Chapter Text
Tony sat on a stone sarcophagus and wiggled his feet, waiting for Rudolph to return with a birthday present for him. Moonlight through tree branches lit speckled shadows on the tombstones, and a light breeze ruffled Tony’s hair. He couldn’t wait to see Rudolph’s face again. After being apart for almost four years, and only just last night returning to Germany for a week-long birthday trip, five minutes without Rudolph felt like an eternity.
“Tony, dearest, I made you something I think you’ll quite like.” Anna Sackville-Bagg appeared out of nowhere, floating in front of Tony like a mermaid in water. She blinked slowly and wiggled her fingers in front of Tony’s eyes. Oh, no, not this again. Not another hypnotism spe—
He went limp.
“It tastes like strawberries.” Anna placed a pear-shaped, glass jar bubbling with bright pink liquid into Tony’s hand. Her velvety voice swirled in Tony’s skull and spread warm, tingly influence under his skin. “Rudolph tells me they’re your favorite.”
Tony nodded with a dopey smile. “Mhmmm. Strawbebbies. Fav-ooo-rite.”
“Drink up.”
If Anna said the drink was good, it would be good. She could have handed Tony a stick of sparking dynamite and told him it was a popsicle, and he would have licked it happily.
“Drinky drink.” Tony teetered, and Anna held his upper arms to stop him from toppling over. Her hair looked like cotton candy. Tony giggled, put the glass to his lips, and glugged down the potion right as Rudolph flew into view.
The potion prickled his tongue and burned down his throat, but it was delicious. Strawberry flavored, yes, but not the fake, chemically sweetened kind. It was like drinking the pure essence of the yummiest, freshest, realest strawberry to ever exist.
“Tony, no!” Rudolph knocked Anna out of the way and snatched the bottle out of Tony’s lips with a pop, but it was too late. He’d already chugged the whole thing. Rudolph rounded on his sister with fire in his eyes.
“What did you do to him?” He growled. Anna raised her hands and batted her eyelashes.
“Just a little truth potion. Promise.”
“I told you.” He stomped the air. “Not Tony. Stars, Anna, can’t you ever listen?”
Tony stared wide-eyed but blind to the world around him. His mind became crisp and clear as a sea of freshly cut diamonds. He could see deeply into his own soul without judgment or barriers. A vast freedom unfurled before him as all his inhibitions vanished in a cool wave.
Anna’s voice brought Tony blinking back into the present, truth potion in full effect. She drummed her fingertips together.
“Come on, brother, lighten up. We’re going to see, once and for all, which vampire Tony prefers. You . . .” She turned to face Tony, maroon eyes sparkling. “. . . or me.”