Chapter Text
“I don’t know why you don’t just tell him, Tam.” The shrill voice echoed through the room as Tammy and Screech’s hooded figure lay on a dusty mattress in a dark apartment illuminated only by the shining lights of a crude christmas tree. Screech was taking apart and putting back together a calculator, one of his few hobbies that took his free time. Pausing his playing around with the screwdriver, he turned to look at the Ventrue staring at the ceiling beside him. “You’ve had these feelings for him for years now and honestly it's just frustrating seeing you act like this. You’re like a fucking puppy seeking attention from its owner. Just fucking tell Z that you love him already.”
Tammy glared at the Nosferatu beside her at that, sighing. It just wasn’t that easy, and both of them knew it. “Oh sure, I’ll go up to my fucking sire and tell him my romantic feelings. That aloof, cold, overly serious man I call my sire. The one who thinks we shouldn’t be friends just because of who your sire is and who you are. I’ll just waltz in there and confess to being in love with him and everything will turn out totally fine. Screech sorry to ask but when you were embraced did you lose your common sense as well as your good looks?”
The Nosferatu recoiled jokingly at Tammy’s remarks, pretending to be offended. “I didn’t lose my good looks, I gave them to someone who needed them more! But seriously Tam, it’s so weird to see you like this. Back in college you never fawned over anyone like this.” Screech pauses a moment to take the calculator apart even more before continuing, playing with the pieces in his hands. “Well, maybe nobody but that damned professor. And you see what that got you? You’re here in Reno all dressed up in those stuffy ass suits and playing secretary to a fucking vampire. You had everything lined up for you, a full scholarship and you were two years from graduating. Hell, we all had everything we could have ever needed. Now look at us, a recluse tech junkie, a manic artist, and a spineless pathetic lovestruck assistant to a cold uncaring man.” Screech jabs Tammy with his elbow, grinning at her. “At least you can go out and not have to be bundled up like we’re in a damned snowstorm.” Tammy nodded sadly, gazing at her friend beside her. Like all Nosferatu, the embrace was not kind to him. His once arguably good looks were replaced with burn scars and scabbing that left him permanently looking like he was just in a car wreck. His voice was also shot, each word striking the air at a higher pitch than Tammy could hit with a reverberation that gave him the name he took after his embrace.
“I get it, I get it. You could be less mean about it though Screech. Aren’t I ignoring him to hang out with you here in your haven, after all?” Tammy handed the Nosferatu another random gadget from the pile next to the mattress as he began to fiddle with the screwdriver again out of boredom. “I’m still under accounting, I can’t just go tell him how I feel while I’m still technically just a childe to him. I’ve gotta prove myself first, Screech. If I even tell him at all, that is.” Tugging at her coat, Tammy sat up and dug through the pockets to find her pager. No messages yet, so it seemed her sire either hadn’t noticed her absence or hadn't bothered to care. She sighed as the door to the haven opened and another hooded figure ran in, flopping down on the mattress across the two’s laps. “Eleanor! What are you doing here?”
Picking her head up to stare at the two casually as she continued to lay across them, the dark haired girl grinned. “It’s almost Christmas, and you two are just sitting here in the dark being all gloomy. Heathie, Matty, I can’t in good conscience let you two not get into the holiday spirit!” Screech opened his mouth to protest as Eleanor took the television remote he was dismantling from his hands and hopped to her feet, pulling up the two kindred as she did so. “We’re going to go see the lights. We can stay in the car so Screech doesn’t have to worry about hiding too much, and I can drive!”
Screech and Tammy glanced at each other and shrugged as Tammy pocketed her pager. Maybe her sire was working tonight, it’d be weird so close to the holiday, but Tammy just assumed since she wasn’t called on she wasn’t needed. “Sure Ellie, let’s go. It’s hard to get Screech out of this dumpy little haven anyway.” Though her remark was met with a resounding protest from the rat, the two let Eleanor lead them into her little Toyota and away towards the lights of the inner city.
The city all decorated for Christmas had always been a sight to behold for both the kindred and kine that lived in Reno. Every street corner was decorated, each shop had its own little display, seeming to compete against one another for bragging rights. The parks had their own decorated trees and light shows set up for the joys of each and every person to gaze upon. Tammy and Screech were glued to their respective windows as Eleanor slowly rolled by each of the light displays, muttering comments on each of their compositions. The Ventrue’s mind was on other things as the line of traffic made its way into the middle of the city towards Parkview Plaza apartments, when Screech let out a gasp. “Tammy, Tammy look!” Screech’s voice rasped out through the bundle of scarves he tied on when leaving, just loud enough for the girls in the front seats to hear. Turning her gaze out the window to the tree set up outside the tall apartment building, her eyes widened as two familiar figures stood conversing underneath the falling snow.
“Zacharias…” Tammy’s voice was just a whisper as she stared out the window at the suited figures, themselves staring up at the lights. Clear as night, her sire was standing on the sidewalk with a shorter man immediately recognizable to the rest of the group. “Prince Goodwin too. That answers one question I suppose.” Tammy’s eyes were glued to the figure of Zacharias standing there as their car slowly drove by until she was snapped out of it by a shake to the shoulder.
“Let’s find a place to park, I think Heathie wants a better look at the lights.” Eleanor’s voice cheerfully resounded through the car as Tammy began to shake her head frantically, objecting to Eleanor’s suggestion. A laugh resounds from the backseat as Eleanor pulls into one of the parking lots for a shop down the street from the apartment building.
“I think something a little more dull has Tam’s attention tonight, Ellie.” A swift punch to the arm from Tammy cut off Screech before he could continue with his teasing, sliding out of the backseat and out of the car. “Sorry Tammy, but it couldn’t be more obvious. The only one who can’t tell is the only Ventrue in this city more stubborn than you.” The group piled out of the car, Eleanor helping Screech to wrap the scarves around his burned face more and his hair over his forehead so only his eyes were visible. “At least it’s winter so I won’t stand out that much this time. It’s been forever since I went out like this.”
Tammy handed Screech a pair of gloves that he fit over his hands to hide the burn scars and boils that naturally protruded his skin after the embrace. Being a Nosferatu, Screech had to blend in as well as he possibly could to go out among the kine. “There, now you’re not a walking talking masquerade violation. Only a talking one.” She gave him a good slap on the back, chuckling as the three walked along observing the light setups along the shops as they went.
“Tammy, why don’t you just tell Z how you feel? I’m sure that old bat would appreciate someone like you.” Eleanor had seemed to pick up on Screech’s teasing from earlier, much to Tammy’s dismay between pointing out details on each of the displays. This one had a light out, this one used too many blue lights, this one didn’t have enough pink. That last complaint was sounded multiple times from Eleanor between her questioning of the red haired Ventrue. “I still don’t get why you like such a hardass, but at least give yourself a chance. How many years is it gonna take for you to just talk to him?”
Tammy began to answer Eleanor as they rounded the corner, the apartment building and pair of ventrue coming into sight. "It's not that easy, Ellie. These things take time, now can we please change the subject?" Tammy lowered her voice, almost to a whisper. "I don't want him to overhear us." In the distance Tammy could see the Prince motion in their direction as the two turned around to meet the approaching fledglings. Tammy gave a slight smile as her eyes met those of her sire, who was suitably bundled up to blend in with the kine on the snowy winter night. Tammy could not tell his expression from behind the scarf worn around his lower face, but she instinctively knew he did not return her smile. His smiles were rare and she knew this wasn't enough of an occasion to warrant one. "Good evening sire, good evening Mr. Goodwin."
Unlike Tammy’s sire, the Prince gave a wide grin as the group approached. “Miss King, miss Norwood and mister Chapman good evening to you all. Enjoying the sights on this lovely winter night?” The three all nodded, Screech fidgeting with his scarf to hide his scars better. “Come, take a look at the tree. My very own Violet decorated it herself.” At the beckoning, the trio of fledglings approached the tree, taking care to stay far enough back to enjoy the view in its entirety. Tammy settled in next to Zacharias as the Prince began going through all the details of every single ornament choice and lighting fixture. Small glances she took up at her sire showed him paying her no mind, listening with closed eyes to the words that had Eleanor and Screech so transfixed. “I don’t know if you all have heard the news, Violet will be leaving for her test at the start of the new year. Clearly she will do well, as any upstanding Ventrue would. She is being sent to Seattle, I have very high hopes for my childe.” Tammy’s nerves began to show more as the topic of the test was brought up. Violet was only embraced a few years before Tammy, and she was already being sent away for her test?
“If you are certain she is ready for her test, then most assuredly she will succeed.” Tammy snuck a look up at Zacharias as he spoke up from behind the scarf, becoming petrified when her eyes locked with that of her sire. Their gazes stayed trained on one another for a few moments, before Tammy looked away. If she had riled the blood to look more human she would surely be blushing right then, but she hadn’t… right? “The time will come for you as well, Tammy. When you are ready, and only then, you will have your own test to overcome.” Zacharias’ hand comes to rest on Tammy’s shoulder as Eleanor and Screech turn to listen to the Prince appraising his childe’s handiwork. “The lights are excellent as always, sir. Unfortunately, my flight leaves in a few hours and I have some preparations to make. I must take my leave for tonight. Childe, will you accompany me for the ride back to the haven?”
Suddenly put on the spot, Tammy looks between her friends and her sire. Giving a faint smile to her friends, she nods. “You two have fun, I have some work to finish anyway.” She then turns towards the Prince, giving a slight bow. “Have a good evening, sir.” Guided away by her sire, Tammy feels the mix of dread and adoration wash over her as she walks side by side with Zacharias. Putting her hands in her pockets, Tammy opens her mouth to say something to him only to spot him putting a finger to where his mouth would be hiding behind the scarf in silence. Putting her thoughts away for now, the two walk along the brightly lit streets and watch the snow fall around them as they reach Zacharias’ parked car. Tammy opens the driver’s side door for Zacharias as he steps in and Tammy quickly walks around to the other side, sitting as Zacharias rids himself of the scarf covering the lower half of his face and starts the car.
“I will admit, I did not expect to encounter you and your…” Zacharias pauses for a moment, deciding on the correct words. “Companions tonight. No matter, I did wish to speak with you before my departure so this works out nicely. As you are aware, I will be leaving later tonight for the next week. I have a list of things that need to be done while I am away, I am sure you will have no difficulties with any of them. Once I return there will be a party held on New Years Eve night. I would like for you to accompany me, the Toreador primogen will be our host and it would not do to ignore his invitation.”
“Yes sire. How long do you have before your plane leaves?” Tammy turned from staring out the window at the falling snow to look at Zacharias, stifling a smile as she noticed snowflakes decorating his suit and hair. It was the quiet moments like these she appreciated most, he didn’t visit her at the haven he set her up in much anymore, so most of their interaction was over writing or in person these days. Moments like this between the sire and childe pair were becoming less and less common, and Tammy knew there would come a night where there was little reason for them. Until then, she would take every moment with Zacharias like this and appreciate it for what simple happiness it was.
Zacharias didn’t seem to notice his childe’s gaze upon him as he navigated the streets back towards where he had set up a haven for Tammy. In truth he had not planned to return to this haven until after the trip was over, but it was a whim that took him to escorting his childe home. He felt more confident in his childe not stumbling into trouble being escorted home than letting a Malkavian and Nosferatu drive her around the city, afterall. “Takeoff is at midnight, so I cannot stay long before I must depart if I am to make it on time.” As the car stalled at a red light, Zacharias reached into the center console of the car and took out a glass wipe. Removing his glasses, he handed both to Tammy, as the light turned green. “Clean these for me, will you?” Wordlessly, Tammy gingerly took the glasses as asked and began to clean. The rest of the drive is silent as Zacharias focuses on driving and Tammy hands the glasses back to him at the next stop light.
After the two park and walk up to the apartment haven, Tammy opens the door for her sire and slips off her shoes at the door. She heads into her bedroom, closing the door behind her as she reaches into her dresser. “Before he leaves I should give it to him. But what would I even say? He’s about to leave for a week, maybe I shouldn’t say anything at all.” Tammy sits down at her bedside table and takes out a pen, writing on a notepad frantically. She discards a few drafts, before setting down the pen and taking the final slip of paper and pulling a wrapped box out of the dresser. As Tammy stepped out of her bedroom she could hear Zacharias moving around in his spare bedroom, most likely making final packing preparations. Quietly opening the door to her sire’s office she turned on the lights, making sure to pick up the list left on the desk for her for the upcoming week. In the empty space where the list had been, Tammy set down the note and the wrapped box, moving carefully so as to not disturb anything else. Closing the door behind her, Tammy walked down the hall while reading the list. “Fairly standard stuff, a few appointments to make but nothing too difficult.” She stopped at Zacharias’ door, knocking to make her presence known even though it was slightly ajar. “Safe travels, sire.”
His childe was gone before he could even respond. Zacharias opened the door fully to give Tammy a farewell when he noticed the faint light coming from the office. Tisking at her for forgetting to turn off the light while not in the room, he went to turn it off himself. Walking in the office to turn it off, Zacharias noticed the box on the desk. “Hm?” As he moved closer he could see a small black box with a ribbon wrapped around it and a handwritten note in Tammy’s flowing cursive style.
“Merry Christmas, Zacharias.”