janna, it was a tall boy with reddish hair, a leather jacket, and beautiful green eyes. Tom looked sheepish, shuffling his feet on the front steps as he failed to make eye contact with marco who had a questioning look on him, "So you uh...said I could come over sometime and I thought...if this is a bad time it's ok. I just was thinking maybe....since you offered? I just wanted some company tonight", marco smiled and allowed him entrance," Sure, just remember to call ahead next time ok? We have each other's numbers for a reason, then maybe we can plan something to do together ok?". Tom blinked at that as he walked in but didn't have much time to say anything else as his body was crushed from the hugs of the diaz couple, this was the first time they had properly met him hadn't they? And marco gave tom a weak thumbs up as tom tried to process on whether they were trying to kill him or not. "MARCO, I DIDN'T KNOW THE NEIGHBOR BOY WAS COMING OVER!", Marco's dad quickly dropped tom and ran to the kitchen, "Ooo, wait just a second, i'll get you something, you're not allergic to anything right?". "Uh...no?". "Good!". He left as angie looked him over, complimenting how cute he was and how nice it was for marco to have a new friend. Tom looked over to marco who shrugged, but smiled at him, and tom smiled back. "Heh, your house looks cool on the inside, oh uh.....what are you watching?" Marco looked over to his tv and looked back, "It's a karate show, you wanna watch it with me? You don't have to of course but you might like it". Tom quickly joined him on the couch as angie headed back into the kitchen to help as tom was soon presented with a plate of chicken and cheese fajitas. He tried it and his mind looked as if it was blown as marco laughed, the two soon erupting into a fit of giggles as they ate and watched the show together in comfort. This was going to be the start of a nice friendship.

#star vs the forces of evil #svtfoe #svstfoe #tomco #tom the demon #marco #marco diaz #my art #star butterfly #fanfiction #fanfic

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seeaddywrite · 6 years ago

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written for alex manes appreciation week 2019, day one: “daydreaming with a broken heart.” i played fast and loose with the prompt, as always, but i am fairly proud that this is under 3k! shout out to my sister for reading through it to make sure it was at least coherent, even though this is not her fandom, & to @soberqueerinthewild for helping me modify my original idea that was not working when i started to something that did.

disclaimers: alex’s views on mental health are not my views; keep in mind, his state of mind is not great in most of these moments, & he tends to be harder on himself than is really fair.

warnings: unreliable narrator, PTSD, war-time, generally poor mental health. set mostly pre-canon, with some future-fic at the end. as always, guys, it’s angst with a happy ending.

The first time Alex realizes that the entirety of the Atlantic Ocean can’t keep him away from Michael Guerin, he’s in the middle of the desert on his first deployment, crouching behind a crumbling wall in an outpost. Ostensibly, he’s trying to find a safe place to work, but in reality, he’s really just attempting to keep the contents of his stomach where they belong, rather than splashed over the sand-covered floor.

Angry shouts in a language Alex only sort-of knows precede the rapid report of gunfire by a few seconds, but it’s still not enough time. His fingers move faster on the laptop he’d swiped from one of the empty rooms in the outpost; it’s covered in dust and the screen is cracked, but it’s functioning, which means there’s a chance Alex can hack into the communications network and get a radio message through to their back-up. He can rescue this entire clusterfuck op, can make sure his men get home. He can fucking do this; he just has to ignore the sweat dripping down his face and the shouts of screaming men and gunfire, and focus on the code.

“We’re sitting ducks in here, Manes! You better have a fucking plan!”

The bellow from Argent is nearly drowned out by the repetitive thunder of gunshots from his weapon, and Alex can’t spare a thought or an instant to respond. Being surrounded in an outpost in the middle of the desert isn’t great, but it’s a hell of a lot worse when there are only three friendlies, with the rest of their men at least a mile away with no way to know Alex’s guys are in need of rescue. Alex sucks in a lungful of humid air and focuses back on the screen in front of him, searching the flickering lines of code for a back-door entry to the communications array.

When Argent’s bellows keep coming, though, urging Alex to hurry, he lifts his gaze from the laptop screen exactly long enough to realize that the enemy is no longer simply shooting from outside — they’re in the fucking building now, and getting closer with every second. Alex does his best to swallow down the panic that swells in his chest, but his fingers shake on the keys in front of him, and his vision blurs. It’s too much — too much pressure, too much stress, too much, and Alex has never been able to come through for anyone when it really matters. He’s not strong like his brothers, not heartless like his father, and this is not the life he should have had. His incompetence is going to get his squad killed, and Alex is sucking air into his lungs, but he still can’t breathe.

“Since when are you the one who gives up?” The irritated, slightly mocking voice is so familiar, so real, that Alex’s head snaps around, certain that he’s about to find Guerin somehow in the middle of this mission alongside him. The thought doesn’t help the churning in his stomach or the panic still steadily mounting in his chest, but when he looks, there’s no one standing there. Another loud gunshot echoes through the room; closer, again. Closer all the time.

“Come on, Alex, you’ve got this. You can do shit like this in your sleep.” Michael doesn’t know that — Michael doesn’t even know that Alex has been taking computer classes since he was in middle school, but it’s what Alex needs to hear, and the tremors in his fingers and knees finally start to ease at the reminder. He can do things like this in his sleep. The communications array in these places are rarely even protected by a decent firewall; the real enemy here, Alex realizes, is himself. He can do this, and he will.

With a sudden surge of determination, Alex forces numb fingers to move, striking keys in rapid succession until he’s down to one stubborn line of code that just doesn’t want to cooperate. He hesitates at the sound of yelling behind him, but there’s a ghost of a caress on his cheek, drawing his attention back where it needs to be, and Alex doesn’t waste any time reminding himself that Michael can’t actually be here, that he’s probably hallucinating due to stress or exhaustion — because he doesn’t give a shit. The idea that Guerin stills cares enough to help him now is one that he desperately needs at the moment, and clings to it with both hands.

“Good,” Michael’s voice praises him, and later, Alex will wonder if the stress of this op cost him his sanity, since he’s hearing his ex-boyfriend’s voice from half a world away and actually feeling proud at the praise. Jesus Christ, apparently, war fucks people up a lot faster than Alex realized.

“Hey, stay with me,” that same, calm voice demands. “Take a deep breath and get this done. You’re okay.” Still half in the thrall of whatever psychotic break he has to be in the middle of, Alex obeys, hauling in more oxygen through his nose. As he does, the musky scent of cheap aftershave hits Alex’s nose somehow, over the smell of sweat and sand and electrical discharge, and for a moment, Alex is so sure that he’s safe that his body believes it. His fingers stop shaking, his focus sharpens — and less than a moment later, he finds the right line of code and corrects it, and the distress call goes out over the radios.

The other two men hear it and cheer, but Alex is too busy missing the phantom caress of a daydream on his cheek.

That’s not the last strange, dreamlike encounter Alex has with Michael in times of stress — an no, that’s not something that he’ll be admitting to his military-appointed shrink anytime soon, thanks just the same. He knows that Michael doesn’t really come to him when he’s scared or in pain, is well aware that it’s a trick of his subconscious as it yearns for the peace and safety of home, which he’d always found in Michael Guerin’s embrace. Psychologically, Alex thinks, it makes total sense. And most of the time when it happens, he’s too busy fighting for his life or the lives of others, to worry about what this might mean for him.

The day that they lose Argent, Michael is there, a phantom hand in his and a muted, grieving whisper in his ear reminding him that Argent would kick his ass if he got himself killed, too. When Alex ends up hacking into a the controlling element for weapons of mass destruction while his team engages hostiles, Michael’s there behind him, invisible hands on his shoulders, murmuring reassurances and sweet nothings until the goal is met and his team is safely on their way back. That time, Michael stays until the others arrive, and Alex would swear he feels arms around him while he shakes apart when the urgency is gone and he can no longer suppress the panic. When his men arrive and the feeling of Guerin disappears, Alex cries. The guys take it as a sign of pain, and insist on all but carrying him to their transpo unit, but even in the indignity doesn’t quite manage to stop his tears.

Time and time again, as the slow, grueling years of enlistment pass, Michael is there when Alex needs him, and the latter comes to rely on that knowledge. He doesn’t forget that it can’t be real, doesn’t pretend that he hasn’t gone half-mad in these damn deserts, and on his worst days, he curses himself for a fool for treating this as normal when it’s obviously a sign that he’s just as psychotic as his father. But if Alex can’t have Michael in the real world, and if he has to be at war, despite promising himself for at least fifteen years that he would never take this path, Alex feels like he deserves this one, small thing. He’s not hurting anyone else — only himself — after all.

Alex doesn’t remember the explosion that took his foot and part of his leg. He remembers running when the tell-tale whine of an incoming bomb hit his ears, and the sound of panicked screams of the villagers and soldiers alike in the village. He remembers the images as if looking through a kaleidoscope; the brown of the sand, the blue of the sky, the open-mouthed expressions of horror and panic on the faces around him. He remembers his own ragged breathing and the strain in his muscles as he tries to make it out of the impact zone —

And he remembers the hand in his, dragging him along when he stumbles. “Move, Alex, move! Don’t you dare stop! Don’t you fucking dare!” Alex has never heard Michael sound quite so panicked; even when Jesse Manes took a hammer to his hand, Michael had only ever screamed in pained fury. Now, his tone is desperate, bordering on frantic, and somehow, if only to appease Michael and keep that sound from his voice, Alex manages to run faster.

He wakes up in a VA hospital in Germany ten days later, sans nearly half of his right leg. The doctors tell him that there’s an infection in the residual limb, and that they’re worried about his fever, so he vaguely understands that he’s hallucinating when Michael perches on the side of his hospital bed. It seems so real that Alex allows himself to forget, just this once, that it isn’t. He wants to escape the reality that he’s going to be forced to endure for the rest of his life, and the only way that’s possible is with Guerin.

It’s the only time he ever sees Michael in one of these episodes. Every other encounter, it’s just been his ghost, able to touch and be touched but never seen. Now, though, Michael looks terrible as he brushes tender fingers through Alex’s regulation-length hair, his own knotted and greasy, with giant, bruise-like shadows beneath his eyes. “Fuck, Alex,” he breathes, his voice so rough that Alex knows he’s holding back tears. “I thought — when we were running, I thought —

Alex steadfastly ignores that he’s talking to a voice in his head and squeezes Michael’s hand. It’s the good one, the one without the scars and damage inflicted by Jesse Manes all those years ago, and he’s grateful for that. With his mind woozy from pain meds and fever, Alex doesn’t think he could put that awful night back in its mental lockbox if something pulled it out. “Not dead,” he mutters, wishing he could make his voice louder. But his throat is dry and he’s just so fucking tired, and the barely-there whisper is all he can manage. “You saved me.”

Michael shakes his head, so vehemently his curls fall over his eyes. “No way, Alex. You saved yourself. Just like always.” There’s a gentle touch at his brow, and Alex almost allows his eyes to close — but he’s suddenly terrified that if he does, Michael will disappear, and he’ll be left alone, staring at the place on his body where his right foot should be, and he doesn’t think he can do that yet. So Alex just stares at him, turning his head when Michael shifts so that he never leaves his line of sight. He drinks him in like a man dying of thirst, clinging to his good hand, and the soft kiss to his forehead makes his eyes burn with tears. “God, I love you,” he murmurs. “And I’m so fucking proud of you.”

The tears spill over this time, because those are words Alex has never heard before, not outside of Maria’s joking proclamations or one of the guys’ sarcastic retorts, and he knows, in his bones, that Michael means it.

That’s probably why he has to be sedated when the nurse comes in and Alex is left completely and utterly alone.

Two years later, when Alex is back in Roswell and finally free of the military and his father, he curls into Michael’s naked body and buries his head in his neck, inhaling the familiar musky scent of cheap aftershave. It’s humid and dry outside, like a true desert summer, and the intersection of each of those circumstances sends him back to that very first mission, where he’d very nearly frozen and gotten all of his men killed. Alex swallows, the memory full of shame and residual fear, and Michael immediately tightens his grip around his waist.

“Hey,” he murmurs, and Alex turns his face up to look at his newly-reinstated boyfriend with a questioning tilt to his eyebrow. They’ve come a long way from those scared teenaged boys in a shed, and Alex can now look at Michael and see the man he’s become. Strong, brilliant, brave . . . alien. That last part doesn’t scare him anymore, though when Alex had believed there was a chance he could lose Michael to the cosmos, it had. They’ve done battle together, now, and not just in Alex’s head. They’ve faced down Jesse Manes and a serial killing alien. They worked together to bring Max Evans back from the dead, and reintegrate Rosa Ortecho back into society with a new identity. The two of them have a family, now, a real one, and it starts with each other.

“I’m okay,” Alex says, half of his mouth lilting upward in a half-smile. “Just — remembering.”

Michael shifts, running a hand down Alex’s bare back, and waits for the explanation. Alex considers a moment, then chuckles ruefully. “When I left to join the Air Force,” he begins, bracing himself for the instinctive flinch the words evoke from Michael. It’s a sore point between them even now, when they’ve finally sorted everything out, and Alex knows that only time will bleed the pain from those memories. “I guess I kind of — lost it, a little. Every time something went wrong, every time I was in danger, I used to . . . imagine you were there.” The tops of Alex’s ears feel hot with embarrassment, and if it weren’t for Michael’s arms around him, he’d probably try to pull away.

Instead, he manages a crooked smile. “Don’t worry, I know that sounds insane. I just —” He shrugs self-consciously, not wanting to dive into too many of the details. It’s bad enough that he’s just admitted to his most closely-guarded secret out loud; he doesn’t need Michael to know exactly how pathetic he’d been. “I guess I just wanted to feel like you were with me, even when you couldn’t be. And it — you — saved me. Kept pushing me to run when I wanted to give up, the day this happened.” He taps his bad leg to illustrate, and hides his face back in the warmth of Michael’s neck, hoping they can just go to sleep and stop talking about this.

Michael keeps stroking his back, slow and comforting, and there’s no judgement in his body language, so Alex manages to relax after a moment. This is what he’s needed for years; just Michael, holding him. The rest of it doesn’t matter, because as long as Alex can count on this, he knows he’s in no danger of truly losing his mind.

He’s on the verge of sleep when Michael shifts beneath him, rolling so that they’re face to face on the pillow rather than tucked into one another. A hint of mischief sparks in his eyes, and there’s a tilt to his smile that suggests he knows something Alex doesn’t. When he finally speaks, the words are so familiar, so specific, that all Alex can do is gape at him in incredulity.

“No way, Alex. You saved yourself. Just like always.”

#my fic #roswellnm fic #malex fic #alexmanesweek2019 #angst with a happy ending

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fluffballgremmie · 6 years ago

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Monsters Fate (full story)

“Zane!”

I shouted towards the red-head as I jogged over to his spot. He was listening to something, probably fall out boys, and had just slipped on his hood as I came up so he didnt notice me at first. I tapped him on the head to get his attention and he jumped a little.

“Wha?!-oh hey DF! Didn't notice you there! How are you doing?”

I smiled at Zane. Zane usually has his head in the clouds and tends to not pay attention to his surroundings. Sometimes it worries me since he's had a bad history with daydreaming. Back before he became my roommate he had been living with his abusive mother and had been punished for it. When he was old enough to move out he asked me if he could become my roommate. Since we had been friends since he was 5, and I knew about his mother, I didn't refuse. And I must admit though, ever since he's moved in I have tended to be a bit protective over him.

“I’m doing good. Are you ready to go home?”

“I have been ready for over an hour you dolt.”

“HEY! Don't call me a dolt you dolt. Plus I couldn't wait to get this,”

I retorted back as I flashed the tattoo that I had gotten.

It was a small tattoo on my shoulder of three wolves. Each were slightly different in shape and size as well as coat texture. One of the wolves was slightly smudged so it seemed more like a shadow or if it was a fake wolf.

He playfully punched my arm as the bus arrived. We rode the bus to our apartment building walked up two flights of stairs and opened the door to our third-floor apartment. I walked down the main hall and headed for my room where I dropped off my bag full of merch and turned back to the door and walked towards the living room. Zane was already perched on the couch scrolling through Netflix trying to find his favorite series, Voltron.

“Still working on that cartoon?” I teased as he gave me a triggered look.

“For your information it's called a animated series, thank you very much.” he huffed as the introduction played.

Deciding that I didn't want to push him any further I plopped down next to him and watched the show.After watching two to three episodes I decided to head off to bed.

****

“Man that test was easy!”

I had just finished my driving test and was holding my new licenses.

“You better not lose that, you just got it after all.” Zane teased as I slipped it into my pocket.

“Hey I won't lose it!” I retorted as we walked past a alleyway.

That's when I noticed two guys were towering over a poor kitten kicking it over, and over, and over. The kitten was mewling in pain and I felt a bitter rage come over me.

“Hey! Knuckleheads! Stop hurting an innocent animal!”

The one on the right turned to us with a annoyed expression visible on his dog-like face.

“Why don't you shut your trap , pretend this never happened, and walk away,” he growled as he stomped towards my direction.

He easily towered me by like three feet, But I have dealt with worse knuckleheads than these. In one swift movement I punched him in the jaw and kicked him where it hurts. He groaned in pain while the guy on the left swiftly turned and, in a blink of an eye, was right next to me. Then there was darkness.

I woke up to find myself in a weird looking warehouse. The glass windows that I could see were tinted to be darker and it smelled mildewy from what I could tell. I tried to move but found that I was being restrained by chains. The bite of metal against my skin helped me wake up more. I struggled against the bonds with all my force. The room echoed with the sound of rattling chains.

“I wouldn't do that if I were you.” a smooth, yet dark, voice pierced the silence.

That's when a feeble, yet illuminating, light was turned on to reveal both the guys who kicked the cat with Zane across from us. Zane was slightly paler than usual and the chains bound around him were much tighter. When he looked up he seemed dazed, as if they had drugged him or worse.

“ZANE! Did they hurt you?,”I asked before I directed my gaze to the two men.

“THEY BETTER NOT HAVE! I WILL KILL YOU IF YOU DID!” I yelled baring my teeth and struggling on my bonds more.

“Tch-tch-tch, looks like we got a fighter Ross,” The guy on the left smirked as he continued “ Don't worry we haven't hurt your zaney-pie yet but we will if you don't calm down and be a good pet.”

He sauntered up to me and patted my head as I tried, vainly, to snap at his hand.

“Feisty one to, this one is definitely going to make a good pet for you Ross. I’ll take the quiet one.”He then unchained me and forced me into a leash and collar. He then forcefully tugged at the leash, cutting off my air.

“HEY! Were not animals! You can't treat us like this!” I protested as I gasped for breath and rubbed the parts of my neck that were not covered by the collar. he then attached the same type of collar to Zane.

“We get to treat you however we want.” the other guy-Ross I think, purred?, no growled in pleasure more like, as he yanked me towards him. He was a lot rougher than the first male and by the time I could see again we were somewhere else. He led me down a hall I didn't notice before and pushed me into a room. It was a bedroom of sorts. It had a king sized bed and a desk with a laptop on top of the dusty surface. I noticed that once we entered the room Ross seemed to treat me much nicer than he did when he was with his ‘companion’. His hand loosened on the leash and his feature softened into a more mellow expression.

“You can sit on the bed if you want, pet.” he said as he, himself lowered onto its surface. The bed groaned in protest as he sat down. I was still suspicious of him and he seemed to notice it and scooted himself near the front of the bed as he tugged me towards the other far side. I gingerly sat down and stared at him for any sign of ill intent but he seemed more kind and not as rough now that there were not any other being except for us.

I decided to get information . “So who’s your “friend”?”

“Oh him, he's not my friend; more like a jailor if you will. He seems to go by the name Geno.”

Ross’s face seemed to cloud over with anger.

“He claims to be a vampire lord and he said he needed a loyal partner. At the time I was an idiot to think that I would be treated fair by a vamp ,since I’m a werewolf, and accepted his offer.”

Were Wolves,Vampires? I gasped in disbelief at his words. How can they be real?

“W-wait they exist!?”

Ross then gave me a look that I couldn't read.

“Of course they do.”

I closed my eyes so I could wrap my head around this. Maybe they were psychopaths? Yeah that's it.But Ross seemed so sure of himself. Maybe he was psychologically tortured or something as a kid and it messed him up.

When I opened my eyes two bright yellow eyes were staring back. I wanted to look away but for some reason they seemed to keep me stuck in place. I was shocked. So supernatural creatures are real. Ok then. Normally I wouldn't quickly grasp an idea, but his eyes looked to real to be contacts.

“Are you scared of me?” Ross asked as he leaned back. His yellow eyes flicked to my own then to the ground as he prepared for my answer.

“No.” He looked up in surprise as I continued. “Let me guess. He wants you to turn me into a werewolf and he will turn Zane into a vampire.”

He looked ashamed, but he didn't deny it.

I was surprised that I guessed correctly, but it was the answer that made the most sense. The way Geno called us pets and how he looked at Zane as if he was his next 5 star meal also helped tipped me off. Ugh this sounds so stereotypical it would be funny if it wasn't for the fact that this was Zane and I instead of some other people.

“I have already failed two other times; I have to do it or else I die…”

I was shocked. He dies if he doesn't change me?

“Geno is a horrible cruel Vamp who will kill all who become useless to him.”

That statement upset me. A lot. I know it is weird to feel sorry for your captor but ever here of stockholm syndrome?

Im kidding, just kidding! In reality what made it so that I felt sorry for him was the fact he was as much of a victim that I was in that place.

And at that exact moment Geno decided to barge in with a scared, crying, and disbelieving Zane. That shook me out of my thoughts quite quickly, as well as the jerk of the leash.

“Ross! Have you changed him yet?”

“N-no I haven't…”

“Augh you know what. Follow me.”

Geno starting pulling us towards another room. As we were tugged along I asked Zane if he was okay.

“Yeah Im okay. He tried to bite me but I was able to avoid him. He was pissed”

I sighed in pure relief when he said this. Geno then kicked opened the door to a room and dragged me to the wall and locked my arms in chains. I then heard him do the same to Zane in another room. I also heard Zane and Geno have a scuffle before the clack of metal telling me that Zane was as locked up as I was. I strained as hard as I could against the chains, but they wouldn't budge.

Geno re-entered the room and turned to Ross.

“Are you going to turn him or what?”

“No Geno, Never!”

He sighed,“Since you wont turn your pet by yourself I guess I will have to force you.” and with that sentence Geno sealed my fate. He walked over to Ross and took out a syringe. Ross tried to fight him but Geno grabbed him and had him in a death grip. He stabbed Ross with the syringe and then with a last “See you in your new life.” to me left the room.

At that moment only one thought raced through my head.

“NOOOOOOO,” I screamed.

My head dropped as I looked towards the ground. I could hear his grunts of pain and the ripping of clothes. I tried to prie my chains off me when I heard a growl so animal like it made me freeze. I looked up to find a full grown werewolf staring right back at me.

“R-Ross?...”

He growled and the next thing I know I am out of my chains and Ross is on top of me. He was a monstrous sight. His body as a werewolf was covered in scars and his eyes made him look even more feral. His fur was all sorts of shades of grey.

“Ross! Stop it! It's me!” That seemed to snap him out of it a little bit but not much. He whined as if pleading with me to just accept my fate. At that moment I heard screaming from the other room. It was Zane. I was thrown into a animal like fury struggling to get Ross off me as I shouted threats and cuss words at Geno for hurting Zane. His screams were nerve wracking and I could almost feel the fear that he felt. Then like someone muting a TV everything went silent in the other room. Ross was still growling but had been waiting for me to stop struggling. I sobbed as I weakly struggled. My strength left me with that last struggle and my head flopped on the floor. I was to weak to do anything then swing my head to look up at Ross as he looked down at me in a hungry/sad manner. He lowered his head towards the end of my neck and seemed to sniff it,then he licked the nape of my neck. It tickled slightly. Ross then bit down. As I felt his teeth tear through my flesh I screamed in pain.

****

I woke up gasping for breath. where am I?Am I a werewolf now? Is Zane okay? All of these questions raced through my head. The I noticed a alarm clock and when I looked down I realized I was in a bed I recognized. I was back in my apartment and it was 12:00 and we were safe yet again. I felt at my neck to find it wrapped in bandages. I was to weak to get up so I just sat there in numb silence.

I guess I must have fallen asleep because I was back in the warehouse place watching Zane get sucked dry right in front of me as Geno said ”see you in the next life kids.” I woke up with arms wrapped around me. I tried to get out of the grip thinking it was Geno but then Zane's voice was coming from the person holding me.

“Df, DF, DF its okay its just me.” He said in a soft voice. I stopped struggling and leaned into his embrace.

“I-I-I am so happy to see you.” I said into his stomach as he put my head in his lap.

I cried in Relief for a little as he carded his fingers through the fringe of my hair. It was so good to see him safe and sound. His hands were steady and his presence was a strong way to relieve my stress.

“How long have I been out?” I finally asked sniffling a little.

“Three weeks.”

I couldn't believe I had been out for that long. I only had two questions left.

“Are we…?” I tried to ask but it got stuck in my throat. Thankfully he seemed to get my point.

“Yes I got turned by Geno and Ross seemed to lose all humanity and turned you.”

“O-oh.”

“Yeah... But I must admit you really pull of the ears and tail.”

“W-WAIT WHAT!” I shouted as I blushed in pure embarrassment. I did not understand what he meant and tried to ask, but he raised a finger to silence me.

“Yeah... you seem to have wolf ears and a tail even when your not in a actual werewolf form. I would let you get up to see but if you did you would probably collapse. Your to weak right now.”

He then got up and left for a short period of time and then came back with a hand mirror and gave it to me.

“Here take a look!”

I looked in the mirror to see two big, fluffy, Dark gold wolf ears with blue highlights perched on my head that twitched in curiosity as I stared at them. I was shocked. They were real! It was strange. After a little of staring in the mirror I looked back up to see Zane smirking.

“I never knew you were this narcissistic DF.” Zane teased.

I gave him a mock hurt look as I whined in annoyance. The whine sounded quite dog- like. Zane chuckled and then a strangely hungry looked flashed over his face as he suddenly stood up.

“Um-I-I have to g…”

He broke off as I spun him around to see to blood red eyes staring at me with a intense hunger. Oddly enough I wasn't really worried.

“I forgot that you were a vampire.You haven't eaten at all have you?” I asked. He didn't answer. I started to get a little nervous.

“Zane ar-” I got cut off as Zane climbed on top of me. I froze as his hair brushed my face but then it turned into one of amusement.

“Hungry much? Well….. I guess I could let you feed off of me. Maybe. But... you have to promise to take care of me until I feel better.” That seemed to break him out of his trance long enough to ask me two questions.

“Won't you get turned into a werepyre or something if I feed off of you? And second of all why didn't you at least try to stop me from trying to chomp you? I could have killed you!”

I responded with “First of all you need to eat and I know you are not comfortable with randomly drinking some strangers plasma and second of all if I remember correctly werewolf blood is technically a delicacy to vamps.”

“Really? Where did you learn that? If I remember you didn't know monsters exist until 3 weeks ago.”

“I actually had to do an essay on vampire diets for a fan-fiction convention. I am hoping they are correct so that I can appear to know a thing or two. Now will I have to force you to eat or will you man up and do it yourself.”

At that sentence Zane blushed a little. It was weird seeing him blush at such a silly sentence. His blush was also different. Instead of an extreme rosy tint it mostly made Zane look like he is actually alive. But in a few seconds my thought completely left me as he lowered his head and licked a sensitive part of my neck.

I whimpered at the weird sensation of being licked higher on my neck than Ross did when he bit me. It made a tingle rush up and down my body. I then felt something sharp pierce my neck and I felt Zane tense a little at the smell of blood. He then lifted my head as blood pooled out of the wound. Even though it hurt I was silent. I then felt his tongue against my neck as he lapped up the deep red liquid. A weird instinct to growl welled up in my mind. As I tried to keep the sound down it escaped my throat. I noticed something was off about this growl. I wasn't very informed on wolf growls but I knew that wolves normally growl sharper. This growl was to muted for a normal growl, it was more of a sort of a placated growl, no hostile. Like it was more comforting. I kept growling as I grew weaker and weaker with every lick and suck from Zane. When Zane sealed my wound I stopped growling After that both him and I just layed there. Not in discomfort or in embarrassment just in placated silence. I glanced at him and saw that he was staring at me. He then blushed beet red as he looked away.

“I am so sorry!”

“

Oh shut it already.”

He looked at me in surprise as I closed my eyes and succumbed to sleep.

****

I woke up feeling slightly shaky but much better that I had in days. I got out of bed, careful not to wake the sleeping Zane that was right next to me, and headed slowly toward our kitchen. I didn't bother to turn on any lights since I could see just fine.

I got a glass of water as I opened the fridge. My mouth watered as the smell of summer sausage assaulted my nose. I noticed that my sense of smell allowed me to smell all of the foods even if the were sealed tightly. I liked how I could maneuver throughout the dark house without bumping into anything or making a single sound.

That's when I remembered my tail and ears . It was to easy for me to forget that they were there. I watched my tail sway as I appreciated that I, we, were still alive. I then went to the bathroom and stared at my ears as they twitched on top of my head. I didn't notice that Zane was right next to me until he tapped my arm. I jumped a little and started to panic but calmed down just as fast. He had started petting my head. It was actually quite a calming sensation.

“Sorry for scaring you. I forgot that I don’t own a reflection anymore.”

He chuckled as he continued to pet my ears. I had started doing that weird growling thing again and Zane had noticed it for the first time. He at first stopped, worried that I was about to attack him, but then he noticed my expression and decided to investigate. He went back to petting my ears but more halfheartedly. I gave him a uncomfortable look as I edged away from him and went into the living room and sat on the couch. He followed me and went back to petting my ears, this time doing a better job, after a few second the growl came back. He chuckled.

“Hey DF I think you have your own purr.”

“Really?”

I then noticed that unlike the growl I had when Zane was feeding off of me this one held a slight crooning note to it. It made me sound like I was a little pup.

“It's kinda cute.” Zane admitted as he giggled at my triggered look.

“I wonder if your werewolf form is actually just a pup… I guess we will find out tonight.”

“TONIGHT!”

My shout startled Zane, his fists were clenched and he looked like a wild animal but he still kept my gaze. panic seized me. I couldn't believe it. Tonight was a full moon!?Zane calmed down and his expression turned into a more mellowly worried look as I started pacing.

“DF it's going to be okay. If were correct than you should just turn into a pup.”

“But what if I go full form?! What if I am a full grown were wolf instead of an innocent doe-eyed pup?! what if I attack someone?! Or I end up hurting you?!” I replied with a less intense panicked tone in my voice.

“You won't hurt anyone okay!” Zane said as he hugged me tightly. And with that we waited until the faithful moment.

****

I was feeling weird. It felt like I had a fever and a cold at the same time. Zane had led me to my room, which I thought was strange but at the time I did not question it, and I was curled up into a ball on my bed trying to go to sleep. My alarm clock showed that it was 9:30. I then felt something pop as I groaned in pain.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zane

As I heard Df groan in pain worry flashed through my mind. Is he going to be okay? Is my prediction going to be true? I started towards his room. I cautiously opened the door a crack as I heard small sniffs coming from the room. I then controlled my fear and pushed open the door all the way.

There he was in the middle of the room. He had jerked around so that he could see who was entering. I couldn't help but inwardly sigh in relief and sorta giggle at the sight in front of me. I was right, he was a pup. He was about the size of a golden retriever and had gold and blue swirled fur all over him. His eyes were two different colors, one yellow the other blue-grey. He gave me a tiny growl as he approached. I held perfectly still as he tried to find out if I was friend or foe. With a bark of happiness he confirmed me as a friend. I relaxed a bit as he pranced around me.

DF was quite big for a wolf but not quite big enough to be called a werewolf. I decided to sit down on his bed and as I did so he jumped up and snuggled into my stomach like he did when he was human. I started to pet his back and he gave a pleased whimper.

We then heard my stomach growl as I wince in pain. He then jumped off the bed and started to guide me out of his room.

DF whined at me as he dragged me to the entrance to our apartment. “Woah DF no way!” I yelped as he tried to open the door “I can't just let you run down there! You would scare the heck out people!” He gave me an exasperated look as my stomach growled again, this time even louder.

As he kept glaring at me I finally realized what he was trying to relay to me.

I contemplated on how I was going to be able to eat/feed tonight. I didn't want to hurt an innocent person and DF wasn't in the right state of mind so that I could just ask him to donate. He perked up his ears as we hear some birds that our neighbors own chirped. He then looked at me again and the second thing he was trying to relay finally sunk in.

As I mulled it over the idea seemed to get better and better. But I didn’t know if animal blood would kill me or not. Then pulling a ,what I think now was, stupid move I googled “Can animal blood kill a vampire?”. It came up with a whole page stating that it didn’t kill vamps. I know that not all myths about a vampire are true but with all the people saying yes I could bet that at least one or two vampires might be one of the many writers saying that it is ok.

I then felt a wave of hunger and happiness flood over me. “Ok DF I will take us outside as long as one. You only kill squirrels and other SMALL creatures and Two. You don't try to scare people ok?”

DF gave me a cheerful bark as I opened the door to the main hall to the apartment building. Luckily enough it was late enough that no one was anywhere near the building and the forest behind it. DF ran so fast he was like a blur. I jogged so that I could be within eye and earshot of DF.

I marveled at my improved eyesight and hearing. I could hear the rustling of the trees and even sounds of the tiniest animals you could imagine. I could also see the tiny details in DF’s fur as he stood, his ears erect on his head as he listened and scented for prey.

Letting my hunger take slight control I used my new sense of smell to see if I could find any prey. DF flashed by me as he hunted a mouse that just streaked by. I wasn’t very worried. DF as a Were seemed moderately confident in his abilities. I then caught the scent of a squirrel. My mouth suddenly watered as I imagined biting into the small body as the blood dripped into my mouth, I cringed.

Why am I thinking like this?! I stalked the squirrel into a corner. Then with a slash of claws that sprang from my nails the squirrel was dead. As blood gushed from the slash marks my mouth watered as his hunger took me over all the way. I drained the squirrel and searched for more. The blood tasted good, but not as good as DF’s I thought . I cringed a little at that thought but shook it off as he thought well I’ll have to deal with the weird thoughts from now on. By the time I was done feeding DF was back and my watch said that it was 12:00 a.m.

I then led DF back to the apartment and lifted him onto his bed. Df started to whimper in sadness as I left and I turned around and saw him looking at me with big puppy eyes. I went back over to him and brushed a twig out of his fur.

“I will be right back DF, I just have to wash my hands and take a shower then I will come back, ok?”

He whimpered again but seemed to relax as I explained. I then went into the bathroom washed my hands and turned on the shower. I scrubbed my hair and enjoyed the heat of the water. I smiled at the fact that even though all my other senses were improved, my ability to soak up and feel heat was still the same.

I got out and went into my room and got dressed into my galaxy shirt and black shorts. I went back to DFs room to see him waiting for me. He seemed to smile as he pulled his lips up to show a row of teeth so sharp it looked like it could rip through steel.

I then Turned on his TV as I got on his bed. He crawled towards me and snuggled into my stomach. I watched Voltron and did some research as I fell asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I woke up to a very warm something under me and Pidge screaming at something. I looked up to find Zane sleeping in his galaxy shirt and petting my back. I then looked towards the TV to find Voltron playing. I got up to see that I was butt naked and got into a new set of clothes.

It consisted of my favorite “Potato Life” shirt and black jeans. I was slightly embarrassed at waking up in my birthday suit, but was more concerned about what happened last night.

I did not want to wake Zane up though, since he looked so peaceful sleeping there, so I went down stairs with my phone and headphones and made myself breakfast while the music drifted out of the head phones and into the room. I felt silly for picking the headphones up since I didn't have the ears for it but I thought it would be a good idea to use them to make it so then I don't wake Zane . When I thought about Zane I had this happy feeling that kept washing over me.

The song put me in a good mood as I finished making a stack of pancakes for Zane and I. I sat down and started to eat as Zane shuffled through the kitchen. I giggled at his dazed look as his neck snapped towards me. He smiled tiredly as he shuffled quickly toward the table and sat down and scarfed down the pancakes I put on his plate.

(in this universe vampire can eat normal food as well as blood but they can only survive if the drink blood so Zanes just eating them for the flavor and to appear normal.) He looked happy to see me .

“So how was the transformation?” I asked nervously.

His reply was slow, since his mouth was stuffed with the tasty meal, but he swallowed and finally answered with, “It was actually really fun and interesting. You were not actually the were-pup that I thought you would look like; you looked like a wolf. There was the fact I to feed on a squirrel but I got over it. You also snuggled with me.”

I at another bite of my pancakes as I relaxed. I didn't go full werewolf so I am fine from now on. It was interesting hearing him narrate the story on our hunting trip and I smiled at how he kept over thinking things.

Zane continued “ I have done some research on a few things for your werewolf since you now have a few extra perks and instincts.”

“What do you mean?” I asked slightly confused.

Zane pulled out his phone and opened something I couldn't see and read/paraphrased something out loud.

“Well the problem is that your werewolf form is about the age where it is going through “ wolf puberty,”

I went beet red when he said puberty. I know its a childish reaction but I didn't want one of the many “Talks”. He noticed this and rolled his eyes.

“Anyways that means that you will get more defensive and easily provoked during this period of time. Especially to those you care deeply for. You will also become extremely snuggly,clingy, and kind to either your mate if you have one, which you don't, or in some cases you can get attached to a certain person, no matter what species, who becomes sort of your interspecies mate/companion. They are the most important when it comes to your transformation because they are the only ones who can understand and control you in that form.” Zane read.

We had been walking into our living room and had just sat on the couch when he said that. I tensed a little and he petted my ears to calm me down. We sat down on the couch as he rubbed behind my ears as my happy growl rumbled around the room. I had this feeling I couldn't describe and I suddenly found myself in his lap licking his neck as he giggles. I wanted to stop but my instinct told me to continue. I nuzzled deeper into his neck and kept licking a certain spot. He let out a huff of air and I came back from what I thought at the time was my affectionate puppy trance.

I looked at his face and it was covered with a deep blush and he was huffing quite a bit. I blushed a deep red as I apologized for my actions. While I stuttered he grabbed my hands and pulled me into a hug.

“Its okay, I knew you didn't have control over your actions and my neck is really sensitive there ever since Geno bit me”

He wasn't huffing anymore and was smiling softly. I felt a bitter feeling well up when he talked about Geno biting him. I then realized that I was imagining replacing Geno’s with my own bite.

I internally smacked myself for thinking like that. As I scolded myself I realized that I had been snuggling into Zane. It actually felt comfortable.

We cuddled all morning and afternoon as we watched our favorite shows on Netflix. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zane

I had noticed the DF had gotten weird this morning. It was quite weird being licked by him. The cuddling was actually nice though. even though we are both guys and not dating.

I decided to slip away when he fell asleep. I noticed that his ears and tail were still out and they curled a bit in his sleep. It was kinda cute. I headed towards my room and went online. I had quit from my old job because I couldn't do the day shift any more and all the night shifts were taken so I decided to see what online jobs I could do. I have a Bachelors in computer programing/editing and knew of a few youtubers who needed a new editor.

Jacksepticeye had posted a video saying he needed a new editor and I decided to send an email with a few references and my resume to him hoping he would be Ok with a out of country editor since he also had Robin/Pixlpit. I was now waiting for a response.

I had found out that I still appear in photos and video, just not in mirrors, since I had to take a selfie IRL for jack.

I thought it was slightly funny but was relieved. I heard the familiar tone of a new email and opened up my email. I couldn't believe it. He had accepted!! He even sent me my first video to edit and his phone number so I could call him to talk about details and such. I fanboyed for a few minutes and then went to work.

****

I had just finished it and sent the edited version back to him. It was 12 Am here and 7:00 their so I plugged his number into my phone and shot him a text.

Fangy boi: umm hello?

Septiceye BOSS: Hey! Its Zane right?

Fangy Boi: yeah… so did I do well?

Septiceye BOSS: You did great editing!! I liked all the references you conveniently placed. Anyways I need to tell you something important.

Fangy Boi: What?

Septiceye BOSS: So something happened to Merk and he called me and asked me to come to the merica’s to help him out with it. Since you live in L.A and he

does as well I thought I could come and meet you if I have time.

Fangy Boi: RLLY!! Umm I will have to ask my flat- I mean roommate first but he will probably say yes.

Septiceye Boss: k.

I couldn't believe it. He was coming to LA!! I was fanboying a little more as DF slipped into my room. He looked like he just woke up. He walked over to me and laid his head on my shoulder as he blearily read my texts. His ears were still curled and his pupils were blown quite wide from sleep. He made a rumbling sound from his chest and I found myself answering with my own.

“You work for Jacksepticeye?”

“Yeah…?”

“And you do realize that he wants us to meet him?”

“Yeah…?”

“You know we will have to make up an excuse for my ears and tail right?”

I pondered for a few seconds,“We could always buy you a hat to wear to hide them and you could tuck your tail into your shirt until you learn to control you shifting in and out of wolf.”

DF grin was so bright I felt like I could melt from it,“Zane you are a genius. OK he can come as long as you keep my ears hidden and you eat enough so that you do not try to suck him dry.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I had been wondering about what problem THE Markiplier was having that required THE Jacksepticeye to come to america for. I also was proud of Zane for getting the editing job.

I kept cooing praise at him when we hang out. My instincts has quieted down ever since last week. I was happy that nothing awkward happened between us. I like Zane and I didnt want to hurt our friendship that way.

He has been recently using his new powers of speed that he discovered to get himself a blood supply. He refrained from killing and used his speed to steal blood bags from a hospital. I joke about his new mini blood drive fridge that he has now and he is always joking around about my wolf instincts.

He said that he is also able to withstand sunlight if he eats a certain mineral. It was funny to imagine him eating a jem like a dragon.

Zane and I were on the couch, me laying my head on his lap, when he received a text. It was Jack. As Zane read the text his expression became worried.

“What's wrong Zane?”

“Jack says that if I can I need to head over to Marks house as quick as I can. Even through text he seems anxious.”

I got up and went to go get my shoes on.

“Where are you going?!”

“Arnt we going to go see him?”

Recently my parents bought me a car for a present since I had been doing well in school and also doing well financially so I grabbed the keys, my license, and my wallet and headed down the stairs to the car. Before that I had put on a beanie that had a slightly pointed ears and had stuffed my tail into my pants. It was slightly uncomfortable but was tolerable.

As I drove through the L.A streets Zane gave me directions to Marks house. When we got there we saw Jack standing in the driveway. He was paler than usual and was in his huge PMA hoodie even though it was hot outside. In a weird way he sort of mirrored Zane, who wore clothes that covered his skin from the sun. As we got out of the car Jack waved and smiled tiredly.

“Hello Zane, I am guessing this young man to your left is DF?” Jack spoke quieter than he does in his videos and that made me slightly nervous.

n many of his videos he does say he is quieter in real life, but he said he still quite a bit louder then everyone else. I nodded at his question and stuck out my hand to give him a hand-shake. He returned it. On his arm under a bunch of bracelets I saw a bandage. He didn't seem to notice me staring as he shook Zanes hand.

“So Jack, what's wrong?” Zane inquired. “Your texts made it sound quite serious.”

Jack Nervously rubbed the arm that had the bandage on it.

“First come in. I don't feel like talking out here.”

Zane and I nodded and we entered the house. It was really dark and smelled like dog and something else that I couldn't place. With my werewolf sense of smell I finally identified it as the smell of blood. Zane could smell it to by the way he looked. In front of us I could here Jack taking deep breaths in and out and slightly huffing. We shared a confused look but continued following Jack all the way to what seemed like the living room.

The living room had really comfy couches and a big flat screen TV. Chica, Mark’s dog, bounded towards us to say hello. When she smelled me she barked and I saw her tail was wagging extra hard. Jack stared at me as I bent down and petted her soft fur. Chica licked my face and neck and nuzzled my shoulder. It sort of reminded me of how I acted earlier that week, Licking Zane, except it was much more quick and seemed more “hello friend!” like then how it was with Zane.

Zane chuckled as he watched me get attention from Chica and then asked again, “So what's up Jack? What's the problem?”

Jack sighed then said “So you may not believe this but, about a week ago Merk and I were walking home after going on a walk around LA when we got stopped by this man and what appeared to be his pet dog. He asked us if we could help him get directions to a certain location. As Merk and I were looking it up on his phone the guy grabbed me and sicked his dog on Merk. Then the guy bit me on the arm! I passed out from the pain and woke up here. At first I thought it was all a dream and went to the bathroom to look in the mirror. When I looked up my reflection was gone! I ran out of the room to find Merk. When I entered his room instead of finding Merk I found a WereWolf! That's when I realized Merk and I had been bitten by a WereWolf and I a Vampire,” He finished slowly and looked down, I am guessing to prepare for our rebuttals of disbelief.

Zane and I stood there in shock. They got turned as well! I looked at Zane and conveyed with my eyes should we tell him? Zane nodded.

I spoke up “Jack… about four weeks ago Zane and I got turned into vampire and werewolf ourselves.”

Jacks head shot up in disbelief.

“Re-ealy?!”

I nodded my head. And to give him proof I took off my hat and pulled my tail out of my pants. Chica barked excitedly and started bouncing around inviting me to play as she realized that I was finnally showing my full self. It seemed as though she branded me as her kin, and in a way, I technically am. Jack stared at my ears and tail in awe as they twitched.

Zane, with a weird expression on his face, then asked “Where is Mark, Jack?”

Jack looked towards him and beckoned us to follow.

He led us down a hall with Chica in the lead.She had decided that She was going to lead, not Jack. She seemed to bounce with every step towards where Mark was, as if she were excited to show us her master and our new friend. Jack then stopped in front of what looked like a door to a bedroom. He quietly knocked on the door and after hearing a response, entered the room.

There in the middle of the room lying on the bed was a fully grown werewolf. Its fur was a chocolatey brown and had a reddish hue that only anyone with a supernatural sense of sight could see. Chica ran up to the bed and made a boofing sound. The werewolf looked up at chica and gave a pleased grumble as he licked here head in greeting. It then looked up at the others and cocked its head to the side in curiosity. I then stepped up and held out my hand. The Were first sniffed my hand and then shook it with its paw. The others gasped in surprise.

“Merk! I didn't know you were fully in there!” Jack said in surprise. Mark looked up, rolled his eyes at Jack, and went back to sniffing me.

“ Anyways,as you can see Mark is still a werewolf…”

I looked at mark in confusion.

“How?”

Mark didn't answer and seem busy trying to identify the others from a distance.

Jack decided to answer for him.

“I think it was because his transformation took multiple hours. He was trying to fight it and did not try to except it. It must've affected his transformation.”

I frowned.

“That doesn't sound good. My transformation from what Zane said to 30 minutes. I guess accepting the transformation must make it go quickly.” I said. Mark was getting off the bed and when he stood up he towered the three of us. He looked a lot more friendly then Ross did as a werewolf, but instead of being an actual wolf like I was he was a bipedal combo of a wolf and human.

Jack furrowed his brows.

“So somehow accepting your wolf side allows you to change faster and not feel a lot of pain? But if accepting it only lets you be in your form for the short amount of time is it also a bad thing…?”

Jack trailed off a little and then turned to talk to Zane. Chica and Mark both were sniffing around and then they turned to each other and seemed to have a mental conversation. They both were staring at each other and occasionally Mark would nod his head or make a tiny noise. The two creatures seemed to have a connection that allows them to communicate on another level.

I was pretending to watch Zane and Jack mull over the issue but I actually was watching them. Ever since I got here I have felt a subconscious pull towards them. My Were-Cub side seemed perk up a lot when I was around them. I have decided that I should title my other side my ‘Were-cub’ side since it was more of another conscience as well as new instincts that I have to adjust to. It was weird finally noticing that I had two sets of instincts. I had also been feeling quite warm as well as the fact I was more sensitive to scents. Everyone's scents in here were relaxing and calming, especially Zanes.

As I thought about it more I was pulled out of my thoughts by the sound of Mark and Chica barking quietly to get my attention. I noticed Marks bark was a lot deeper than Chicas and sounded like a really friendly, bigger, breed of dog instead of a wolf. I turned to see them motioning to follow them out of the room. My Were-cub side’s instinct made me even more curious to follow.

As I followed them to the living room I giggled at what Chica was doing.

She seemed to be trying to look intimidating, growling and raising her lip over her teeth, but her adorable nature made it look more like she was about to lick someone to death. Mark looked amused for the moment and then he crouched down and growled back. Chica then pounced on Mark and the play-fight began.

I noticed that Mark was very gentle, and when Chica pounced on him he just rolled her off carefully. They then turned and started play fighting with me. I was slightly slower then they were, but I still put up a good “fight”. He and Chica would carefully jump on their opponents and to attack they just batted each other with either paws, Marks case, or their head, Chicas case. When we were done we collapsed into a big pile. I was smiling quite derp-like and my Were-cub side was filling me extreme happiness.

I guess in a way it was satisfied with the fact that I was willing to follow its instinct.

I also felt as if someone had place me on a fluffy cloud in the middle of the most peaceful place they could find. There was another emotion/feeling that I had but I couldn't identify it and even though I was slightly worried about it I was to out of it to care.

I did feel a bit warmer then before but I dismissed it again, especially since I just did something quite strenuous.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zane

Jack and I talked as we walked down the hall. He and I had been talking about what each of us learned and I found out that Jack had fed on Mark instead of looking for food. He then said that after that he felt to guilty and decided not to take anymore. I offered him some blood bags and he accepted them gratefully.

I was not paying attention to where we were going and when Jack stopped I sort of ran into him. I then looked up to see what was up and stood there in shock.

There DF was, in the middle of the dog-pile, smiling like a four-year-old that had gotten his first dog. It was quite adorable to see him so happy and I felt my chest bloom with an emotion I couldn't exactly fully identify. It was a mix of joy and… affection but as well as something that made me want to fight anyone who tried to hurt him? I was confused but I did not stop the feeling. I felt in that moment I was two beings in that moment. One that was sane and just like me while the other a primal, savage, beast.

After a moment I realized Jack was giggling and as Jack headed over to Mark and Chica, I headed over to DF.

“Hey~” DF said in a voice that seemed a bit deeper than normal.

I noticed that unlike the usual both blue eyes he normally had was replaced with the one bright whitish-yellow eye and one a deeper in color grey-blue.

I smiled and replied with “Hello to you to~” in the deepest voice I could make. For a second I thought DF’s pupils had grown bigger at that, but in the next second I found that he had pulled me to the ground next to him.

I snorted and started petting his head. His purr growl came back at this and he cuddled up to me. I am actually taller than DF by 6 inches so it made cuddling with him quite easy. Chica came over and boofed at me in a friendly way. She the licked my face once, making me scrunch up my nose, and walked away.

I heard Jack and, I think Mark, chuckle and I looked up.

There Jack and Mark stood, It appeared that Mark was grinning in a dog-ish way and Jack was giving a knowing smile. Mark was still in his full werewolf form and I saw that Jack stood quite close to him. Mark then started to come over to help us up. I felt an emotion well up in me and I acted upon it.

I hissed at them

It was not an innocent kitty-angry hiss it was a dangerous-animal-will-attack-you hiss. The sound startled

both of them and they stepped back a little.

I then stood up, carrying DF, and protectively wrapped my arms around him as I then started to run. I was feeling that savage burn to protect that I didn't question what I was doing.

Mark and Jack called for me to stop but I as they did I felt the weird emotion take full control and the next thing I knew I was carrying DF to his bedroom and then nothing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I felt pure bliss.

I felt like I was high on happiness, I felt so good. I felt dopey, puppy like, and safe in Zane’s arms.

I couldn't understand what was happening and it seemed like my comprehension skills went out the window. I felt myself be lifted off the ground and the next thing I knew, we were back home.

I felt myself lower onto a surface that I finally identified as my bed and I snuggled into its plush surface. I had my vision back so I looked towards Zane. I saw that his eyes were bright crimson instead of his normal brown.

I felt a weird bark well up in my throat and I released it. From what Zane says later it was a mix between a whimper and a sort of chirp in a way. Zane also told me about how he couldn't seem to remember actually hearing it. Zanes head whipped to me and he walked towards me. He did not say anything but he started to pet my head again. As he did so I fell into the clutches of slumber.

****

I woke up to find myself wrapped in Zanes arms and licking his neck again. I groaned and sat up.

I looked over to Zane to find that his appearance had changed. His hair was slightly longer, and I could see that black had been mixed with the reds of his hair. His nails were longer as well as sharper. The biggest change was the fact that he had leathery bat wings that stretched out and draped over the bed. I noticed that one of the wings was covering me like a blanket and I stroked it. The wing was soft and felt quite thick. I still felt out of it and the Were-cub instincts were still running strong so I leaned back into the bed and snuggled into the wing.

I couldn't understand what happened.

I had been feeling weird ever since the play fight with Chica and Mark and when Zane picked me up it was if I got dunked in pure happiness. But imagine if that pure happiness, after the fact, feels fake and creepy instead of normal and nice.

I was overwhelmed with fear in that moment and a whimper escaped my throat. It sounded like a wounded animal and I felt my Were-cub sides influence so strongly right now that it hurt.

Zane stirred and then, with what was probably, great difficulty on his part, turned to face me. His eyes were a bright crimson and his gaze felt more animalistic then human. He lifted his hand and brushed a piece of my hair out of my face as he made a weird cooing noise.

I felt relief wash over me and then I found myself cuddled up into Zanes side, and I nuzzled the flesh that was in front of my face. As I did so, I could smell a nice aroma come from him. It was calming and made me feel like he could protect me from anything. Feeling my Were-cubs conscious meld with my own calmed me even more and my mind was filled with only one thought.

Mate.

I fell asleep with that thought strong in my mind.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zane

I woke up to DF rubbing himself up against me.

I was slightly groggy since I had just woken up but I still was awake enough to realize two things.

One, DF was extremely sweaty and that sweat left sticky feeling against me.

And two, he was mumbling the word mate in his sleep.

I then noticed that he was wrapped up in bat wings. I went to scramble away when I realized that they were mine. I stared in shock. The bat wings twitched with the shaking of my body and that's when I noticed that the tiny fur on them swirled in a pattern. Brown,black, and grey swirled together to make the most beautiful wings you could ever see.

As I shook myself out of my trance I transfered my sight to DF. He was nuzzling his sweaty body up to mine and I noticed that he kept nipping at air. It was then that I was hit with a powerful scent.

It was beautiful in a way. The smell of cherry blossoms and smoke assaulted My nose. I was quite surprised that two drastically different scents could come together to smell so divine.

I knew in that moment what DF was….

My Mate.

And I knew what I had to do now…

Take care of my Mate.

****

#werewolves #vampire #oc #zane #DarkFlash

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