Work Text:
^Ivy Bridge ~ Academy^
8:39 PM -
Archie stood beneath the street light, at the bridge, fiddling with the ivy vines to calm himself down.
This was just the start of an awful night. He had gotten into an argument with his abusive mother, in his own safe space. The moment is still, very fresh in his head. The very thought of it made the burn marks on his left wrist sting, he scratched at the tender flesh, clawing it with his sharp, and uneven nails. Doing that only made it worst.
I’m not having the best time right now. I just feel horrible. I don’t know why she hates me this much? I did what we wanted, yet she still isn’t happy. The kid shuddered violently, dragging his nails through his shaggy long hair, and onto the worn-out party hat, he wore. Ripping it off his head, and throwing it in the water.
He rocked back and forth as he heard himself screaming internally, the voice made his ears want to bleed, and he couldn’t stop it. A piercing dry hoarse cry for help. This was easily too much for him. First, he’s embarrassed and potentially shunned by his fellow peers, outed publicly, and beaten by his mother, then his binder is taken out of his bedroom. It was one of the things that could help him, the beating and humiliation could mean less to him. Though, that binder. His binder. It was his only piece of comfort, even if he’d have to remove it after seven or eight hours, but he adored the damn thing.
Archie propped up his arms on the wall, watching the party hat float into the water delicately. The second it hit the water, the hat was washed away with all its color. When watching the colorful cap get swept up by the slow-moving stream beneath him, he heard a loud whoosh behind him. Hissing and a cold air added. “Archie!” He jumped at the sound of his friend’s voice from behind him, hissing loudly in his ear. He didn't acknowledge their presence. A cold hand firmly pressed his down on his head, ruffling his hair playfully. “...?” He refused to look back, trying to blink the tears out of his eyes. He held his breath to stop himself from breaking down again.
The hand on his head made him feel nervous, and he shivered too, now very cold. His teeth clacked loudly. No! He can’t see me like this. Why is he even here? Haven't I been gawked at enough!? One of his best friends, having to see him like this. In this fragile state.
It was cold and stiff, similar to a corpse, only with claws. Regis hissed again, substituting his hand with something soft and warm. “It’s cold out. I don’t want you getting sick.” The vampire advised, patting a cloth over his head. “I’m alright. Don't worry about me!” He did his best to be cheerful and chipper. Regis could see through Kristin’s smile. “If that’s true, can you look at me?” He says, putting an arm over his friend's shoulder.
“Alright... I’m not okay... S...So, what? Did they force you out here? Or are you gonna deliver the finishing blow and unfriend me?” Archie faced Regis. He shuddered in disgust at his friend. Inhaling sharply as he drank in the blush-worthy sight of his shirtless confidante. A five nine creature hovering above ground level, dressed in only a pair of pajama black bottoms, pink bunny slippers, and a duffle bag. Nothing else.
A sense of envy washed over the boy. He stayed silent, unable to speak. Regis was very good-looking, Krisin didn't feel like he amounted to that greatness Lucian did. Comparing himself, Archie was self-conscious about being too tall and having long hair. Bright and orange, with some brown to it and a white streak, never dyed, all-natural. The lusty creature was darker and morbid looking, it was attractive for a walking blood-sucking corpse. Especially if it looked like it came out of tacky vampire v. werewolf media. To rub it in more. Lucian is a flirtatious guy, he can have anybody.
Kristin did have a small crush on Lucian, who could blame him? He wasn’t that lucky with romance, many of his dates only liked him for one thing. It was irritating honestly...
Archie felt like a child, he dyed his hair on multiple occasions, but it comes back redder, rarely shifting from red to a deep brown on its own accord. Everything felt like a lie. Kristin felt like he hurt so many people. This whole encounter, being comforted by Regis, it felt so forced. Was he being paid to do this? His soft brown eyes lowered.
“Do you hate me for lying? Do I gross you out for lying about my identity? Let me guess, my mother paid you too?” He stood against the wall with his arms crossed, trying harder to clear his eyes. Lucian forced Archie to look at him, by holding his head up. “Kris, listen. You have to quit talking like that. You're more man than anybody I’ve ever known. This is genuine, that pathetic bitch in there. It could never pay me to say this. I know most of this pain, and I hate to see you like this, man.”
“What do you mean you know it? I thought, there wasn’t such a thing as tranny vampires?” He coughs. Regis sighs. “I am what you humans would call intersex or the incorrect terms, “transvesite”, “hermaphrodite”, “transsexual.” My inhuman species allows me to change myself to my liking, it is frowned upon. I used different terms and names to get by. All while being a vampire. I can pull all parties, as a vampire. My uncle and aunt have disowned me, but I’m still the future of my people. And I refuse to let my elders discourage me for the sake of their consistencies and assertions.”
He paused. Took a deep breath to explain his anatomy some more, this topic always made Regis light headed.
Archie felt a bit better hearing one of his coolest friends talk about this with him. He didn't think his friends had problems like these, he usually thought they had better lives than him.
His very own idol and friend, has the same issues as him. Learning this new information was enough to get him to quit crying and hurting himself, but deep down he didn't want to be here. That was all it boiled down to, the attack, Kristin had completely reset himself. Unable to remember the events clearly, or find the confidence to face his peers, he wanted to be alone right now. Kris feels he deserves isolation, he can't handle being seen. This is an discomfiting and lousy affair. He wouldn’t want to wish it on his worst enemy.
He was a little distracted, not catching everything Regis was telling him. He was standing over the wall, looking down and listening to a huddle of frogs. He snapped back in and out of the conversation. The ravenette shook his head at the ginger. Facepalming, mid-way into his explanation. He cuts it short. “My point is, that regardless of what your she-beast of a “mother” calls you, doesn't change what you call yourself. You use what feels better to you, you identify and call yourself what you need to. Nobody in our group will see you as any different, you are still our same old Archie.”
Regis dug through his duffle bag, handing Archie a top. He accepted the item quickly and turned his head the other way. “And... That binder of yours, that bitch, paid off one of the students here to take your old one.” Archie blushed. Regis begins to cough and spit. “Don’t worry about how I got it back...” He swipes his hand over his mouth, staring at his backhand, he wipes it on his pants, disgusted.
“Huh?” That completely went over Archie’s head, though it got him flustered. “Binder. Hurry and change into it... I’m not looking and it's too dark.”
“Regis, I have to say something...”
“Go ahead.”
“You’re a great friend... Thank you for this... I owe you.”
“How about some mouthwash and date?”
“Uh... Alright.”