Work Text:
Tony Thompson was a 13 year old boy from San Diego. He had flirted with a few classmates, managed to ask a girl to his middle school dance last spring, and once skateboarded into a railing while staring at a cute person across the street.
But tony thompson had never had a crush on a vampire before. Well...never had a crush on a real life vampire before anyways.
So when the idea of asking Rudolph out popped into his head, he had no idea where to start. He had started flirting with the vampire since they met and Rudolph had admitted to having a scary night, but would flirting in a modern setting work for an out of touch 300 and 13 year old?
This led to Tony getting on his phone and searching up everything he could about how people in the 1800s would flirt.
First thing he learned was that courting was done with the intent to marry. When he thought about it, the idea of marrying Rudolph did seem kinda nice. They could both become vampires and live together forever! And courting for a few years would be fine! It would be like dating.
Turns out courting is not at all like dating.
Tony took out a notebook as he started to write down notes to make sure he understood everything he was reading.
"Ok so...i have to write a letter to his parents. Asking if i can meet them in person to ask permission to court him before i even start? Old people have so many things to do to go on a date." He grumbled to himself. Glad he decided to do this in the kitchen at noon since Rudolph was asleep in their shared room.
" what else do i need to know…"
By the end, Tony had a lot of things related to courtship.
He needs parent permission and to be approved before he could even start to court rudolph.
Technically he wasn't even supposed to be alone with Rudolph in the same room either once they started courting, but this is the modern day and they sleep in the same room so those rules are going to be ignored.
Finally. When it came to gifts, he could only give items that didn't last long. Like flowers or candy...or just flowers since Rudolph can't eat candy. Or he could give gifts that were inexpensive, like books and sheet music. Or other modern things. He put his price limit at $20 since he couldn't find one for the time period.
"Ok, I think i have everything i need to know. Now the hard part. Getting mr. And mrs. Sackville Bagg to say yes."
___________
Tony had gone with his mom when she drove to a nearby town to get any food that wasn't bratwurst. He bought some of the nicer paper and a nice fountain pen, hoping it would be good enough and close enough to what he needed. He practiced his letter in a notebook with pencil until he thought it was close enough to what he needed,and that his writing wasn't that horrible, although he tried to make it sound like an old Victorian letter as much as he could.
That night, when Frederick and Freda woke up, they found an envelope on the desk in their room.
Tony didn't have a family stamp, or any candle stamp, so he had taken some hot candle wax and left a red drop on the paper, then pressed it with his dad's highschool class ring, not that his dad knows.
Frederick picked up the envelope and flipped it back and forth. Admiring it.
"A letter in this day and age? The seal is not the best but it is still admirable."
Freda stretched as she walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder, she hummed her agreement.
"Well let's see what's inside, shall we?"
The seal was broken and the letter took out.
" dearest Frederick and Freda sackville-bagg,
I, Tony Thompson of the Thompson family, humbly request an audience to discuss the possibility of me beginning to court your youngest son, rudolph sackville-bagg. I hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
Tony thompson"
Freda let out a small laugh as she finished. " well, i must say i was expecting rudolph to start the courtship. This is quite a pleasant surprise."
Frederick let out a small hum as he eyed the letter. " i suppose...you can tell an attempt was made. Although his wordsmanship needs some fine tuning. "
" you're not thinking of telling the poor boy no are you?"
" it has crossed my mind. He is only mortal."
" a mortal who saved our clan and won the heart of your son."
" do you have to keep using the clan against me?"
" yes."
Frederick sighed and eyed the letter again.
" well. He did go to the trouble to write a letter and ask permission, which does not seem common in the modern day, considering the story of how Bob and Dottie met."
And that was how Tony found himself standing in Frederick's and Freda's bedroom later that night. Greogory has shown up at hid door, telling him that the vampire parents wanted to meet with him. Tony had quickly put on his only light blue, Almost white button up shirt and ran out of the room leaving Rudolph alone and confused.
Tony ran a hand over his collar, checking that it was down. He didn't find any notes or way to actually ask for the court to begin, meaning he was on his own.
" Mr. And mrs. Sackville-bagg. I would like to request permission to court rudolph." He stood as straight as he could, with his hands at his side as he spoke.
Freda put a hand over her unbeating heart. " oh frederick, isn't he the cutest. "
Frederick stood with his arms crossed behind his back, unimpressed. " yss yes, i suppose he is." He said monotone.
Tony took that as a good sign, since he didn't tell him no yet.
" I will admit that um…" He found himself stuttering,'' I'm not too sure how well I can court the way you used to. The way that I grew up with romance and dating is different from courting. But I would still like it if you would grant me permission to date- court rudolph."
Tony got more confident as he spoke, and relaxed a bit from his tense stance.
Frederick eyed him up and down once or twice, before heaving out a sigh.
" i grant you my permission. But be warned that should you end the courtship, It will bring your blood on the line."
Freda was watching as Tony tensed up before smacking Frederick's arm, smiling. " we wish you luck in your courtship tony Thompson." Fredrick grumbled an agreement, rubbing his arm.
Tony gulped down what nerves he had been given before grinning and giving a slightly shaky bow.
" i promise i will take care of him!"
__________
Rudolph was going insane. He had to be.
There was no way Tony could be courting him.
Yet, all the signs were there.
The first time it crossed his mind that Tony might be courting him, was when he opened his coffin and the mortal held out a yellow bouquet of daisies. He had told him that he picked them up at a flower stall in town and thought Rudolph would like them. " your own little handful of sunlight."
The next was a few days later when Tony gave Rudolph a hardcover book. The title read ' the complete works of william shakespeare' and it did, infact, have all of Shakespeare's works.
" it has all his plays, sonnets,and poems, even the lesser known ones!" Tony had excitedly told him. Rudolph didn't know what to say and had just hugged the mortal. It had been such a thoughtful gift, and rudolph couldn't think of any other reason tony would gift it to him unless he was courting him. He quickly threw that thought out the window.
It didn't help when a few days later Tony handed him another present. He had also been dressing up a little more lately too. Rudolph noticed that Tony was wearing polo shirts and black jeans more often, it was almost formal in a way.
Before dawn, rudolph had been complaining sbout having a classical song dtuck in his head, but that he couldn't remember the name of it. Apparently, After Rudolph had gone to sleep, Tony spent all day listening to classical songs and trying to find the right one. He then took all the ones he thought it could have been and downloaded them onto an old iPod.
" I know it isnt sheet music, and I'm not sure I got the right song, but I managed to get it onto this old iPod so you can listen to it whenever you want!"
Turns out Tony didn't find the right one,But Rudolph was not about to tell him.
With help from his mom, Tony made Rudolph a pillow for his coffin, even if he didn't need one.
A book on dinosaurs since Rudolph had taken an interest in them.
Dvd copies of all the Jurassic park movies.
Big black sun hat to go out in the day if he wanted to.
Tony even started to read romantic poetry to him nearly daily!
Everyday it seemed like Tony was courting him more and more. But maybe 13 year old boys from San Diego are just like that. Or Tony is just very open about his friendships. Or maybe Rudolph was going insane. But no matter what, Tony couldn't be courting him.
Then he got a letter slid into his coffin.
_______
" dearest rudolph sackville-bagg,
I humbly invite you to join me this evening for music and dancing under the stars.
Best wishes and forever yours,
Tony Thompson"
Rudolph ahd read the letter 47 times now. He kept count. There was no way this isn't courting. Atleast not after love poetry for a week. And he has no idea how to handle it.
It was just about nightfall, and Rudolph found himself putting on a suit he had refused to wear a few months ago for a birthday party.
He floated over in a daze to Tony who had been waiting in the cemetery with a guitar Rudolph didn't know he could play.
Tony started to play a soft tune. Then sing.
Tony started to sing.
Rusolph was going to die again. He haf to.
" and all of me, loves all of you." Tony stummed along as he leaned on a tombstone carefully.
Rusolph landed on his feet as he stared at the mortal in a button up and vest, strumming away.
TONY was SERENADING HIM. This. This had to be a dream.there was no way this was real.
The singer finished and set the guitar down, walking over. He gently touched his jaw, pushing it up to close his mouth.
" i didn't think i was that good, but i'm glad you liked the song so much. I've been practicing for weeks."
Rudolph said the first thing he could think of. Surprise that he could think. Let alone speak.
" are you courting me?"
Tony blinked a few times, looking at his outfit, the guitar, and then rudolph.
" did...did you think i wasn't?'
" well you never told mr you were."
Tony opened his mouth, only to close it. Then to hit his forehead with the palm of his hand.
" i knew i forgot to do something! I mean, after i got permission from your parents i was so happy i guess i forgot…"
Rudolph floated up a little in surprise.
" you got my parents permission before courting me?!"
Tony took our tiny notebook and nodded. He opened it
" Yeah, cause I looked up how to court and it said I needed to write a letter asking to meet up with them. Then ask for permission to court you. I even have a list of all the gifts I could possibly give too. You guys had a lot of rules to go out with someone."
Rudolph floated over and looked at all the words on the notebook. He looked up towards tony.
" you did all of this...for me?"
Tony looked at him with his blue eyes the vampire loved so much.
" of course i did...i love you Rudolph." A red blush crept across the mortals face.
Rusolph hugged him and picked him up, spinning him around in the air.
" i am so glad. I do as well. I love you tony thompson." Rudolph grinned a toothy grin at him as he soared higher up. Tony helped him. Happily laughing.
" hey, i think i promised you dancing." He smiled as he held the vampire's hand. Rudolph put a hand on his waist and rested his head on the mortal's shoulder.
" then lets dance til the sun comes out."
It was fair to say that the next night, tony awoke to a room of red roses.