Chapter Text
"Star?! Star?!" Michael ran into the dilapidated lobby, frantically searching for Star's fluffy hair or even the wisps of her clothes, but saw nothing. He stopped and raised his nose slightly, smelling the faint wafts of something delicious. He followed it almost in a trance and found the bottle. David had given him the same jeweled bottle, the same one he practically chugged. It was empty, not even a drop.
Michael felt frenzied and he threw the bottle against the cave walls with all the force he had in him. He felt out of control like the walls were closing in on him, like he was spiraling out of control; he was scared and angry and so tired.
"I'm here, Michael," Star walked out from behind her curtains. Michael whipped around, but the sound of heavy boots behind him made him pause.
"Michael, Michael," David tutted, leaning against the walls that lead deeper into the cave, "What's the rush? You're being very noisy tonight."
Michael's anger surged at seeing the bleach blond again.
"You," Michael seethed, "What did you do to me?! This is all your fault!"
He promptly forgot about Star behind him and stormed up to David.
"I should have never followed you that night, you tricked me! You're a monster!"
David was quiet, but his cold eyes bore into Michael's with sharp intensity.
"Star." David called without taking his eyes off of Michael, "Leave."
Star flinched from his tone and curled her shawl tighter around her, "Where will I go-"
"I don't care. Leave. Now." David finally flicked his eyes to her and that's all she needed to fill a purse and grab Laddie to take with her. As she walked past the boys, she glanced at Michael with only sad pity in her eyes.
Michael stared at her, "Star, wait-"
"Michael, sit down. I think we all need to have a long talk about some things." David clicked his tongue and, within seconds, the other Boys came into the lobby, surrounding Michael. Paul and Marko slithered past Michael and glared as they perched on the various chairs around the room. Dwayne was silent as always, but grabbed Michael's upper arm and shoved him onto the old couch.
"Hey, get the hell off me," Michael growled and jerked his arm out of the other's grasp.
David said nothing, but Michael quieted down just watching him sit down on his wheelchair throne in front of him.
"Okay, Michael," David sighed, "You're lucky I'm in a patient mood tonight. Maybe I haven't initiated you properly because it's apparent that nothing is getting through your head." David almost looked annoyed but breathed past it. Michael could see in the corner of his eyes the others fidgeting and glancing between their leader and Michael.
Michael focused on David, "I don't want this. I can't be a…"
Michael didn't even want to say it out loud or admit that this was happening in his life.
"I can't be a vampire," Michael paused, searching for a reaction from David and getting none, "I don't want to live this way, I don't want to become a monster, I'm not a killer!"
"Please… there has to be another way," Michael started to shake, getting lost in the memories of all that's happened in the past few days: almost dying multiple times under the pretense of pranks from the gang, almost hurting his brother, waking up to find himself floating above his bed.
"I don't want this, David." Michael curled in on himself, his anger left and all that was left was exhaustion and fear. None of the boys or David had responded or reacted to his words yet, which didn't help his growing anxiety.
"Liar."
Michael snapped his gaze back to David.
"What?"
"You're lying, Michael." David leaned forward to hold Michael's gaze, "You do want this. You want something different from the life you had, you want freedom and that's what this is."
Michael glared and tensed like he wanted to lunge at the blond, but a small huff from Dwayne kept him seated however unwillingly. Before he could argue, David continued.
"Tell me, Michael, were you happy before? Did you feel like you belonged? And before you say anything, no more lies. I want the complete truth."
Michael wanted to lie. He wanted to tell them he was happy and content with his life, that he was surrounded by sunlight and peace like his mother and brother always seemed to be.
But he was so tired. Every day that passed, he wanted to stay in the cave with all of them more, stay with David. Even though the pranks and tricks were scary, the feeling of freedom was so strong when he was with the Boys. All of his life, he's felt heavy with the burden of responsibility; of being the eldest, with looking out for Sam, with always taking the brunt of his father's anger for his family, with being the shoulder for his mother to cry on, with the anxiety of an unpassionate future.
Silent tears fell from his eyes. He didn't sob. He didn't scream and yell anymore. His tears were from years and years of holding back and the overwhelming truth that David forced him to look at.
"Don't bring them into this. I'll leave them, just give me time." Michael whispered brokenly.
David stared at Michael for a moment, studying him. But studying and wondering wasn't enough. Michael needed to prove his loyalty.
David rolled up the cuff of his sleeve and sliced a deep line across his wrist. Dark blood oozed and rolled down his arm, dripping rubies onto the cave ground.
Michael breathed in the scent, but the look in David's eyes was more important at that moment. He felt out of his body as he lifted himself to crowd into David's space. The blond simply stared as he spread his legs to make room. The brunet dropped to his knees, completely relaxed under the smell of leather and rich iron. Their eyes locked as David raised his wrist and Michael latched on.
He drank deeply, the thick blood sliding over his tongue in mouthfuls; his heartbeat was the only sound he could hear rushing through his ears and he felt more and more unfocused the more he drank, and the light behind David's head made everything feel ethereal and fuzzy. Some time passed, it could have been seconds or hours, Michael would never know when David pulled his wrist away.
A confused whine was pulled from the younger man's throat, but it was cut off by lips and fangs licking and nipping the spilled blood on his mouth. David was kissing him, claiming him and Michael felt content to let him do anything he wanted. He lost himself in the feel of David pulling him into his lap and grabbing his jaw in a gloved hand to hold him still. He felt the ghost feel of hands in his hair, on his chest and sides, on his thighs. Maybe the Boys were claiming him too.
They all finally pulled away and David easily lifted their newest fledgling. He took him into the back of the cave's hallway to a lumpy mattress covered in dusty blankets and pillows and dropped him gently in the middle. Michael let go of his stress and worries and curled up, lazily pulling the fluffiest blanket over himself. He peeked his eyes opened and saw the Boys undressing and climbing in next to him. Marko climbed on top of the pillows above him, Paul stretched out at the end of his feet and helped take off his shoes, Dwayne climbed in behind him and rested an arm over his waist, and David pulled him to rest against his chest.
Michael didn't know how to feel about sleeping with four other guys, but their scents and touches lulled him into a deep sleep easily. It's been a very long week and, as a young fledgling, Michael would need his pack to keep him calm and safe. The rest would come tomorrow and Michael would trust his pack to guide him through whatever happened next.