#threads; with cassius

[letsbenditlikebennett]

TIMING: Current-ish PARTIES: @singdreamchild & @letsbenditlikebennett SUMMARY: Both Alex and Cassius find themselves on a late night stroll in the woods. The two catch up briefly when they run into each other. CONTENT: Homophobia mentions

He found himself getting more contemplative after the sun had gone down recently. And instead of continuing to hide like he had been, he had gone out more. Of course, trails closed after the sun went down, but it wasn’t his fault that his skin would start to burn if he tried to hike during daylight hours. That’s how Cassius found himself walking along the trail at sundown. His hands shoved in his pockets as he looked around at the nature around him. It gave him a sort of inspiration. Writing had been hard for him lately, and he had found himself branching out from poetry to writing a novel. It had reinvigorated him and left him with more to say than poetry ever could. So, to get ideas, he often walked around in settings he wanted to portray in his book, like the woods. 

Walking along the trail, he heard a twig snap behind him. Cassius stopped, spinning around to come face-to-face with Alex. “Oh! Hello.” He spoke with a friendly smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, no matter how hard he tried. It was an odd sight, a goth hiking. He was wearing something straight out of a Victorian mourning scene, suitable for a nighttime stroll through the streets of London in the 1800s more than it was the woods as the sun went down in the 21st century. 

“Don’t tell me you’re here to tell me to go home,” he spoke with a frown, knowing that she worked with the park rangers. “Some of us can’t get out while the sun is up for one reason or another.” Usually, he’d make up an excuse for why he couldn’t do things during the day, but he found, lately, that he just didn’t care anymore. So what if someone knew he was a vampire? The worst they could do was kill him. He found that the idea of such a fate didn’t really bother him much, either. It was a strange feeling.

The most recent full moon had made a world of a difference when it came to the restless feelings Alex had been battling, but it had also done wonders on healing up the last of the gunshot wound she got courtesy of one of maman's old friends. The thought held more bitterness than it had previously, but the werewolf was pleased that she could get out and about again without experiencing a significant amount of pain. Even before she'd become a creature of the forest herself, she'd always found peace in nature. Maybe it was because it was everything the basement wasn't— moving, filled with life, open. 

Or maybe she was just a gay girlie who really fucking loved trees and flowers. Alex figured it didn't matter that much either way. She was trying to let go of the idea of 'soft' being a bad thing and that meant whatever the reason was for the whole plant love thing didn't actually matter. It didn't have to be some guise to work as a park ranger and protect people, it could just be. She could just be. 

Alex was doing decidedly doing pretty damn good at the whole just existing thing as she walked through one of her favorite patches of the forest. The fir trees ahead had clusters of honey mushrooms growing overhead that lit up patches of the trail with the most beautiful green glow. It was decidedly a peaceful little nighttime hike that pleased the werewolf's need for a bit of movement though she found herself caught off guard when she ran into someone... her high school history teacher in full goth? Sure, that was his aesthetic normally, but it was a little jarring to see in the middle of the forest, especially considering she hadn't even heard him approach. 

“Oh hey,” she waved with a smile despite her confusion. Alex was nothing if not polite to her teachers, former and current alike. The idea of even a past teacher not liking her was enough to send her into a spiral, so she just avoided that likelihood altogether. But then, he mentioned something about her telling him to leave and not being able to get out during the day.

Alex raised a suspicious eyebrow and found herself listening for a heartbeat that wasn't there. The steady thrum of her own heart was the only one making a sound on the trail. “Huh,” she shrugged, “I wasn't gonna say shit actually. I'm still on leave from my internship so I'm out here enjoying the trail just like you.” 

If she wanted her old teacher to continue liking her, maybe brushing over the vampire suspicion would have been a better move, but her best friend was a zombie and she hung out at a farm staffed by zombies like all the time. Alex even manned their instagram account. Plus, Aria was a mare. She was like totally a friend to the undead. For once, it brought her some satisfaction knowing how much her parents would hate that. 

“So no getting out when the sun's shining...,” Alex hummed, “And no heartbeat.” She offered a smirk to show it didn't matter much to her. It wasn't like she was gonna pull that rosary out that Emilio had given her when that lapir decided she looked like lunch. “I'm guessing I shouldn't break out the garlic bread,” she asked jokingly, “Wait? Is that actually a thing?” She'd probably feel pretty murderous if she couldn't eat garlic bread either, to be fair. 

“Or is it like one of those weird media twists... like Twilight and all the werewolves wearing jorts,” she asked, half serious, “We don't wear jorts... Well, at least not all of us. I much prefer hiking pants or joggers myself. Though I've been known to rock some Daisy Dukes when the theme calls for it.” 

Like when Cass introduced her to the hoedown throwdown from Hannah Montana. That was an occasion that called for Daisy Dukes 100%. Somehow, she had the feeling her history teacher understood the importance of doing something for the aesthetic. 

—

The vampire raised a brow at Alex as she confessed she was in the woods for the same reason. He adjusted his satchel, which held the journal where he had written his ideas down. It was nice to know he wasn’t the only one out walking at night. It was nicer still that it was someone Cassius recognized as a former student. Alex had always been one of the better students, smart and memorable enough that she stuck out in his mind. Of course, it was weird to connect with a student after graduation, but it wasn’t unwelcome either. Plenty of students had reached out to him over social media over the years. He may be old, but he wasn’t a curmudgeon hiding from the internet.

He froze as soon as she started to list the things that made him a vampire. It was weird to be called out on it, but it was also nice not to hide it. Sometimes it was good to be seen for what he truly was, minus the slayer who wanted nothing more than his head to be stuck on a pike. “Caught me,” Cassius muttered with an amused smirk. “Some of us hide in plain sight, I will admit.” He crossed his arms over his chest as she spoke. “Garlic forces my fangs out, but doesn’t make me break out in a rash or anything.” He waved a hand in dismissal. “I still avoid it where I can. Some people freak out at the sudden appearance of fangs and red eyes.” He wiggled his fingers dramatically. 

“Call me a twilight vampire, and I’ll leave.” He threatened, pointing a finger in her direction accusatorily. No, the only thing he had in common with Twilight was that one actor that looked spookily like him. “A werewolf?” He cocked his head to the side, brow raised. “Sharp wit, a temper to match…” he trailed off, looking over the girl’s face. “Yeah, that tracks.” He gave a soft smile. He didn’t care what she was. She had always been a good person. “One of us reps a more stereotypical look than the other, but there’s still time for you.” He gave a toothy grin. “You’re still young, after all.” He raised his brows, almost as if he was issuing a challenge.

He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, more of a habit to appear human than an actual need to do so. “Obviously, I hide in plain sight.” He shot back, gesturing to what he had on in all its Victorian glory. “Only gotten me caught once in all my years, so I’m doing something right.” Of course, he had also been careless, traipsing around a graveyard that he knew slayers liked to frequent. 

Hiding in plain sight. Part of her had to wonder just how old the vampire was and if he would understand the Taylor Swift reference in his own words. Alex figured she may have already been pushing her luck with being one of his favorite alumni students by asking the whole 'bones or boobs' thing. She wasn't sure dropping a pop culture lesson was the move here, especially considering he looked like he listened to whatever the Edgar Allan Poe of music was which was decidedly not Taylor Swift even if Dear Reader was decidedly a bop and a half. A bop squared even. And... It was pretty emo. 

Instead, Alex laughed. “The curse of having hearing that is just... way too good.” She shrugged. Most of the time it was more of a curse than a gift, but it helped sometimes. What was a little sensory overload in the big scheme of things anyway? “You're doing a pretty good job... wouldn't have guessed before,” she gestured, “Even if the outfit is kind of giving vibes. I just always thought you had a really good sense of fashion. But hey... garlic forces my fangs out too, but probably a very different deal.”

She just loved eating food with garlic in it. Garlic bread, garlic chicken, garlic dip— it was all delicious in her book. Then again, Alex also thought a whole moose unseasoned was delicious depending on the day of the month, so she probably wasn't anyone's go-to culinary expert. Kaden would probably laugh at her name and the phrase even being used in the same sentence considering she was more than content to eat Chefboyardee straight from the can and call it dinner. 

Alex did find herself relaxing into the easier banter. Ah the one thing that connected the supernatural together—- fucking hating Twilight. She leaned against one of the firs and chortled a bit. “Duly noted, teach.” The confirmation of her own species did leave her feeling a bit uneasy, but it was getting easier to say the words at least. “Yep, I'm a werewolf... have been this whole time actually,” she shrugged, “Got bitten when I was 7 so the moon and I have been vibing for a long time.“ 

Vibing was nicer than the truth of it, but the full moon didn't fill Alex with as much dread now that she had a taste of it outside of her bunker. Her bones didn't still carry that same antsy feeling in them the following morning. Even the jokes felt a little easier to lean into and it was a change... that she was pretty sure she welcomed. ”I don't know,“ she retorted playfully, ”I think granola gay is pretty on brand for werewolf... even if it's not on brand for Twilight werewolves, but like--- what is? Twilight got most shit wrong... and had that ugly CGI baby.“ 

She didn't actually know that for sure, but Thea had mentioned it and she trusted that bit. Alex had only seen the first two movies with Cass when it was explained the role the films played in pop culture. They were kind of fun to laugh at. 

”So you've been a vampire the whole time then too,” Alex mused, “Huh. How long has it been for you? Are you like... old enough to have been there for some of the history you taught?” Getting caught only once meant he probably wasn't out eating people left and right... which was a good thing. Not that he had given her the vibe she needed to be afraid of him when he was her teacher. All in all, he was pretty chill as far as teachers went. 

Something in him getting caught did make her own stomach turn. Alex refused to acknowledge that feeling too deeply and instead joked, “Can't say I've been as lucky on that front, but part of the fun of becoming what the family kills or whatever.“ Because somehow every attempt on her life always came back to that. Her aunt, her mother's friend.... hopefully there weren't anymore coming out of the woodwork, but she wasn't sure how much she trusted her own luck.  

Cassius couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness for Alex. The idea of being a little girl and suddenly going through trying to understand being a werewolf on top of everything else sounded awful. “Vibing is one word to use,” he muttered, though mostly to himself. “I’ve been thirty-three for one hundred and seventy-three years.” He confessed, raising his hands above his head as if to say, what can you do?

He had to take a moment to process the phrase ‘granola gay,’ he felt as if time was finally catching up to him, as he had no idea what that could mean. “What is granola gay?” He asked, face a mix of weirded out and confused. “Twilight made people think that vampires sparkled in the sun. I wish all the sun did was make me sparkle.” Cassius frowned, as if disappointed in his person's lack of sparkling skin. 

“I’ve been thirty-three for one hundred and seventy-three years.” He confessed, raising his hands above his head as if to say, what can you do? “I was born in 1817, turned in 1851.” He let out a sigh through his nose. It was weird to talk about his true age out loud. Let’s say my knowledge of Victorian England and onward is more of a lived experience than something I read about.” 

He gave a thoughtful look for a moment. “My sire was born in the 1500s. He was a plague doctor. I got much of my history knowledge from someone who lived it rather than the written variety. I became a history teacher because it was an easy gig.” He smiled wryly, knowing he had taken a lazy way out. But hey, someone had to teach it.

“The only reason I have avoided being hunted for sport for as long as I have is because I was taught to have no connections. And when I overstayed my welcome, I moved to the next place.” He shrugged a shoulder, a faraway look in his eyes as he talked about it. “My sire made sure that we put survival first.” The faraway gaze turned sad, and he shook his head as if willing the thoughts out of his mind. “I don’t recommend living your life that way. Better to learn self-defense than run away from your problems whenever the winds turn against your favor.”

Of all the crazy things Alex could expect to find in the woods, finding herself explaining what granola gay meant to her high school history definitely wasn't one of them. It was far less nefarious than most of the things that lurked in the woods. Cassius always had possessed a certain bravado that seemed to pair well with his classic vampire style. With all the kitschy stuff in Wicked's Rest, the vampire was easy to look over. He practically blended in here. She realized that maybe Wicked's Rest, with all its terrifying faults, was the kind of place where people like them could carve out a life for themselves. Hadn't they both done just that? 

“Granola gay... is like your outdoorsy gay stereotype. Lots of flannel, lots of hiking boots, hydroflasks.” Alex grinned wickedly. “I stole mine. The hydroflask that is... Actually some of the boots and flannel too. But those fucking water bottles are like $60? Capitalism has got me fucked up on that one.” She gestured to the beanie on her head. “But like beanies, other weather friendly hats and outerwear. Backpacks instead of purses. General gist of it.” 

The whole granola aesthetic did seem fitting for what werewolves actually were, or at least, who Alex was as a werewolf. She wasn't sure her experience spoke to all werewolves, but she'd found the forest was a place her and Alan both seemed to enjoy. She'd felt her most free on the full moon weaving through the trees alongside Gael. Who knew. All she knew is it fit her. 

“Yeah, sparkling does seem more fun than catching fire,” Alex joked with a cynical laugh, ”With the way people are using highlighter these days, no one would even know the difference.“ 

How old her former history teacher was didn't surprise Alex as much as she expected. It was like pieces of a puzzle fitting together perfectly. ”And here I was going to say you don't look a day over 140,“ she quipped. “That's pretty neat though... Teaching stuff you've actually lived. And hey, you're good at it.” 

That much was true. Cassius did have a way of making the subject fun even though it wasn't normally her favorite. Alex nodded along as he spoke and found herself frowning. She'd spent a long time running and she wasn't sure she could do it again. Both she and Andy had finally started to place roots and build actual lives. Her stomach turned with guilt, she knew that was worth fighting for. It was still hard to think she shouldn't have made Andy to be the one to fight. 

“Yeah... I moved around a lot when I was younger before we settled here,” Alex explained, “Always me and my sister.” There were a lot of good memories in all the places they called home, however temporarily. “Survival is good,” she noted, “But I think you're right. It's not... living. Or unliving? It's not a life might be the better way to say that. Connections, getting to experience all that is worth fighting for, I think.” 

Cassius couldn’t stop the amused smile that broke over his features, and he shook his head and let out a soft laugh. “Definitely not me, then.” He murmured, that same smile on his features as he shoved his hands into his pockets. “Guess that makes me the confused gay.” He pointed to himself with a sage nod. “If I had to choose, of course.” He tacked on, now stuck thinking about ridiculously priced water bottles. His smile turned into an annoyed frown. “Good on you for stealing it. Take capitalists down a peg.” He decided with a smirk in her direction.

“It was strange to talk about these things with a former student. Then again, Alex had already crossed a few boundaries when she dared ask him about his preferences for bones or boobs. He shuddered at the memory. He made it a habit to be polite with his former students but kindly shut down any further acts of friendship on the student’s part. He wasn’t sure why. It just never ceased to make him feel a little bit uncomfortable. Still, being friendly wasn’t that terrible. 

The vampire thought for a moment. He had lived through quite a few historical events, hadn’t he? “You want to know something kind of cool?” He asked her, the corner of his lips quirking upwards. “I may or may not have been in the stonewall riots.” He explained with a shrug of his shoulder. He remembered the pure and unbridled rage he had felt that day. He was so damn tired of hiding who he was at that point—repressing one’s sexuality since the 1800s? He could only take so much. “That’s one piece of history I was present for, anyway.” He waved a hand as if it wasn’t that important. He remembered the look on Richard’s face when he had gotten home before sunrise. He was pissed, but he was also a little proud. 

“Between you and me,” he began, letting his hands fall from his pockets. “I’m still trying to learn to make connections.” He frowned, kicking at the dirt beneath his boot. “Spent so long being taught to avoid everyone and everything at all costs makes unlearning it a bit hard.” He sighed, looking around at his surroundings momentarily before gazing back at the young werewolf. “I’m glad to see that you’re doing well, Alex. Truly.” He shuffled his feet, as if getting ready to leave.

It was a strange chance meeting, but one Alex found she didn't quite mind. Of everything and everyone she could have run into in the forest in the middle of the night, her high school history teacher was hardly even close to the worst. Running into him had actually been nice and she didn't even feel weird about the whole him being a vampire thing. That had to be progress or something, she decided. 

“Confused gay, classical gothic gay,” Alex shrugged, “Kind of go hand in hand anyway. And taking capitalists down apeg is like my favorite hobby.” She smiled proudly at that one. Maybe she couldn't actually be Robin Hood, but embracing the spirit felt right. 

When Cassius shared a bit of history with her, Alex's eyes widened with  amazement. “Really,“ she asked incredulously, ”That's... I mean it's terrible that it had to happen, but pretty fucking awesome you were out there fighting for our right to exist and all.“ It made her pretty proud to call the vampire her teacher even if she couldn't necessarily advertise that part of his history. Cass would at least appreciate it, she thought. 

Part of her understood where Cassius was coming from. Had Alex not staved off making connections outside of Andy for most of her life? It'd been easier that way, but then they found a place they could actually call home... and well, their world got bigger. ”Connections have a way of sneaking up on you in a town like this,“ she smiled wistfully as she thought of the friends she'd made, ”It's hard to unlearn, but... people can surprise you.“  She saw him moving to leave and offered a friendly wave. “Good seeing you... and take care,” she called out. 

[bluedprints]

@womanlives sc.

his coffee is empty. just ice on the bottom, an eternal slurping sound.

he is bleeding from the forehead, still.

"i think the painkillers made it worse."

[writtn]

closed starters.

His gaze slides to the guitar in the corner of the room, then back to @lovepctions. ❛ Did I really not tell you that I play ? ❜ He's a little embarrassed at times to tell people he plays because he feels he's not that good ( if he was good then he'd have made it super big by now ). ❛ it's not that big of a deal. ❜

[savior-of-humanity]

@maykrisms -- continued from here!

--

To be honest, Cassius had been expecting a demon or some other terrible bloodthirsty beast to jump out at him when the door opened. To instead be met with a ten-foot tall robot holding what looked like a demonic version of the Great Slayer's Crucible was... a surprise, to say the very least.

He blinks when Hayden speaks. Once, twice, his mind trying to play catch-up with a language he hasn't spoken in what might be decades. Thankfully, he still remembers enough of it to understand the former Maykr - and didn't seem to recognize him through the mechanical filter of his voice. His gaze naturally drifted to the demonic crucible in the cyborg's hand, but the sight combined with his voice still doesn't spark any sort of recognition as to who Hayden actually was.

"How do you know me?" Cassius would ask in perfectly fluent Argenta. He'd grown so much since he was a younger lad, almost as tall as his father but noticeably skinnier in physical build. He already had his fair share of facial scars, giving him an even closer similarity to the Great Slayer.

"And, to be fair, I didn't ask to end up here." Which was... mostly true. He'd only been following the trail of where his father had gone; he still didn't have a clue as to how he even ended up here, let alone outside of Hell at all, in the first place.

[cnlyfans]

"  why  is  it  ,  when  something strange  happens  around  here  ,  you're  never  far  behind  ?  "

[bradley-banner]

where: golden hour lounge.

with: @joey-madani.

"How's your old fashioned?" Bradley requests as she grasps Joeys attention, menu held between her fingertips as she flicks her gaze over cocktail options before glancing up at the person at the opposite side of the bar.

Honestly? A bad old fashioned was still semi-decent, so regardless of answer, that'd probably be her go to.

[tragedicn]

@thecircusfreaks  /  sc.

            ❝  let's not speak of this to the medic  .  ❞  ⸻  a light wince falls from cassius' lips as the other's fingers gingerly prodded at his injuries  ,  just a quick patch work . . . cassius knows that corwin will eventually find out when he needs a bandage change  ,  but right now  ,  the captain just wasn't in the MOOD to hear his first mate chew him out for carelessness  (  to which he'd argue that it was wholly necessary  )  .  ❝  it's fine if it's clumsy  ,  let's just get it covered so dust doesn't get into it  ,  corwin can check it out and nag me later  .  ❞  he tries to make light of the situation  .

[atrickrtreat]

@thefvrious wanted cassius

"Halloween is set, the gigs going to be awesome since Raven's boss at the club spent mad bucks to make the place look creepy as fuck. But after the show I think he's planning on sticking with his sister to make sure she doesn't go home with Amadeus or something knowing him. "What're you going to be doing, please tell me nothing because I don't want to spend Halloween night alone."

[shxfting]

@babyitsmagic

“whatever is happening between you and fiadh, it’s fine with me. this isn’t the first time, it won’t be the last. but i do need you to understand one thing. if there ever comes a day that you hurt her, i don’t care how many wars it will start, it’ll be your last day breathing.”

[thisgusting]

"the packing peanuts demon was back at the scene of a crime today, and he got even worse this time around," a surefire way to stun everybody who wasn't aware of such entity, more accurately... a man in his late thirties, he supposed. "we keep telling him that there's no sustenance in those, and that he should try aaaaany kind of cheetos, at least... — he doesn't listen !! and..." oh, boy... "he had the absolute gall to ask me out !! when i said i'm not interested, he moved onto my friend ?? i think it's a good enough reason to request moving areas of interest, isn't it ??" // @cinnamcroll

[hehates]

who : cassius / @ghos1t . where : sylus' home / front door .

" EYES , IT SEEMS , AIM TO PAINT ME A FOOL . . . "

spoken solemnly to break an even sadder silence that sits in their shared air . sylus softens his face into something unbothered in the presence of the monster , but his hand tightens around the curve of his door handle , tight enough to almost break and bend — tight , as if to envision cassius' throat there . squeezing , veins protruding with the squeeze and shake . doorbells , a wondrous invention that the demon was fond of . he changed the chime of his several times and welcomed visitors into his abode with wide smiles . there wasn't yet a tune nor chime invented to signal the arrival of a ghost such as he , a vision of cascading curls and sharp eyes . no , sylus felt his presence enter at the edge of the neighborhood , bathed in moonlight , reeking of memory .

" because , i swore i told you to never show your face here . i lifted steel and gunmetal , pointed both between your eyes and warned you — " a courtesy befitting of a repaid debt . cassius has saved sylus' life once , after all . it was with bitter words from an even more bitter tongue that they'd saw fit to do the same , only once , but their patience should not be tested . " and yet — here you are , like a phantom . " like a dream . " and i feel that it must be a trick of tired eye . " i feel . always feeling , always drowning in too much heart and dreamlike expression . cursed to the downfall of his passion's own creation . " not even you are that stubborn . "

dim lights stretch from behind him , the glow of of the castlevania clad television and pause menu music creating a symphony of the night . too intimate , too familiar in its tone . it truly does paint him a fool for cassius . " leave . " huffed through pursed lips . " leave ! " squeezed from a broken heart . " i know better than to invite a vampire into my home . "

[lukas-dark-miracles]

Totally Normal Date|| Cassius & Lukas

Location: Champlain Falls

Timing: The Friday after this thread

Parties: Lukas (@lukas-dark-miracles) & Cassius (@singdreamchild)

Summary: Lukas follow his offer up with Cassius to go to Champlain Falls. The two, proceed to have a very not normal date :/

Content warning: The very lightest Drug manipulation tw because Ballybog was NOT welcome as a third wheel on the date and does plop plop one of the two. ( so warning for psychedelics/ seeing things that aren't really there).  

It had taken them some hiking to get out to Chaplain Falls, and the two of them had spent it talking about this, that, and the other. It was easy to get lost in conversation. Cassius stopped walking as the waterfall came into view, leaving the vampire with wonder in his eyes as he took it in. He couldn’t help but wish to see it in the daylight. He could only imagine how beautiful and colorful it was. He found himself thinking about that with many things he encountered. That’s why he didn’t bother to really explore when he went out and about. The lack of color reminded him of what he had lost. He shook his head to shake him out of his stupor and jogged to catch up to Lukas. “It’s beautiful,” he marveled with that same wonder in his eyes. In all the years he had lived in Wicked’s Rest, he hadn’t bothered to explore the nature that existed around him. He spent too much time in a day-to-day rut of routine. He smiled to himself, thinking that, just maybe, it was finally time to change that.

“I’m sure it’s better during the day,” Cassius added, walking to the trail that led to the top of the falls. “I can see why you like to revisit this location.” He remarked, hands clasped behind his back as he stepped onto a rock, then another. “Thank you for bringing me out here.” He looked over to Lukas, a bright smile flashing over his features. The blonde had worn more practical clothing for their adventure, a band T-shirt that featured The Cure and a pair of black jeans. Of course, the same platform Doc Martens wore that made him reach the same height as Lukas. His hair was tied up in a messy bun on the top of his head and he had forgone any makeup that he usually wore. 

It was easy to talk to Cassius, and Lukas found that fact was still true as he had met him at the beginning of the trail. He hadn’t expected it to be awkward - he was almost by trade good at conversing with almost anyone - but he hadn’t expected it to be natural. With a walk that he must have taken hundreds of times both as a human and now as a vampire he didn’t have to watch the road closely. So when he knew the path was about to clear he smiled lightly seeing the other’s wonder in his eyes before glancing towards the waterfall. “It is. That's why it’s one of my favorite places.” 

He moved swiftly behind Cassius letting the other go ahead first to see the falls. At his statement he nodded and said, “I think most people would think so, but I’ve always been rather fond of it at night.” It was almost always quiet then, and it was the type of peace Lukas sought out most of the time. “Careful,” He said as he watched Cassius walking on the rocks although didn’t go to stop him. “And you’re welcome,” He said, slightly stunned by the smile shaking it off. He wasn’t sure how the other seemed to smile with his eyes so easily, but in any case he tried to push it out. 

“I can list off some facts if you’d like,” Lukas settled on, slightly lamely on his part. In Spite of himself he had dressed more so for the outdoors electing to wear a simple uncollared t-shirt instead of the ones that felt more natural and not bringing his glasses knowing that he didn’t need them technically. They just felt more natural for him to wear then not. “I did promise to be your guide.”

Cassius stopped climbing to allow himself to marvel at the waterfall, something he didn’t see very much in his long-lived life. Until recently, he had always prioritized staying hidden and blending in over allowing himself to explore the world around him. One of the things he resented Richard for. “You have good taste.” He replied with a soft gaze, a faint smile flirting with the corner of his lips. He sat down beside the waterfall, staring down into the waters below. It was fascinating to gaze upon, and it made him angry that he hadn’t bothered to explore the world around him, even if it meant Richard’s disapproval.

He let out a soft sigh, now angry with himself that he was even thinking about his sire at a time when he was enjoying the company of another. Cassius shook his head slightly as if willing the thoughts to leave his head. “That you did,” he remarked with a playful smile. “Well, if you have any facts about this place, I would certainly love to hear them.” He decided with a nod of his head. 

A part of him was afraid to get close to someone again. The same part of him that felt abandoned and alone after Richard left. After Sofie disappeared. The part of him that was afraid to move on and let himself be happy. Despite the loudness of this part of him, he extended his hand forward toward Lukas, beckoning him to join him atop the falls. “Sit with me,” he insisted with a gentle smile, one that was almost private. 

Lukas watched as Cassius walked along the rocks near the edge of the fall, happy to see that he seemed to be enjoying it, and not quite sure if he should get closer. As of late, Lukas was weary of it - knowing that there were a lot of potential risks if he let himself be seen. He wasn’t quite the monster he should be, but he wasn’t quite a good man either. Still, like a moth to a flame he couldn’t help but smile back and say, “Glad you approve.” 

At the response Lukas thought for a moment and said, “It’s named after Samuel de Champlain who was said to have gone on many adventures around the falls, including caves that shouldn’t be there. It used to fascinate me, although I can’t say I ever saw any of them.” 

At the idea of going towards Cassius, Lukas didn’t know if he should. The last person he had gotten close to had ended up making him this way. He had already been a little careless in going on - well this could really only be classified as a date so shocked that the other hadn’t immediately pushed him away. Still, he wasn’t sure either that he was all that powerful to stop himself either and with a smile and light laugh moved to go to the rock the other sat so carefully on. “Alright, but if I trip, I know that there’s a chance I’ll take you down with me,” Lukas said, feeling how slippery the rocks were and trying not to do so.  Still unintentionally reaching out for Cassius’s hand as he started to wobble before getting to the rock just wanting to steady himself putting the thought away that he would wind up closer to the other. 

Listening with wrapt attention, Cassius watched as Lukas ascended up the slippery rocks, leaning forward a bit in case he started to slip. He thought about the cave system that existed in Wicked’s Rest and shuddered a bit. “Well, let’s hope we don’t go spelunking today.” He piped up, not keen on finding another Volmugger or worse. 

There was a part of Cassius that screamed at him. What was he doing? Is he going to allow himself to get close to someone again in the inevitability that they go and vanish on him? His expression turned stormy as he fought himself. He kept doing this to himself. Weak-minded and weak-willed. He balled his hands into tight fists, then relaxed them. He hadn’t expected the pull toward Lukas he had when he had met him, and there was another part of him that begged Cassius to give people a chance. Despite everything, being hurt by someone’s absence meant that there was a true connection there. One that was worth hurting for. 

Lukas reached out a hand toward Cassius as he began to lose his balance, and the two sides of himself were warring with one another, one side begging for a chance while the other demanded that he pull away. He took a deep breath, eyes closing for a moment. Then he heard the slipping of Lukas’s feet, and his eyes shot open. He got into a crouched position and took hold of Lukas’s hand. There was no going back now, was there? 

No, he had made his decision. 

Cassius pulled Lukas close toward him, close enough so their bodies were flush together. The older vampire’s blue eyes looked into Lukas’s, his arm wrapping around the younger vampire to steady him. Then, he gave a soft smile, one that was almost private, before taking a step back to give the other space. “Say the word, and I’ll let you go.” He spoke in a low, almost soft tone.

“Oh no adventures for you? Fair enough,” Lukas commented with a chuckle knowing he wasn’t really up for it himself. Walking on the rocks was enough for him and the former priest could feel himself slipping on the rock, a little annoyed with himself for not being more careful. He was being reckless lately, and he couldn’t afford it. He was trying to build a family that was  true, but this wasn’t how it was supposed to be. As he stumbled he suddenly found a hand in his. 

It took a moment to realize what had happened, as he was suddenly closer to the older vampire than he ever had been before. If he had a heart beat Lukas was pretty sure it would have skipped shocked. As it stood, he froze for a moment not really taking in the fact that Cassius had wrapped an arm around him, a lot of thoughts suddenly out of his head as he tried to steady his breathing. 

He really was beautiful, and Lukas couldn’t help how his eyes widened and he paused. He only seemed to remember to breathe when Cassius stepped back slightly arm still wrapped around him as Lukas’s brain tried to catch up with what was being said and implied. The smile seemed too lovely to be for him, and part of him wanted to step back afraid of the last beautiful person that had turned him into a monster. While he had only wanted to be Lizzie’s friend, this close he wasn’t sure if he wanted to be Cassius’s. Not when he was this close to him. Hell -  he didn’t want to be, and he really didn’t know what to do with that information. So, he just looked for a moment, and then realizing that he did need to speak if only for the other’s sake he tried to form words. Clunky and not at all possessing the confidence of a former preacher he whispered, “I don’t want you to let me go. I really don’t. That’s dangerous, Cassius.”

Lukas  wondered if that made him monstrous himself. That he was this close to the other and he didn’t know everything about his Sire, what he was supposed to be doing, and what being this close to him meant. He couldn’t seem to form the words instead looking back to Cassius searching for a meaning.  

There was hesitation in the younger vampire’s gaze. The hesitation gave Cassius pause. He wanted to say something, but something had him frozen in place. The confidence he had melted away into something far more carnal: fear. He was afraid of this pull that Lukas had on him. He was afraid of what it could mean, what it could cause. 

He blinked, and he saw Sofie. He saw her smile. He saw her laugh. Can you move on that quickly? A voice in his mind spoke out. He dropped his hands from Lukas as if he was burned. He blinked again and saw Sofie gazing out the apartment window. The guilt was eating him alive, and suddenly, Lukas wasn’t there with him, nor the rush of the falls. He was alone in a room with no windows or doors. Darkness all-encompassing that made him want to fall to his knees and scream. You deserve to be alone, you know. That same voice called out, whispering into his ear like that of a lover. 

He blinked again and was back, Lukas staring at him, and his arms still around him. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. “I’m sorry, I just.” He stepped back, his feet slipping underneath him, and he nearly fell over. All that confidence and swagger completely vanished. “I find myself so drawn to you that it scares me,” he admitted, eyes lowering as he righted himself. He couldn’t figure out why he was being so ridiculous. He never got like this. Pull yourself together, Hawthorne. He swallowed thickly, an embarrassed smile on his lips. “Suppose I can’t convince you to unsee that, can I?” He then asked, scratching at the back of his neck. 

Lukas watched flashes of different emotions go through Cassius’s face and when he saw the fear there he knew it. He knew what hauntedness looked like, both on himself and others. Still, as soon as he saw it he wished he hadn't. Mostly, because he knew that there wasn’t anything he could do for it. 

He didn’t know Cassius well enough to know why he seemed haunted, and there was a terrifying thought that the other vampire didn’t know him well enough either. Whatever moment that there had been, was blisteringly brief and Lukas needed to remind himself he was still who he was. A man who had been turned into an undead thing. No matter how beautiful or beloved he wasn’t the resolution to anything. He would make whatever haunted the other vampire worse.

So with a grace he didn’t feel Lukas gave a small smile letting Cassius say what he needed too and knowing himself that it was for the best that the distance was put back in place. The distance he was supposed to have here. Smoothing the raw edges that he had to deal with later, if he ever did. After all, this wasn’t the worst thing and he needed to keep it together. 

With a nod Lukas said,“ It’s alright. You rather surprised me yourself.”  It wasn’t sad and in fact he put on the best version of himself as he gave a chuckle, his eyes looking back towards the water for a moment wishing that he had his glasses to dull the sight , “Consider it gone, Cassius. Although, if you’ll forgive me I will take the compliment. Not every day someone says they're drawn to me.” 

Cassius gave a charming smile to cover up his discomfort, hand dropping back down to his side as he moved to sit beside the waterfall once again, patting the spot next to him for Lukas to join him. “We should get to know each other better,” he insisted after the younger vampire sat beside him. “We know each other’s names and our afflictions but not much else.” He thought for a moment, wondering where to start. “I want to know more about you, your favorite color, what kind of music you listen to.” The roar of the falls made it hard to hear, so Cassius leaned in with his voice raised so Lukas could hear him. 

As they sat, Cassius gazed around the scene before them, unaware of the creature that plapped up behind them between listening to Lukas speak and the roar of the falls. A creature that had come a long way from where it belonged. Cassius learned too little too late that this creature was behind him, and as soon as he turned his head, the strange bipedal frog creature spat a foul liquid all over his face. 

Cassius squeezed his eyes shut, letting out a yelp of shock, raising his hands to wipe the strange liquid off his face, namely his eyelids. “What the fuck?” He exclaimed as he quickly rose to his feet, switchblade suddenly in hand. It shrieked, then sprayed again, this time hitting Lukas. It began to charge at Cassius, which caused the vampire to grab Lukas by the hand and lead him down the rocks, being careful enough not to slip but going quick enough not to face the creature’s ire once again. “I hate this town sometimes,” the older vampire grumbled as they got back down onto the grass, and he glared up at the creature one last time before assessing Lukas. “Are you alright?” He put his hands on either side of Lukas’s face, and suddenly the world was spinning and warping around him. It was as if Lukas was the only thing that wasn’t morphing around him. “Whoa.” He muttered, unable to tear his hands off of the other, as if they were glued there. 

“Silly little vampire man!” A high-pitched voice called out, causing him to blink his eyes rapidly as his gaze fixed upon a pink leopard licking itself. “Silly little man with a silly little crush!” It sing-songed. “Do you…” he blinked, hands finally dropping to his sides. “Do you see that?”

Lukas calmed down a tich as Cassius did, going back into a routine that he felt a little more comfortable with sitting next to the other and admiring the view for a moment. “ To be fair most people don’t know much about me,” Lukas said with a light smile, his eyes drifting back to Cassius without his permission. “I like dark blues and purples and bright white. Night time colors,” Lukas said with a bit of a nod expecting an answer of the other. “I’m afraid I don’t know the music question very well but I am rather fond of Rhythm and Blues.” 

Lukas was calming down before there was a creature. Without thinking his eyes widened and he moved to avoid whatever the liquid was that was being thrown at the two of them. Luckily as Cassius pulled him away Lukas felt bits hitting his clothing.  Still, he was now concerned about what that was - and as soon as he could moved to look at the other vampire to make sure he was okay. He was surprised again as Cassius was quicker putting his hands on Lukas’s face to check him. It would have made Lukas melt a little if he wasn’t worried. 

 “I’m fine - hey - Cassius we should wash your face in the water, “Lukas said concerned now as he seemed to be woozy. Moving to catch the other, if he started to tumble he asked concerned, “ What?” Turning to follow Cassius’s gaze and finding nothing but the dark and the falls, “There’s nothing - Cassius are you alright? Let’s wash your face at least. Okay? Hey, look at me please, Kochanie.” The words falling out of his mouth as he tried to calm the other and get his attention, using words he would soothing most people. Although, admittedly he though his ears might have been warm if they could have been.

Cassius blinked at Lukas as if he were registering his words, but they weren’t sticking, not really. “He called you honey!” The same high-pitched voice rang out, causing him to shift his gaze back to the pink leopard. Admittedly, Cassius spoke some Polish. From almost two centuries of being with a Polish man, one picks up a thing or two along the way. Mostly the swears and sweet nothings, but Polish all the same. He could converse with a toddler but not much past that. “Hej, znam to słowo!” The older vampire exclaimed in an excitable voice. With his inhibitions loose, he found that any filter he once had was out the window. 

“I think we should…” Cassius screwed his face up, suddenly lost in thought with what they should do instead of washing his face off. He gasped, then placed his hands on both of Lukas’s shoulders. “I think we should go for a swim!” Cassius began to nod his head, breaking out into a grin until he started laughing as if it was the most hilarious suggestion he could have come up with. For once, he felt loose. He felt free! He wanted to run around and…

He set his sights on the long-forgotten pink leopard. He wanted to hunt. The vampire’s happy exterior changed to one of a hunter, eyes changing from their normal blue to crimson. “Die, kitty.” He exclaimed, then lunged for the phantom pink cat, and was shocked when the creature suddenly vanished. His eyes returned to their blue as he swirled around, confused. “Well, that’s strange!” He exclaimed, unable to stop himself from bursting out into a fit of giggles. 

“I’ve fully fucking lost it,” Cassius decided aloud. “I mean, I feel great. I haven’t felt this great since 1981.” He ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head. “Fuck Richard.” He spat, kicking at the dirt before making for the treeline, the waterfall and prospect of swimming long forgotten. “I mean, you ever think about the fact that we’re vampires because someone else said so?” He shook his head, letting out a theatrical scoff. “I was supposed to die! I was dying!” He threw his hands up in the air, then let out another string of laughter. “And he decided he couldn’t bloody live without me.” The normally subdued accent was thick, almost cockney. “Stupid arsehole.” He crossed his arms over his chest, searching the treeline for the pink kitty.

Lukas was at a bit of a loss trying to keep up with the older vampire who seemed to be suffering from something having to do with the creature. Although admittedly he was distracted on the fact that Cassius seemed to also know what he called him. That was a freak out for later - perhaps when he wasn’t trying to talk some sense. 

“Sorry - I didn’t mean to overstep - I don’t think that’s wise,” Lukas managed to stutter out again a little too close to the other again. He was very tempted to just go with what Cassius wanted to do which was why he was relieved when he saw him move away from the falls now realizing he probably couldn’t get him to wash his face. 

He watched as Cassius - pounced? While he tried to keep the panic off of his face he was fairly sure there was no cat anywhere and was very close to just pulling Cassius back to somehow calm the older vampire. Before he could though the other seemed to switch to another subject, one that he wasn’t quite sure he wanted to share with Lukas. 

“I don’t think you’ve lost it - although given everything I think you might be high,” Lukas commented coming slightly closer and gauging what the other vampire was about to do. When he started for the tree line, Lukas followed suit noticing how agitated the other was getting. He wasn’t quite sure who Richard was until - the dots connecting Lukas said softly, “Yes I think about it a lot why I’m only like this because - Lizzie wanted me to be her companion.” 

His hands trembled a little saying her name, but he focused instead on the man who seemed to becoming more British by the second. If he wasn’t slightly worried about the state of him, Lukas might have chuckled but instead he said, “Sorry to hear you were dying. I would still be alive if I hadn’t been. Can you look at me for a moment, Cassius? I really should get whatever that is off your skin before you start telling me all your secrets. It wouldn’t be very fair at all.” Without much thought he pulled off the collared shirt, thankful his undershirt seemed unmarked and thinking at least some of the shirt might help. 

“Can I please help you?” Lukas said, tilting his head hoping that the other wouldn’t bolt for the trees. He was trying to keep some distance, but at this point he really should help him before they both got lost in the park. “If not, take this and see if you can get some off.” 

As he continued to look for the elusive cat, Cassius couldn’t help but be stuck on Richard. Dammit, why did he have to think about him of all people? He shook his head, ridding himself of the thoughts. The action of shaking his head caused the world to start and spin. He threw his hands out to his sides to balance himself, suddenly more worried for his safety than being excited about everything that was going on. “A plaything at someone else’s expense,” he murmured to himself. The idea of this Lizzie person simply wanting a companion, were their lives really that silly in the grand scheme of things? 

He blinked again, the world tilting sideways, and he found himself falling to the ground. “I hate this,” he groaned as he covered his face with his hands. “Yes, wash it off.” He begged, scrambling to his knees and blinking again. The world finally stopped spinning. His eyes searched the treeline for something, anything to keep himself grounded to reality. But then, he saw it. A familiar face that struck feelings of fear, hope, anger, and anguish all at the same time. 

Richard. He was just standing there. “Please tell me he’s not there,” Cassius spoke in a hoarse whisper. He pointed to the hallucination, a tall, pale man with cropped brown hair and striking blue eyes. He shook his head again, tearing his gaze away from the man he once knew to be his safe space, who was now the cause of his every fear. “Please, I need to get it off.” Cassius was frantic now, scrambling to his feet to get to the edge of the water, splashing the cool water onto his face, desperately hoping that it would ease his troubles. 

He turned his attention to where his sire was, and he was gone. He blinked once. Then again. Still, he didn’t reappear. Cassius began to nod his head slowly, letting out a sigh of relief. “Siiiiilly little vampire man.” That sing-song voice called again, causing him to search the treeline for the infernal creature once more. “This is awful, what the hell was that thing that sprayed that vile whatever it was?” 

“Something like that, yes,” Lukas said softly, mostly to himself. He often felt like he was pulled out of a life to join Her, and while he had at this point in his unlife dealt with the pain it caused, there were still bits of him that resented the change. While he couldn’t say he had loved everything about the Church, he had been making a difference. He had a place, and a story he should have gotten to continue. 

Still, instead of dwelling he was more concerned with Cassius following him to the ground worried when the vampire fell. He got closer to help when the other seemed absolutely horrified by something. At the whisper Lukas’s eyes followed his and he said, “No - no one’s there. Hey - careful now. Don’t fall in. ” He moved, making sure that Cassius didn’t accidentally go head first into the water offering his shirt now to the other to dry off. Part of him not quite sure what to do in this situation, worried more than anything else. 

At the question Lukas shook his head and said, “ I - don’t know what it was. I’ve never seen it before - but if I were to guess it’s got something hallucinogenic with it. I think you may be high, Cassius. It may take awhile for it to wear off.” He kept a distance now that he was fairly sure that the other vampire had figured out what was happening, not wanting to encroach into his space. “I - think it's best we stay here for a little, if only so I know you don’t need to go to - I suppose the doctor?” He wasn’t sure how that would go, knowing Cassius was dead as well. “Please don’t sprint to the tree line again - you are much quicker than you think.” He said realizing that the Blonde was tracing the tree line again. 

It was hard to tear his attention away from the trees, for the fear of seeing his sire skulking about was a very real one. Cassius blinked a few times, then forced himself to focus on Lukas. He listened to his voice, the content of his words. It was hard to stay focused when other stimuli were trying to force his attention elsewhere. Like that annoying, pink leopard. It was taunting him even still. He blinked a few times again, trying to regain focus. “I think…” his voice trailed off when Richard’s voice entered his mind. The fear struck him, causing him to go rigid where he stood. “You honestly think you can escape me?” The phantom voice taunted, followed by a click of his tongue. 

Cassius took a deep breath, eyes downcast as he attempted to discern reality from hallucinations. He found that it was harder to do than he thought. “I think I need to go somewhere and lie down. Preferably somewhere dark.” He spoke slowly, trying to keep himself grounded in reality. He knew that Lukas had just suggested staying where they were, but there were so many things pulling his attention. Would the darkness make it worse? Probably. 

“I won’t run off.” He promised, finally looking over to Lukas with a panicked smile. Cassius was trying so hard to remain civil, to not completely lose his mind over things that the other vampire could not see. This wasn’t real, he would be okay. He kept having to chant that to himself in his mind, continuing to tell himself to focus on Lukas and that he would be alright. Richard wasn’t there. “I think the only thing that’ll fix this is time,” he said reluctantly. “I need something to focus on.” He decided, clasping his hands together. “There’s so many voices and creatures in my head and vision right now, it’s hard to focus.”

Lukas watched carefully, wondering what Cassius’s experience was with his sire. He seemed to fear Richard, but perhaps not in the way Lukas feared his own. He was sure if he thought he saw Her he might actually start shaking, not wanting the older vampire to meet Her. Still, he waited cautious of the other sprinting away. 

At the idea of getting Cassius away from the site Lukas nodded, knowing that perhaps there was too much around. He wanted the other to be comfortable, at least as much as he could be. “Okay. We can at least go down the path and maybe find some place to wait.” He quieted for a moment at the idea of too many thoughts. It wasn’t the same as what seemed to happen to Lukas, but there was something there he could relate too - even if he didn’t want too. 

“Would it help to talk? We can walk and I can talk if that would help. I used to do it all the time - when people were scared it seemed to help,” Lukas said, avoiding the why behind it. He had been called to many last rites, and very often he stayed until the person passed. While he didn’t assume that this situation was similar, he figured it probably couldn’t hurt.  “Although I do have to admit, a lot of my stories are probably dull compared to your own.” 

Blinking, Cassius attempted to center himself, anything to keep him from flying off the handle. It was weird knowing that he was hallucinating while actively hallucinating. It was as if he couldn’t trust a thing he was seeing or hearing. He wasn’t sure what he could do to ease his troubles, but Lukas’s suggestion was better than nothing, he supposed. He nodded his head and began to walk down one of the paths, needing to occupy his mind with something. 

“I just need to focus on something,” Cassius spoke with a nod of his head. “If you have something to talk about, or ask questions that you’d want to know about me.” He shrugged a shoulder, trying to grasp onto something as a distant whisper beckoned him into the tree line. He swerved toward the voice, but then shook his head, setting himself back on the correct path. 

“This is hell.” He decided aloud, stopping in his tracks. Cassius quickly turned to Lukas, suddenly panicked. “Not that my time with you is hell, it’s just… that toad certainly knew how to ruin things.” He sighed, lowering his head in defeat. “I understand if you’d never want to see me again after this.” He then spoke, knowing that the entire night had gone to shit faster than he imagined it ever could have. 

Lukas followed, keeping up with the other as they decided on the path ahead. He nodded and said, “I mean, I can be quite the talker if push came to shove but I always have questions I want to ask. Although I don’t want to corner you in answering just because of the circumstances. It would be a little unfair.” He didn’t get to close, scared of spooking Cassius more so. 

At the exclamation of hell, Lukas blinked with the explanation causing something more of a kind to a chuckle than anything else. If only to relieve the tension that was in his throat. There was a seriousness that he didn’t like. “ Sorry, I’m not laughing at you and  I mean it certainly wasn’t ideal. I feel pretty bad for suggesting this for an outing, but it’s hardly the worst one I’ve had. I could tell you that story if you would like.” At the idea of not seeing the other vampire again he couldn’t help but shake his head with a chuckle, “Again, not to laugh at you but I do want to see you again. If only to apologize profusely that I’ve gotten you high off of a toad? I mean I would understand if you would like to run me out of town, but I do hope you could find it in your heart to give me a second chance. Hopefully no invisible cats will be involved.”   

As a way to show it Lukas offered Cassius his hand, lightly to not hurt himself if the other didn’t take it. “You didn’t ruin anything, and sans the toad I’ve had a lot of fun.” 

Cassius hummed in response as Lukas began to talk. Already feeling himself at ease by the sound of his voice. “Sure, tell me that one.” He then spoke at Lukas bringing up the worst date he’d ever had. Cassius, for all the years he had lived, hadn’t really dated that many people in his life. Not even before Richard did he really go out with anyone. Well, there was the set-up with that young woman when he was only twenty. He blinked, shaking his head to right his thoughts back to the present.

Noticing the distance that Lukas had put between them, Cassius paused for a moment, allowing Lukas to catch up so he could walk beside. He gave Lukas a smile for reassurance. “No, please do laugh.” He insisted, raising his brows with widened eyes. “I will most assuredly laugh about it later, maybe when I’m not in the throes of it, is all.” He looked over to Lukas and shot him an amused half-smile. 

“You got me high off a toad? Hardly. I think the toad got me high off of a toad.” Cassius waved a hand, dismissing the thought of Lukas being at fault entirely. A smile spread across Cassius’s face, genuine and warm. “I think I would like that. Maybe less nature. Can’t run into a toad when I’m indoors. Well, less likely, anyway.”

Lukas, surprisingly, had dated before he had joined the priesthood. Part of him had wanted to settle down instead, but the calling to religious life had been stronger than anything else. So he laughed and said, “I thought you might have a question about that. Seeing as I was a priest. Most people wouldn’t have thought I dated any. I will tell you it though if you’d like, but you really should have had more questions.” He nodded and said, “Yes, I hope you will. At least a little.” He snorted and said, “ I mean I didn’t call the toad, but you wouldn’t have been near it entirely.” Lukas returned the smile and said, “Yes - Next time let's just go do an indoor activity. Preferably no toads, but we can settle on just unlikely toads.” 

[bluedprints]

@womanlives: why did you really call? /hatergirl for loverboy

the ummmm hangs in the air on the line for so long that it just becomes white noise—the scratch in his throat barely noticable. he walks around his apartment, his glow-warm cracked phone pressed flat to his face, caught between his head and shoulder.

"to—say hi?"

there's a window open—sounds of traffic from outside. he leans over the bookshelf to close it shut but can still hear the vibrations of it, the life that finds little cracks everywhere.

"and good night?"

his ear feels hot. his face, too.

sitting down on his couch like something's being knocked out of him. air, or some even more vital component.

"are you going to sleep?"

[zofiawithaz]

What's In A Home?

PARTIES: Cassius @singdreamchild & Sofie @sofiedupont

LOCATION: Eluria Cemetery

TIMING: Current

SUMMARY: Sofie says she’s going to swing by Cassius’s place. The thing is she doesn’t know he lives in a cemetery.

TRIGGER WARNINGS: mentions of emotional manipulation

I’m out for an evening stroll- where do you live? I’ll stop by. 

She’d sent the text shortly after the sun had set for the evening and her day could truly begin. Cassius had seen her place several times, and she couldn’t believe she’d never had the decency to ask where he lived. Sofie would have been truly astounded if she knew it wasn’t because she’d been so caught up in conversation and simply enjoying his company in the moment. He had been with her, so why should her mind wander to where he would be when he wasn’t?

He had sent back an address and she’d walked along a smile on her face. It only marked her as strange when she turned on the street and walked closer. A cemetery? A curious eyebrow arched on her forehead as she hurried her pace. 

Sure enough, by the time she approached the entrance she could see a flicker of light hair in the darkness, and had caught the pine wood and lavender scent that was distinctly Cassius on the air.  “Eluria cemetery?” Sofie’s voice was absent of judgment. Only a quiet curiosity. 

_______

Anxiety coursed through Cassius at a fast pace. She had wanted to see where he lived, and he knew that this topic would have to be broached eventually. He was just hoping in vain that it wouldn’t, somehow. If he hadn’t believed that their relationship would amount to much, he wouldn’t have bothered letting it get to this point, but she meant so much more to him. So he knew he’d have to rip the bandaid off. So he had responded to her with the address, nothing else. 

He had left his crypt to walk up to the entrance, knowing that was where she would be once she arrived. He stuck in the shadows of the trees at the entrance, waiting for when she’d come into view. Once she did, he heard her speak the name of the cemetery aloud, and he finally took in a deep breath before leaving the shadows he was hiding in. 

“I have some things to explain,” he said, tone a bit sheepish. He looked down at his hands, then up at her. “I, uh. I guess I’ll just show you.” He waved a hand for her to follow, beginning the walk to the middle of the cemetery where the crypt he resided in was. The path winded as they walked, and he was too afraid to say anything, their steps and sound of the wind being the only noises that were heard. 

As soon as they reached the crypt, he took another deep breath, then turned to face her. “This is where I’ve been living the past ten years,” he confessed with an unreadable expression. He felt embarrassment and shame, he had stayed there because he was ready to leave at any minute, but those minutes turned to months that turned to years. And he was still here, still living this way. He had given up on so much, just waiting for his sire to reappear and for life to return to what he deemed as ‘normal.’ 

_________

Sofie trailed only a few steps behind him. It was unusually quiet between the two of them. Sofie didn’t mind silence, but usually silence was comfortable. This silence felt heavy. Like a restless, anxious energy echoed from Cassius’s every footfall. A slight frown started to tug at the corner of Sofie’s mouth. It was concerning- she didn’t like seeing him fret like this. 

They walked further into the cemetery, and the longer they walk, the more Sofie’s concern twisted in her chest. Was this some incredibly strange and metaphorical way of saying he didn’t want to see her anymore and their blossoming relationship was now dead? No, that’s ridiculous Zofia. 

Cassius stopped in front of an old crypt, and Sofie slowed her pace. This was his home? A quiet spot in a cemetery. A literal resting spot for the deceased. She scanned his features, trying to figure out just what he was working out in his mind. A few short steps and she was next to him, linking her arm in his.  Sofie had done many things over the last fifty or so years to get by, but she’d never thought of living in a cemetery. There was something lonely about it. 

She slid her hand down his arm, letting her fingers tangle with his. “And do you like it? Living here?” Sofie was curious more than anything. That and the tiniest bit concerned- slayers had to roam cemeteries, didn’t they? Looking for creatures of their variety. 

________

Cassius stared at the ground for a long moment after she had asked him if he liked it. He didn’t really think about it too much. For a long time, it was because life bored him to a point he might as well lean into the stereotype of what he was, because it seemed like the obvious motions. After all, vampiric stereotypes existed for a reason. 

“I don’t really think about it,” Cassius finally confessed after an extended silence. “I was never meant to stay here as long as I have. I planned on finding Richard and going back to the way things were.” He paused for a moment, shaking his head. “That never happened, and while emotionally I moved on, I guess this has always been a road block for me.” He gestured to the crypt, letting out a sigh. “A monument to my inability to move on completely. And Gladys. She’s who’s in the wall.” He nodded his head once, as if that were the obvious part.

“I don’t really keep much here. I have a storage unit for that.” He shrugged, trying to fight the embarrassment he felt. “Just a few books and a week’s worth of clothes.” He put his hands into his jacket pockets, shrugging his shoulders. “Now you know my darkest secret,” Cassius spoke with a nod of his head, looking back at the crypt one last time before turning back to look at her.

_________

Well, that certainly wasn’t a yes. Though his words had a tiny, dark corner of her mind wondering what he would do if his sire ever did dare to show up after all this time. After abandoning someone he’d supposedly cared for. She let out a small sigh, letting the thought go on the evening breeze. A sigh that turned into a soft, amused snort at the mention of his tomb-mate. “I’m sure Gladys has been glad to have some company in her eternal rest.” Sofie teased gently. But her mind stuck on the first half of the sentence. A monument to his inability to move on. But what would happen if he did move on…

Her smile grew a bit sad. His darkest secret. He said it in a way that made her wonder if he expected her to run off screaming into the distance. As if she wasn’t also a scary story told on stormy nights. Sofie also wondered if this was something he had done with Richard… Stay in crypts and mausoleums. She stepped closer to him, letting her shoulder brush against his. “Well, first, if this is your darkest secret, I think that is indicative of the fact that you’re one of the very best people I’ve ever gotten to know.” 

Sofie paused, worrying her lip between her teeth a moment as she tried to find the right words. “I think the real question, kochanie, is if you’re ready to move on?” She looked back at the crypt for a moment. “While I’m sure Gladys would miss the company, I think you deserve more comfort and companionship than what she can provide.” A frown crossed her face as a thought popped into her mind. “More importantly- what about hunters? Do they come through here, looking for… well…” She gestured vaguely between the pair of them.

________

Cassius thought for a long moment after she asked if he was ready to move on. He knew he was, but it was the question of funds and actually having the motivation to move. Sure, he could afford it, it helped to be saving up money over the course of one hundred plus years. He supposed that it he really thought about it, it was just the embarrassment that it got to that point in the first place at all. “I think Gladys would absolutely miss me,” he finally started with a smirk. “But I also think maybe it is time to move on. I’ve had a few close encounters with hunters over the years, but I’m pretty good at keeping quiet and making myself scarce when the need arises.” He shrugged, looking around the cemetery, taking it all in. 

He enjoyed the cemetery, he enjoyed the peace and quiet that came with living amongst those in their eternal resting place. Very seldom did people go into an old cemetery with the purpose to make as much noise as possible. Cassius liked sitting amongst the stones at night, reading books by candlelight in the crypt, little things that made it feel more like home. Still, it would be nice to have something that had a lock on it to stay in. 

“The housing market scares me,” he confessed with a conspiratorial gaze. “Have to find someone to take all my money, make all the deals that go along with it? Pass.” He shook his head, the idea really didn’t appeal to him. Plus, it kept him rooted in place. If he needed to leave, a house tied him down, left a paper trail that Cassius existed for others to find. He didn’t like that. He’d never lived any other way that ready to flee at a moment’s notice.

“I don’t like the idea of a paper trail being left behind for people to discover,” he finally voiced aloud. Sure, there was the records of him working, but it was still a bit sketchy at best. After all, how does someone use the same social security number for over a hundred years and get away with it? They probably don’t, and he wasn’t about to walk that line either. “The idea of owning something permanent, knowing I couldn’t flee if I needed to, it’s too much.”

________

“I’m sure she will, you are excellent company.” Sofie grinned. “But, I’m also sure there are other quiet places… Houses with no neighbors to speak of. Nice secluded properties, especially if privacy is priority number one.” 

She lifted an eyebrow slightly at his concerns of leaving a trail. Just what kind of number had Richard done on him? “Well,” She began slowly, “There are ways around that. You could pay upfront with cash, if you have enough of it.” Sofie’s mind was already rifling through the old things she could sell for a considerable amount if she had to help come up with funds. “And I don’t think people will ask too many questions in this town. But you could always put the house under a different name. And if you do have to go, then you hire a realtor to take care of the sale while you’re ‘out of town on business’.” 

“And nothing material is permanent.” Sofie’s smile grew wry. “You could stay in that crypt for another three centuries, and time would erode it until it’s no longer a shelter. If you had to run, you’d still have to leave some things behind…” Her mind drifted a bit. “Back when I was very young- before I turned- my mother would say ‘Zofia, nothing in this life is forever. But you cannot be afraid of what you will lose along the way, or you’ll never have anything worthwhile’.” Sofie paused, her mind drifting to a different family.  “When I did turn- we traveled a bit over the years. We lived in France, mainly, but we popped to Italy for a short time, back to Poland, and then here. There are pieces of my history scattered across the world.  I’m sure I still have things in France that I loved dearly that are museum pieces now, because once it all was gone, I couldn’t risk going back.But what I miss more are the people. Having people to run with you is what has always been the important part for me. Because wherever you end up, as long as they’re there, then that can be home. But it doesn’t hurt to be safe and comfortable wherever you wind up with whoever those people are.” 

_______

Cassius listened as Sofie tried to dissuade him from the way his brain had been wired after so many years. He wanted to agree with her, but there was that nagging feeling in the back of his head that sounded a lot like Richard that told him that changing from what he’s always done was a recipe to get caught. To slip up and make himself known. It was so ingrained in him that it was hard to think anything else. 

Sure, the idea of a home that he could call his own sounded wonderful. He’d always wanted a space to decorate to his heart’s content. Still, it was hard to let go. “I’ve never done anything that wasn’t for the sake of survival,” he finally admitted, looking over to her with an unreadable expression. He crossed his arms over his chest, he almost looked robotic. “I have always let myself stay alive first, live second. Poetry has been the only thing that I’ve let not be that way.” Cassius paused, thinking for a moment.

“That was, until I met you.” He finally added, expression changing from a robotic survival mode to a softer one. “I suddenly want these things that I’ve denied myself. I want to be with someone, I want to get to know people and not have to worry about hunters.” He gestured around. “I want to live somewhere that doesn’t have dead people everywhere.” He sighed, shaking his head. “But it’s hard to get past when it’s all I’ve ever known.” Cassius took her hands, frowning. “All I ask is that you give me time.” His voice was soft and meek, as if afraid. “I’m still… I’m still getting used to thinking for myself.” 

That was something he hadn’t admitted before. Something he had hoped wasn’t true. That he had been controlled for so long by someone who claimed to love him. “I’m still coming to terms with that,” Cassius added with a shrug of his shoulder. A nervous tick. Trying to shrug it off as it it were nothing to worry about.

_______

It was disconcerting to see him slip further into a mechanical way of being so easily. To seem so focused on survival only. As if staying alive we’re the only goal, and to celebrate the things that made life worthwhile was a secondary objective only. And a hardly noted objective at that. It was so at odds with how Sofie functioned. She couldn’t help but wonder what would have been if their places were reversed. If Cassius had been able to live instead of survive… he’d probably be some anonymous famed poet whose work was discovered over the centuries and released ‘by a friend’. 

She wasn’t sure how her presence had started to break the warped spell Richard had ensnared Cassius in, but Sofie was grateful she had. It warmed something in her chest to see the rigidity slowly melt from his expression… Maybe it was relief? When his hands found hers, Sofie gave them a gentle squeeze. “Then take all the time you need, Cassius. You don’t have to do anything for anyone but you.” 

It was almost like he was scared… of her? Of how she might respond? Of ghosts of the past and their demands? Sofie lifted their entwined hands, pressing a kiss to the back of one of his. “That’s something that comes with time, I think. Time and practice.”

_______

Waving the darker thoughts out of his mind, Cassius smiled as Sofie pressed a kiss ot the back of his hand. “There’s a lot I can learn from you, Zofia.” He spoke, deciding that her real name fit her better than what she now called herself. “I like the way it sounds. It suits you.” he added, pressing a kiss to her lips. “Would you mind if I called you Zofia?” He then asked, tilting his head to one side. 

He thought for a long moment, about how much has changed in the forty years since his sire left his side, of how much he had discovered that was his and his alone. About how he had grown as a person in that amount of time. Perhaps it was time to make a next step, to finally call something home, something that will last for longer than what he was used to. “I will promise you this; I will start to look into better living arrangements.” He nodded his head once, looking back to the crypt. “I think Gladys might enjoy her alone time.”

_______

She blinked, surprised. She had almost forgotten she’d said her name- her first name. It had been years since she’d heard another soul utter it. More than years- it had been lifetimes. She had spent so many lifetimes as Sofie that the sound of a long forgotten name tripping off another person's tongue startled her for a moment. 

He kissed her, and there it was again, the name that belonged to a strong girl, determined to snatch her dreams out of thin air if she had to, determined to make them real. Sofie realized she was closer to that girl she had been three centuries ago than she was the veritable princess in the lap of luxury.  She was, in a sense, right back where she started. Dreaming of family, of friends, of comfort- of the things she was beginning to find in this town, with Cassius, with the friends she’d found in Metzli and Zane. A smile broke out on her face like dawn after a long night. “You may,” the words were hushed, as if the name were a secret for just them. “But that name belongs to you, only. No one else gets to call me that, only you do.” And she found she already wanted to hear Cassius say that name again, just once more.

She let go of his hands, reaching up to wrap her arms around his neck, letting her fingers play absently with his hair. “Only promise me that, kochanie, if it’s what you want.”

——-

Cassius nodded his head in agreement as she spoke, smiling down at her as she spoke in a quiet voice. “I promise that it shall only be me that calls you Zofia.” He spoke, pressing a hand to his chest as he did so, as if swearing an oath. He then scrunched up his face, as it thinking hard on something. “Though you using words I don’t understand makes me feel I should learn Polish so I know what you’re saying to me.” He added on, lightening the mood a bit.

He thought, for a brief moment, about for as long as he had been alive, he hadn’t bothered to pick up other languages. That’s what he got for being a filthy British man, he thought for a moment before mentally shrugging it off. “I think it’s safe to say that, at least for a while, your place may be the preferred one to hang around.” He said meekly, pointing back at the crypt. “Unless you like what you see,” he teased, wagging his brows. 

______

It was a passing thought that buzzed through her mind, but Sofie couldn’t help but wonder what might have been if time and space hadn’t tried so hard to keep their paths separate. If he had been there when she was still Zofia, or if she had been there before he’d found himself down a path with Richard that would end in his death. If they could have been normal and blissfully unaware of things like hunters, and vampires, and all the scary stories that people told their children made real. She laughed, shaking her head. “You don’t need to learn a new language. I bounce between the three languages. But usually only for little things. Nicknames, counting… Swearing, occasionally. But I’ve been told that those are the most important words to learn in any language.” She finished as her mind drifted to Henri, who insisted his new sister knew all the very best ways to tell someone off in French before she knew anything else.

“Kochanie- a pet name. It translates to honey, or darling.” It seemed only fitting that if he called her Zofia, that Sofie should call him something in her mother tongue. Her gaze drifted toward the crypt of poor old Gladys, who would sadly be down a roommate. “Well, as tempting as that offer is,” Sofie laughed, lifting up onto her toes so she was closer to eye level with him. “If you prefer my place, that is just fine with me.”

___________

Cassius gave a thoughtful look as she told of the languages she switched between. “Oh only three? I’ll make sure to leave the linguistics to you, then.” He decided aloud, nudging her playfully. “And if I ever need someone to cuss someone else out in polish or french, you’ll be the first I call.” He nodded his head once, mock-seriously. 

He looked around the graveyard once more, gazing upon the headstones and small statues around them. He had grown used to the silence, and something Cassius quite welcomed. If he were to get an apartment, then that would mean losing that silence. So that was out of the question for him. The more he thought on it, the more he knew that Sofie was right. There was nothing wrong with having something that could be his, and there were ways to keep himself safe that didn’t readily give himself away. Maybe, for once, he could finally let himself be truly happy. To finally live instead of simply survive. 

It was something he’d have to take a day at a time, but with Sofie’s help, he knew that he could do it. Besides, he had a lot more people that he knew he had to stick around for. He liked his job, the students he taught and the people around him he had finally begun to meet. Finally, Cassius thought, he was finally living.

[disinfernus]

Play Stupid Games, Win Stupid Prizes

TIMING: Current LOCATION: Eluria Cemetery PARTIES: @singdreamchild & @disinfernus SUMMARY: Dīs chases a potential lead to a cemetery. They accidentally cut themselves and having not realized that Cassius was hanging out there, they get bitten by the vampire. Cassius fights between wanting to drain the fae and helping them. CONTENT WARNINGS: None

He really thought he could get away, didn’t he? At first, the escape had been unexpected, a monkey wrench, if you will. It soon turned into somewhat of a thrill. Being Lampade, Dīs thrived on having the element of surprise. The shadows served them well in that aspect and it was what they knew best, but who knew that the chase itself could be just as exciting. Especially when the prey was finally caught.

Like the rest of them, there were no answers, nothing but excuses, and so, there was no use for more breath. The man who valiantly ran for their life lay with staring eyes as Dīs slipped a hand into his jacket pockets, searching. It was a gruesome sight, no doubt, to find a tall figure looming over another. The cemetery seemed a tad on the nose. That meant little to them as they continued to pull pockets inside out before they finally found what they wanted back.

It wasn’t the most important piece, but it was just another reason added to the list. Just another reason to piss them off. No answers for the death of their family, no answers for why he took their things. Just another corpse among corpses.

The pair of spectacles felt heavy in Dīs hand. They stood, suddenly, when they heard the brief betrayal of pressure that erupted around the tombstones. Long, wavy black hair hung curtain-like around their shoulders, framing them in even more darkness when they stood to their full height. A figure hung amongst the scattered, dead trees that dotted the cemetery. There was no one there before, they were sure of it. How long had they been there? Did they see what happened? Were they looking now? In their curt haste to try and maybe hide the body, the glasses broke beneath the knee-jerk reaction of Dīs’ palm. Glass married into flesh, producing beads of blood that ached to drop from the fae’s fingertips.

They hissed in frustration to themself and looked down to assess their stupid mistake by making another stupid mistake — they took their eyes off their company.

It was always entertaining to watch when someone else got into trouble in the cemetery. If it had been even a few weeks ago, he would have intervened to help, but Cassius found, in the last few days, that he didn’t care what happened in this town anymore. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes, he supposed with a shrug of his shoulders. He stuck to the shadows of the cemetery, watching as the figure dug through their victim’s pockets like they had something to prove. Perhaps they did. 

Shifting his weight, the twig under his feet snapped. Shit, Cassius thought to himself, gritting his teeth as he watched the figure dart their attention to his general vicinity. They could see him. Of course they could. Everyone in this God forsaken town had something to hide, didn’t they? Then, glass cut through flesh, and bubbles of crimson broke forth to the surface. Usually he found that he could resist the pull that blood brought forth, but this was different. It was almost intoxicating, how good it smelled. 

In all his years, Cassius had never smelled anything like it before. Now, the figure was alluring, pulling the vampire in before he had a chance to figure out what he was doing. In a quickening haste, he found himself upon the stranger who had turned their attention away. Grabbing hold of the stranger, sinking his pointed fingernails into their skin and pulling them flush against his body, then sunk his fangs into their neck. It was euphoric, the taste of their blood hitting his tongue and filling his mouth. He could drink every last drop of this beautiful creature, whatever they could be. 

Profane thoughts filled his mind, the idea of keeping such a beautiful thing caged up, drinking from them whenever he felt the need. Monstrous thoughts filled Cassius’s mind, before he finally felt a repulsion shiver through him, and he aggressively shoved the stranger away, red eyes filled with fear and disgust. Not at the person they had turned into a juice box, but at himself. What was becoming of him?

Dīs knew about vampires. They knew of the vampire adjacents that lived in other corners of the massive cave system beneath the town or about the human-like ones that blended in with the rest, hiding and feeding. They even had the pleasure of finding fangs down in the darkness, possibly from a vampire long since passed — but meeting one face to face had never been in the cards until that evening. Dīs wished they hadn’t.

In the moment it took them to realize that they still were not alone, the stranger was on them. Fingertips pressed into both arms, strength far more than what Dīs anticipated as the bright-haired stranger dug fingers in further, nails breaking thin cloth to reach skin. One of their hands lifted quickly between them in the hopes that it would put some sort of distance, but the other’s grip was too much.

Everything in them tensed the moment teeth broke through skin. The hand pinned between their bodies found a fistful of clothing to clench around, knuckles bone-white from the pain. The sound of their heel crashing to the ground or toes twisting against the fallen leaves gave little to ease the tremendous burning that radiated from the bite. They had never felt anything like it before.

Weakness found them quickly, but the meal was short-lived. Just as soon as they’d been pulled into a deadly embrace, they were shoved away. Fangs were pulled unceremoniously from newly formed puncture wounds, eliciting a hiss from Dīs as they dropped. Knees buckled, and though they caught themself with the side of their forearm, they still fell. A free hand jumped immediately to press against the raging wound in their neck. A well of blood found itself in their own mouth, so they spit it onto the cemetery earth. The scent of blood filled their nose.

Strings of wavy black hair hung haphazardly across their now flushed face. Their color started to return to their cheeks. Dīs frowned at the stranger’s expression. They looked absolutely disheveled with hair a mess and blood stained skin, a stark contrast to their usual kemptness. “You don’t get to look like that,” they hissed with a grunt. How long would it take this to heal? Talking would be incredibly difficult for at least a few days.

Staring down at his latest victim, the vampire’s eyes were wild with bloodlust. He stood there for a long moment, lost in some sort of trance. He took in Dīs’s appearance, one haggard and aghast. Shit, Cassius thought to himself. He couldn’t keep doing this, he had to get a hold of himself.

He wasn’t sure how he managed to stop himself. That same look of horror was plastered across his face. Then, the figure spoke to him, as if how dare he feel the way he did. “I…” he trailed off, words not coming to mind. Cassius stared at the ground, taking steps backwards as the smell began to overwhelm him again. “I’ve never…” he knit his brows together, almost as if he were in pain. “What are you?” The vampire asked, his glowing red eyes searching the other for an answer. 

He took another step back, looking around as if he were the one backed into a corner. Every instinct in him was begging to run back over them and continue to drink from them until nothing was left. Cassius clenched his jaw, grinding his teeth back and forth as he resisted the urge to strike again. The world around him felt like it was fading in and out of existence, his pointed nails digging into his skin until he swore he could have punctured himself, shaking his head as he continued to back away.

Before that day when he had drank the blood of that innocent victim, he had never done so before. His sire had always told him to never drink human blood, to never drink the blood of thinking creatures. So that’s what he always stuck to, drinking from animals or going to blood banks to get his fill. But now that he had finally tasted it, he felt as if he could no longer control himself. 

And the person that stood before him was nothing short of agonizing to look at. It didn’t help when they were attractive, of course. But the smell was intoxicating, drawing him in. He wanted nothing more than to just have one more taste… Cassius finally took another step forward, as if giving into base instinct once more. But then he stopped, clearly fighting every move he was making.

They had a good feeling they were going to get out of this mess. The dark was plentiful and this vampire seemed hesitant. The immediate bite said otherwise, but there seemed to be an internal struggle going on. Whatever it was, it wasn’t their problem. Their problem was hidden beneath a trembling hand and neck that throbbed with agony. Both puncture wounds sung in harmony; it made Dīs feel dizzy. And a little woozy.

They stretched their jaw open, slowly, as if testing the level of pain that surfaced and immediately winced. A frown followed close behind when their gaze met the blonde’s vivid, red stare. Though they couldn’t help but to be captured by it, the pain seemed to be a helpful distraction.

Blood started to leak from between Dīs’ fingertips the more pressure they applied. They needed to go home to take care of this — now. Otherwise, they were certain that this undead creature would surely drain them completely. It seemed too likely, as there was a hunger evident in his eyes, one Dīs didn’t think they could ever relate to. It seemed like a dreary existence.

Dīs didn’t think he deserved an answer to that, but a lie on top of the agonizing ache in their neck would suck, for lack of a better term.

“... I’m.. fae.” They mustered from their crumpled vantage point on the ground, though made a move backward when the vampire made a move forward and started back to their feet clumsily. “Don’t,” came their command, their urge, their plea. They would run. They were ready. They weren’t too keen on a fight, not right now anyway. They would, if they had to, if running was for some godforsaken reason not an option, but they were scared to remove their hand.

Despite his hunger, despite the raw and primal urge to drink the creature before him dry, Cassius did not. Instead, he removed his sweater and ripped off the sleeve, pressing it hard against the wound he had created. As desperately as he wanted to give into the urge to drink thinking creatures to the brink of death, years of doing otherwise went against that line of thinking. His mind screamed at him to feed, to kill. But he fought it. His eyes still a bright red as he kept the pressure applied to their neck. 

“Of course fae are real,” he grumbled. There was a lot he didn’t know about the world of supernatural creatures. Richard had either never told him, or didn’t know, himself. Fae-folk, friendly folk, faeries. “It means little, but I’m sorry for my instincts.” He muttered, trying to focus on anything other than the blood that stained the cloth beneath his hand. 

He thought back to when he was first turned, the damage control his sire had to do in order to cover up Cassius’s reckless behavior as a young vampire. Richard would comfort the victims as he used his practiced hands to stitch up wounds or apply pressure. He would distract them. 

“Tell me more,” he found himself insisting. “About anything. I won’t hurt you, not anymore.” Cassius red eyes faded back to his normal blue, eyes landing on Dís’s. The vampire was trying his best, eyes searching the other. “To keep your mind off of the pain.” He clarified, giving an apologetic smile. He was waiting for the fae creature to attack him, and it would be deserved. 

What caused them to linger? A guess for shock would be a good one — they’d never been bitten before, never had something like that puncture their skin, taste them. The brief but painful scene played out in their head. They could feel the blonde’s teeth sink into them again, imagine it again. It sent a shiver down their spine.

Before they could think, he was on them again, on their neck again. Dīs stiffened, ready to push back, expecting teeth once more, but instead they were given a bout of compassion. A cloth, or piece of one anyway, was pressed to the new wound that seemed to bleed with each rhythmic thrum of the fae’s pulse. The apology came, but the damage had already been done, though they supposed they couldn’t entirely fault the vampire for giving in to such primal needs. They didn’t know what it was like to be driven to feed, but the darkness had its own hold on the shadow, and it was quite strong.

“Ah..” Even in the midst of their haze and winces, Dīs didn’t miss the opportunity. How could they? They’d been at this for far too long and alive for even longer. “Is that a promise?” They could feel the magic in their blood hum with life, with eagerness. Say yes. It was only instinct, after all. Maybe an apology would come after.

Though the pain was constant, it did help a little that the one who initially caused it tried to make it better. It helped because it was familiar. Their mother was no stranger to ask for forgiveness instead of permission, and she was no stranger to a quick word or hand. The familiarity kept them rooted to the spot. “I.. Assume you’d want to know more about… (wince).. fae and not about my… Extensive collection of skeleton keys.”

Was that a promise? Cassius frowned at the question. “Mum always said don’t make promises you can’t keep.” He responded back. “But I’ll try my very best to keep my instincts at bay.” He gave a pained smile as he watched the blood seep between his fingers, onto his hand. There was a lot. He applied more pressure. His insides felt as if someone had lit them on fire, and everything in him fought the urge to lean in and just give in to the blood. He hated it. He hated what he was becoming, all because Richard never bothered to teach him fae blood. That it could be this intoxicating. He squeezed his eyes shut as he attempted to fight off the urge. 

“Whatever one is easier to talk about,” Cassius responded in a clipped tone, very clear that he was holding his breath to keep the smell out. It didn’t help by much, but it was doing something, so that’s all that mattered to him. “If you want to talk about your amazing collection of keys, by all means, be my guest.” Cassius buried his nose into the crook of his sleeve and breathed in through his mouth, but the burn was still great, and the urge grew stronger. His eyes were a bright red, and his fangs came back out. He wasn’t winning this fight with his instincts. He had to get out of there, but he didn’t want to leave this… this fae all alone. This was his fault, after all. He needed to be the one to fix it.

He didn’t know why Dis was so much harder to let die. Everyone else, he had drained them of blood and been on his way, so why was he now having a hard time with drinking the blood of a thinking creature? Was it because they weren’t human? He didn’t know. He squeezed his eyes shut as he rode another wave of discomfort, pleading to himself to not give in. He wanted to explain himself, to tell him that this wasn’t how he was, that he never drank blood of other thinking beings, but he knew it wouldn’t make a difference to the fae. After all, they were the one bleeding out as he desperately held down on the makeshift-guaze. He dared to look down at the wound, and noticed that the blood was lessening. Good, he thought. It’s working.

Mum always said don’t make promises you can’t keep. Oh that made their blood boil. The band aid added on at the tail end felt like a slap to the face, but his gentleness only served to humiliate them further. Despite the trigger reaction, the blonde really did seem genuine in his care for the wound he had created not moments before. “Your mother is smart, but… Not even for my life?” If Dīs’ mind worked any more fervently than they already did to try to create an avenue, any little short cut or road to lead them towards a bind, Cassius might truly hear those gears working. There had to be something, anything to get even the smallest bit of comeuppance. Anything to make them feel better about having become an impromptu juice bag.

“Try.. But there’s no guarantee. Is that what you’re telling me?” They wondered if they could utilize his guilt for biting them. They wondered where that would go. The idea that there was the possibility that this would happen again, which was highly likely, should have made Dīs even more worried for their life. But the lead on the promise of a promise that they wanted so desperately to chase was too glaringly tempting for the shadow fae to really try to wrestle themself out of. It would be easy, especially with the element of surprise, if they were to avoid the vampire’s strength. Still, they couldn’t give in yet without trying a little harder. He owed them that, at least.

They hummed from the pressure of cloth, closing their eyes only for a moment if a particularly nasty swell of pain rose up. They did catch the other’s look of discomfort, an expression that told Dīs that his hunger seemed to be quite the battle. “My keys, then…” They swallowed thickly, though they had to wonder if the distraction was more for them or for him. “I have… I have lost count over the years, but…” They uttered a low hum. “I would say far over a thousand of them.” They gave pause. “Do you collect anything?”

Staring down at the fae, Cassius let out a deep sigh, then shook his head. “If you makes you feel better, sure. I promise I won’t kill you.” He blinked down at them, waiting for their reaction. “Feel better now?” There was something about the way Dis looked at him, something about it that didn’t sit quite right with him. He wanted to say something about it, but thought better of it. After all, who attacked who? 

“Vampiric thirst is like someone stabbing hundreds of tiny knives into my throat, begging for satiety.” Cassius tried to explain, eyes slowly turning from blue to red as the hunger threatened to take over again. He swallowed thickly in response to the sudden pain and desperation and drive that screamed at him to just… take one more drink. It was like a tunnel vision, driving him forward and begging and pleading for him to just give in. He yanked himself away from the fae, sinking his fangs into his own arm as he backed away from the man. “It’s like everything in me is screaming to kill you.” His voice was wrecked, clear that he was fighting himself with everything he had left. 

Then, they were talking about their keys. A distraction that he could focus on to keep the hunger at bay. He slowly withdrew his teeth from his arm, trying to think if he’d ever collected anything in his life. “Do books count?” He asked slowly, eyes fading back to their natural blue color. “Do books count? I have hundreds of books.” Original prints of Poe, a first edition Lord of the Rings, he had it all. He knew his collection was priceless, that’s why he didn’t dare to talk about it. Still. He did try to kill this person. “First edition Lord of the Rings.” He spoke quickly. “A Christmas Carol, it goes for half a million.” He clamped his mouth shut, desperately trying not to breathe, to smell the other’s blood. He tore his gaze away from them, shaking his head. 

Rich, red blood seemed to vibrate and thrum with excitement the minute those precious words fell from the vampire. A sort of relief, like a weight taken off their shoulders, melted through them as they allowed the binding to settle into their bones. “Oh, yes..” they breathed out, “..much better.” Despite the awful ache in their neck, they did feel leagues better now that they knew the other couldn’t kill them. The realization that he could still hurt them, drink from them, if he so chose, but death wouldn’t be a part of that plan, did occur, but they would get to that bridge if they happened upon it. They could at least enjoy the safety net for now.

The danger was still very much evident with the way the blonde recoiled in apparent pain. Now that things internally had settled within them, somewhat, enough that they felt confident they could go home without keeling over, Dīs allowed themself to admire — and pity — the struggle the vampire had to go through. Fascinating, in a way, but they knew better than to let their guard down solely out of interest. “But you won’t. You can’t kill me.. Not anymore,” they returned, their words a hair hesitant as they were ready to flee when necessary. Logic told them they should have left long ago — they didn’t owe the vampire anything.

“Books count,” they confirmed with a nod and winced when they removed the cloth from the wound, intent to survey for clotting. Though there was plenty dried, there didn’t seem to be as much fresh blood on the material as before. Droplet sized beads soaked into the sweater remnant, but that was all that looked new. They didn’t know if it was enough to send the vampire into another frenzy, but it was enough for them to go home on steady feet. “Have you read them all?” They asked as they stood taller, straighter, with the bloodied cloth balled in one of their hands. The wound, although clotted enough to keep the blood from trickling out, was still open — the cool, night air felt good against the irritated skin. They had to wonder what it would look like outside of the glamour.

Something about the fae in front of them shifted when he made his promise, but the overwhelming urge to feed was yelling at him louder and louder. Cassius squeezed his eyes shut, begging and pleading that they would just leave already. Still, they didn’t. He swore under his breath before turning to look at Dīs with a pained smile. The smile faded as his eyes zeroed in on the bloodied cloth. The corner of his lip twitched, and for a split second, his body gave into the urge to tear into them again, but stopped himself before he could lunge. 

“I have to get out of here.” He wheezed out, pressing his hand over his nose. “I… I’m sorry. I owe you, I’ll–” He shook his head, clenching his hands into fists before taking a large step backward. For a moment, he considered giving them his name, but thought better of it. After all, last thing he needed was the person he attacked knowing his name. “I– sorry.” He forced out once more before taking another step backward before turning around and darting off. He had to feed, but he would be damned if it would be on another fae.

Oh. So the urge was too strong, after all. They watched as the vampire tucked their metaphorical tail between their legs and ran off into the night, leaving the fae to deal with their neck and the body that still lingered between the tombstones. I owe you, though, struck a nerve within them. I owe you what? Their magic seemed to react expectantly when they first heard those words, but nothing came to fruition. Disappointing, but at least they were alive.

They’d leave with that promise, a silver lining among the darkness and blood that littered the cemetery. With a grimace on their face, Dīs dabbed at their neck a few more times with the cloth. It was going to scar, wasn’t it? With a small bout of frustration, they kicked at the corpse on their way out of the now silent graveyard and disappeared into the shadows. 

[cinnamcroll]

💌 NEW MESSAGE RECEIVED: @allbettr​​​​ !    

          ˚₊· ͟͟͞➳❥          “your sister might refer to me as ‘mommy’, but— she does that against my will, by the way. if i had the chance, i’d have sent her to boarding school. um, anyway— why did i need to tuck you in, short stuff? you might be a little man, but ... that doesn’t mean i’m your caregiver.” sighing out in defeat as she sat at the edge of the males bed, pushing in his sheets to confine him. “this was your sisters idea, wasn’t it? regardless, you— tried to confess your feelings for yuro and now you’re afraid— she thinks you’re in love with another man? this ... oscar, was it? boy, you might be the height of a preadolescent ... but, why am i hearing about your high school-esque problems? before you ask— yes, i’ll make you your hotdogs. you can pretend it’s osc— no, sorry. i’m taking this seriously.” stifling a laughter, a hand reached out to ruffle over his locks. “i’m not feeding you, you can go get a yuro for that; if you grew some balls and would tell her how you feel.”