Chapter Text
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There’s a loud knock at the door, jolting Rudolph awake.
“Rod, if you don’t wake up right now, I’m gonna tape your coffin shut and bury you in the backyard!” Anna keeps pounding away at the door.
With a toss and turn he kicks open his coffin.
“Oh, shut it why don’t you!” His head is pounding away from the sound.
Leaping out of his coffin, he stumbles to the door.
Opening it wide.
An angry Anna stares daggers at him.
“It’s eleven at night, when were you planning on waking up? You stay up too late.” She’s waving her finger in his face while scolding him.
He smacks it out of his face.
“Go get a life, all you do is pester me.”
“Hm, Isn’t that my job?” She smirks at him.
Rudolph glares at her and takes a step back, slamming the door in her face.
He hears movement and assumes she left.
Taking a deep breath, he walks back over to his coffin.
Picking up his cape and clipping it onto his jacket.
He puts on his jewelry and walks over to the mirror.
His cape was torn from all his escapades, but it was the last thing he had from that time.
It was always silly to him how he couldn’t see his reflection.
Even more so now that his jewelry looked like it was floating.
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He heads out the door and down into the dining room for breakfast, a late one.
His parents are sat there along with rows of great aunts and distant cousins.
“Oh! Lovely for you to join us dear. Your father just informed us of our new guest! Exciting, isn’t it?” A cheesy smile is stretched across her face.
Rudolph stares at the glass in front of him. Twirling it in his hands.
“Yeah, I suppose it is.” His mother stares at him for a moment before clearing the air.
“Well, what’s wrong Rudolph? I thought you’d be happier.” She looks over at Fredrick; they both eye each other for a moment before turning back to Rudolph.
The air is thick but filled with noise.
No one paying any mind as they talk amongst themselves.
“I thought I would be too.” He downs his drink and flies away from the table without saying another word.
I need to think.
He heads towards the main doors and practically throws himself out, flying high into the sky.
Happy?
Maybe he was.
But he couldn’t ignore this feeling in his gut.
He couldn’t even remember his name.
Who’s to say he remembered who Rudolph was at all.
The more he thought about it, the more anxious he grew.
He flew by his window three times before finally gaining the courage to stop and look.
Then he saw him, that boy.
He was sitting by his bed, knees tucked in tight, hands flipping through pages of a vampire novel.
Old habits never die, do they?
He leaned closer, careful not to catch his attention.
He looked a little different than he remembered.
His hair was a little longer, eyes a little darker, but most noticeably were the black spots on his hands.
Chalk? No. Charcoal maybe?
He looked so...focused.
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I see you through the window. He wanted to say.
He wasn’t as sneaky as he thought he was.
I see old habits never die, do they?
He was leaning against his bed.
Facing the window reading the latest book on the Night Morier series.
He had stopped paying attention ten minutes ago.
Trying to decide if maybe he should say hi, it was clear Rudolph wasn’t going to.
It made it impossibly harder to decide because he couldn’t get a good look on his face.
He tapped his fingers on the book.
Flipping pages, he hadn’t even registered were there.
Fuck it.
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Tony stands up and walks over to his desk. Throwing the book down.
Without another thought he jolts his head towards the window.
Rudolph’s gone before he could blink twice.
He’s starting to get irritated now. Why is he ogling there instead of just talking to him?
One foot after another he walks to the window and opens the glass doors.
He stares out for a minute, at nothing in particular.
It’s quieter than he remembered.
“I know you’re there.”
There’s no response.
Tony looks to his left and Rudolph stares back at him.
He looks like he could faint.
“You’ve never been the best at sneaking around me.” He smiles at him. A friendly one. One Rudolph would remember for the rest of his forever life.
“You...remember me.” He stares at Tony. The tension on his face easing away.
“Of course I do. Why else would we be back here of all places you dummy.” Tony scoffs but when he looks away that same smile crawls back.
A surge of strength pulls him out of the room and wraps him tightly.
They float there for a moment, three stories high.
Tony wraps his arms around Rudolph giving him a light squeeze.
“I.. I thought you forgot about me.”
“I thought you were just a dream.”
Rudolph pulls back.
“A dream?”
“Well, that’s what everyone told me for years, it’s hard not to give in.” He couldn’t look him in the eye.
“Well, I suppose so.”
It’s awkward for a minute.
Rudolph looks down at their hands. The only thing keeping Tony afloat.
Tony follows and then quickly back at him.
“Don’t drop me?” He half smiles with a worried tone.
Rudolph scoffs at the sound of that.
“Do you want to catch up? With me?”
“Yeah, I don’t have a bedtime while were here so it should be, okay? I hope so or else my parents will kill me.”
“Kill you! Why would they do that?” He looks genuinely worried.
“Um, you know what never mind. Forget I said anything and let’s just go.” Tony gives a long sigh as they head out.
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They fly off for a long time.
Past the cemetery, the best views from way up high, even stopping at the gas station so Tony could get snacks.
Finally, they stopped to rest on the rooftop.
It was a little slippery but what’s life without a little danger?
At least that’s what Tony says.
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“Wait, so what’s a video game again?”
“I’ve only explained it to you four times.” He rolls his eyes.
“Maybe, but you’re still not making any sense. Using words I don’t know doesn’t help your case.” He’s sitting with one leg down and the other up to prop up his arm. Keeping his gaze on Tony.
“I can show it to you later if you’d like?” His hands move while he speaks.
“I think I’d like that.” He laughs and looks away.
It goes silent between them.
A comfortable silence.
They gaze at the stars and think secret thoughts.
“I forgot your name.”
Tony looks at him with a strange face.
“Seriously?”
Rudolph doesn’t look over at him.
He doesn’t smile or laugh.
Just stares out.
He takes out an arm and raises it towards Rudolph, “I’m Tony. It’s.. nice to meet you again Rudolph.”
He looks over at his hand.
He takes it.
“Likewise.”
They make eye contact.
Without warning Rudolph flies up, taking Tony with him.
“Woh! Where are we going?” His half-eaten burrito falls out of his other hand.
Aw man…
They make it to Tony’s window and he climbs back inside.
“Um, thank you for talking with me but I think we should call it a night.”
Their hands slip apart.
“I’m sorry its just, a bit much for me.”
“Okay.”
This time it’s not so comfortable.
“Will I see you tomorrow?" Tony asks.
“If you want to.” He looks at him with a slight smile.
“I do.”
“Then you will.”
“See you tomorrow, Rudolph.” Tony waves his hand.
“Goodnight Tony.”
He flies off out of sight.
Leaving Tony alone with himself and his thoughts.
How can he sleep now?
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