Chapter Text
Ethan stood in front of the bathroom mirror. He held onto the sides of the sink, scared to see what will look back at him. He knew he would have to look up eventually, he knew exactly what he will soon be gazing at.
His mind kept flashing the events from the night before. The way his arm stung. The way his entire body felt like TV static. The way he felt his mortality slipping away from him, falling into a void. Somehow, he was able to keep Sarah away. He wasn't going to let her sacrifice her humanity for him, even if it potentially cost his.
Ethan looked down at his suit on the floor. It was covered in reminders of the night before, he knows he will end up throwing it somewhere to never gaze upon it again. He looked down at the clothes he currently had on. They weren't new, he'd worn them plenty of times before. Wearing them simply didn't feel natural anymore.
Ethan looked up. His reflection faded in and out like waves. Part of him was hoping the events from the night before were a nightmare or even some elaborate prank. Seeing his unfamiliar reflection only confirmed that this nightmare was his new reality.
"Ethan, are you okay in there?" Sarah asked from behind the door.
Ethan had woken up in the bed inside Benny's guest bedroom. Sarah hadn't left his side all night. He had barely opened his eyes when she quickly embraced him. He excused himself to the bathroom soon after.
"Yeah, I'll be right out," Ethan answered.
Ethan opened the bathroom door and was greeted by a sympathetic look from Sarah. Are these the types of looks he will be receiving forever?
"It's okay, seeing my reflection still freaks me out a little," Sarah softly states, trying to relieve the isolation Ethan must be feeling.
"I didn't use mirrors much anyway," Ethan lies.
Ethan walked past Sarah and sat on the edge of the bed, holding his head down low.
Sarah could've responded with many things. She could thank him for his sacrifice, but at the same time, she can't bring herself to thank him for something she shouldn't have allowed to happen in the first place.
Sarah sat next to him. She put her arms around him, signaling him to lower himself into her shoulders and let his tears fall on her chest.
They heard the sound of a door flying open. "Ethan!" Benny yelled, "Are you awake?!"
Ethan wanted to call back, signal Benny that he is awake and okay. However, he couldn't ignore the sound of his heartbeat crescendoing. Sarah could feel his heart rate increasing. "Are you okay?" She asked. She pulled apart from their embrace, and she met his now yellow eyes.
Sarah panicked. "Benny don't come in here!" She demanded.
Ethan brought himself up and propped himself against the wall. "I don't know what's happening," Ethan stated through a lisp his new fangs have given him. Sarah probably would've found his lisp adorable in almost any other situation.
"Are you guys finally doing the devil's tango?" Benny teased. Sarah ran to the door to hold it shut.
"Ew Benny! No!" Sarah couldn't help but respond.
"Sarah, there's no need to be embarrassed we all knew it was going to happen at some point or another," Benny quipped through the door.
"Ethan is having a hard time right now and it would be best if you didn't come in!" Sarah said, trying not to let the panic in her voice bleed through.
"Wait, is Ethan hurt?!" Benny asked.
"Please go I'll explain later!" Sarah begged.
"Let me in!"
"No!"
Benny chanted something in Latin and the door went flying open, pushing Sarah to the ground.
Benny immediately headed towards Ethan. But before Benny reached his hand to his shoulder, Ethan turned around and lunged at Benny. Ethan knocked Benny to the ground. Benny's heart sank at the sight of the shell of his best friend trying whatever he could to rip his throat out.
Sarah pulled herself off the ground and flung herself on top of Ethan, freeing Benny. Benny stood up and positioned himself against the door, unable to take his eyes off the sight in front of him. Sarah, now equipped with yellow eyes and fangs, struggled to keep Ethan pinned to the ground as he trashed to escape.
"Why are you just standing there?! Run!"
Benny ran through his house and out the front door, running into his grandma in the process.
"First you don't help me bring this stuff in and now you knock them out of my arms?" Benny's Grandma scolded him as she kneeled to pick up the collection of the blood substitute pouches Ethan will now be needing.
"Ethan has gone full Sith!" Benny breathed out.
"Can you please not use movie references when trying to tell me something?"
"Ethan attacked me and I don't know why!" Benny exclaimed.
Benny's Grandma thrusted the pouches into Benny's arms and stormed into the house.
"Grandma no Ethan will kill you!" Benny begged.
"I swear child you forget who I am sometimes," she answered back.
Ethan stood with his back against the wall and Sarah stood facing him. Through
heavy breaths, he tried to rationalize what had just happened.
"I don't understand why I did it-"
"I know-"
"Did you do that when you first-"
"No but-"
"I feel like there's something trying to come out-"
"What do you mean?"
That familiar heartbeat came back, erupting and ringing through his ears.
When Sarah saw the gold swirl back into Ethan's eyes, she instinctually ran out the door and shut it. She stood guard in front of the door as Benny's Grandma approached.
"Sarah, listen to me. Be prepared to grab him as soon as you open the door."
"You really don't want me to open the doo-"
"Do as I say."
Sarah closed her eyes, bracing herself for what could happen in the next few seconds. She turned around, opened the door, and wrapped her arms around Ethan as he fought to be freed.
Benny's Grandma gazed into Ethan's eyes. Despite his desperation to tear her apart, she kept her cool and calm demeanor. Looking deeply into his eyes, flecks of red pulsed inside of his golden irises, as if they were synced to his heartbeat.
With the wave of her hand, Ethan's body collapsed like a rag doll and Sarah slowly lowered him to the ground.
"I thought vampires didn't sleep," Benny questioned.
"Not naturally they don't."
"Sarah," Benny started, "what did you see in Jesse anyway?!"