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Caleb didn't usually go to these hangouts.
He preferred spending these late friday nights with you, cuddling in your big couch while watching some corny movie you picked, and loving it all the same. But today was different, after all Gideon had invited him over for a boys hangout, and you had pushed him to go, saying he needed "some time to unwind with guys his age". You thought he deserved some time with his friends after all.
So caleb found himself walking through Skyhaven, approaching one of their friend's houses as the sun slowly set, the golden hour approaching. He reached the entrance, knocking gently but firmly on the door. It didn't take long for Gideon to open it, a grin on his face.
"I thought you'd take longer, bet you didn't want to leave her at home at all"
Gideon spoke, moving to the side to let Caleb in. The young pilot chuckled, the image of you basically pushing him out of the door and telling him to have fun replaying in his head. You knew if you had asked him to stay, he would of. But you felt guilty, always keeping him by your side, not realizing it was his choice, too. So, you pushed him to at least go hang out with his friends today outside of work.
"She kicked me out"
Caleb simply said, rubbing the back of his neck. He looked like a puppy who had to sleep outside, and his friend couldn't help but chuckle. Him and Gideon made their way to the living room, their three other friends waiting for them as they laughed and drank some soda. Two were sitting on the large couch, on opposite sides, as the third sat on the floor, back to the couch. They all looked like they were having fun as Gideon walked towards the couch, with Caleb following suit.
"There you are! We were waiting for you to start playing!"
One of the guys on the couch said, his name being Hayden. The other guy on the couch, Kyle, nodded to his friend's words, bringing a soda to his lips. He then raised it, grinning. A table game was set on the coffee table, its cards already out and ready for playing. It was the perfect game night.
"Yeah! We've got the whole night to have fun!"
His friend cheered, and Gideon chuckled, raising his own glass. Chase grinned, sitting on the floor as he drunk from his own glass, before Caleb looked at all of his friends, sighing in defea. He drank down some soda, settling down to play, but his eyes couldn't help but land on Chase. He looked... weird. A little paler, like he hadn't been outside for a while. And his eyes, they looked like they were a slight different color, as if he were wearing contacts.
Caleb wanted to ask about it, but this night was all about having fun, and you would of wanted him to have fun too. So he moved on, ignoring Chase's weird behavior. The living room was filled with laughter, and it really did look like a normal evening with friends, though it was about to turn into something much darker.
-
The night went by pretty fast, it wasn't long before it was already 1AM. Caleb sighed, though he couldn't help but smile at the state of Gideon, Hayden, and Kyle. They were cuddled up on the couch, absolutely passed out and drooling. His mind went back to you, slowly getting up and stretching as he fetched his things. He could picture you on the living room couch, snoring softly as you had so desperately tried to stay up, waiting for him. He had thought about you all night, and he couldn't wait to go home and carry you to bed.
"I'll get going now"
He said, turning to Chase. He could swear he saw the shine of a fang peek from Chase's grin, but perhaps it was just his imagination, and he deemed it that. Chase smiled, nodding as he got up to walk Caleb to the door. The night was particularly cold, and only the sound of the crickets could be heard.
Chase pulled Caleb in for a goodbye hug, the friendly gesture seemingly normal, but Caleb felt it. When Chase had pulled him in, there was a subtle feeling of strength that hadn't been there before. Then, Chase whispered something in Caleb's ear. He wasn't sure what it was, all he knew was that his head started feeling weird, but perhaps he had been too tired after their hangout. They stood there in that "hug" for a while, before Caleb snapped back to reality, with Chase pulling away. His neck felt weird, and his hand shot up to touch over what felt like two very small holes, pulling it away to see blood.
"You okay? you look like you've seen a ghost! Oh, I think a bug bit ya"
Chase said, a grin on his lips. He pointed to the supposed bug bites, and caleb nodded slowly, confused. He chuckled, nodding as he took a step back, hand coming down to clutch the necklace you gave him. He tasted blood in his mouth, had he bit the inside of his cheek?
"Haha..Yeah, im definitely a bit tired. I'll see you around"
He turned around, walking down the street as he faded off in the night. A faint red glint flashed from Chase's eyes, unbeknownst to the other guy. A smirk on his lips, and the lingering taste of blood on his tongue.
-
It wasn't long before Caleb finally reached his house. He reached for his keys, his hand twitching slightly as he unlocked the front door. It was weird, he didn't usually twitch, or shake like that, but he figured he must of been so tired that exhaustion got to him.
He entered the house, a smile immediately making it's way to his handsome face as he closed the door behind him. You were draped in a fuzzy blanket, sleeping peacefully on his couch as you had so desperately tried to stay up and welcome him home. He made his way towards you, crouching down to be at face level with your peaceful, sleeping expression. Caleb's hand reached out, gentle, soft, as his fingers brushed some stray hair from your face.
He always thought you looked adorable like this, sprawled on his couch, drooling and snoring as you clearly enjoyed your rest. He chuckled when you turned, kicking the air as if you were in a fight.
"Working even in your dreams, pips?"
He whispered, brushing his lips against your forehead, a barely felt kiss as he slid one arm under your knees, the other around your waist. He picked you up, carefully, not wanting to interrupt your sleep. He carried you to your room, though it had been his up untill you decided it was that one that you wanted. Who was he to deny you? So he let you stay in his room, after all, whatever you said, went. He settled you on the bed, pulling the sheets over your body, tucking you in.
He noticed his hands still twitching, and he arched an eyebrow, confused at his own body's reaction. Had he really been that tired? Was he sick? Caleb heaved out a sigh, leaning in close to your face to kiss your forehead. He allowed himself that much, after all you always seemed to like his forehead kisses.
"Goodnight, sweet girl"
He whispered, smiling as you rolled in your sleep, a self satisfied smile on your lips. He couldn't help but slightly smirk at that, you were just too cute to him. He left the room, ready to take a quick shower, and once he was all good, Caleb slipped into his pajama and went to his room. You had bought it for him, and it directly matched yours, just as most of Caleb's things did.
Caleb's eyes fell shut as he drifted into his sleep, and that night, he seemed to have especially vivid nightmares. He often had them, so it was nothing new, but this time they were about his teeth sinking into your neck.
-
You didn't remember making your way to Caleb's room, yet you were tucked nicely under soft blankets by the time you woke up. You figured you must of passed out while trying to wait for him, and he probably found you sprawled over the couch, drooling and snoring..
The thought made you feel slightly embarrassed, but it wasn't anything Caleb hadn't seen before. If anything you were embarrassed because you couldn't tough it out till he arrived. You stirred, stretching your body as you got out of the bed. The sound of footsteps could be heard all the way from the kitchen as you tried to be quiet, sneaking up behind what seemed to be a very busy Caleb.
Caleb chuckled as he turned around, grabbing your wrists and pulling your arms up in victory before you could give him a back hug. His eyes widened slightly, but you couldn't exactly tell why, as they quickly went back to normal. He felt.. stronger than usual. And he also seemed a little paler.
"Hey! That's not fair!"
You retorted, squirming in his grip as you puffed your cheeks. That only earned a soft chuckle from caleb, as he looked down at you like he just won the world. His grip tightened, and at that could only earn a wince from you. He usually didn't go this strong on you, so you looked up at him confused.
As soon as he heard your pained noise, Caleb's eyes widened, and he released your wrists. He put his hands up in defeat, looking at them briefly before that. It was as if he hadnt realized he was going so strong.
"Im sorry pipsqueak, you okay? Did i go too hard?"
He immediately took that gentle, concerned tone that made you want to always give him a reason to be worried for you. You nodded no, rubbing your wrists as you smile at him. Sure, it was weird, and Caleb looked like his whole body was tense, like he was holding back, on edge. But, you thought maybe he was just tired from yesterday's hangout.
"It's okay, I'm okay, Caleb. But you don't seem so okay, why're you so pale?"
You asked, reaching out to run your hand over his exposed arm. You felt Caleb tense at the touch, his ears turning red as he seemed stunned, like he didn't know what to do, but you weren't sure why. He nodded no, gently taking your hand and bringing it to where his heart is, his brows in what seemed to be a frown.
"I'm okay, just a little sick"
You could only give an understanding smile, not wanting no pry any further. You trusted that if Caleb was truly sick, he would of told you so. He smiled at you, letting go of your hand as he gestured for you to move, so he could continue cooking breakfast for you. After all, he wouldn't want you to leave on an empty stomach. You happily complied, sitting down at the living room table, this is your last day in Skyhaven, you'd have to cherish and enjoy every last bit of Caleb's cooking you could get.
As you ate the breakfast he so sweetly prepared for you, you couldn't help but notice Caleb's gaze. He had a thin layer of sweat coating his forehead, and he kept staring at you, but not at your face.
He was staring at your neck.
He kept licking his lips unconsciously, gulping, and it was as if he was in a trance, thirsty. He looked like a predator ready to pounce on his prey, and at the same time his body was so tense as if he was holding back with every fiber of his being. You snapped your fingers in front of his face, trying to catch his attention.
"Earth to Caleb? You look like you're going to eat me up"
You asked, teasingly. Caleb snapped out of it, chuckling almost nervously as he quickly got up to settle your dishes in the sink. You kept asking if he was okay, and he kept saying it was "just a cold". By the time you left Skyhaven, Caleb saw you off with a warm hug. But it was tight. Did he always hug you this tight? You could feel him nuzzle into the crook of your neck, almost.. sniffing you, before he tensed up, quickly pulling away.
You didn't have time to question him, work was calling after all.
-
Caleb's life took a harsh turn after that. He rushed home, avoiding any person he possibly could. He felt.. restless. He entered his house, stumbling to the bathroom as his breath hitched. He looked in the mirror, a hand coming up to graze his own cheek. Had he always been so pale? And why was he so sweaty?
His days started getting worse. First, it was just the being restless, the paleness.. Then the noises were too loud, his work at the fleet turning into pure hell. He would occasionally space out in the middle of meetings, all he could think about was you.. No, not just you, but your scent. Your sweet, sweet scent. It made him so..hungry.
He eventually had to excuse himself, saying he was sick so he had to take a break from work. It didn't take long for people to buy it, after all, Caleb was looking pale and twitching, restless as if he hadn't slept in a while. And it was true, he hadn't. Since you had left, he had not gotten a blink of sleep.
Caleb started ordering groceries at home, he had noticed that whenever he stepped outside, he'd get sunburnt way too easily. He even tried applying sunscreen, but it only lasted for 15 minutes. He often found himself walking to your room, the one he always kept ready for your stay. He would fall on the bed, nuzzling in the sheets, sniffing your scent as his heart raced and his lips parted to take in the fabric. It was the most he could taste of you, and when he realized what he was doing, he'd quickly get up, face flushed all the way to his ears, and leave your room in a hurry.
He was standing in front of the stove, it had been a harsh 4, 5 days maybe? He had lost count, he hadn't seen the light of the sun, his whole house was dark and lit with candles. He was trying to cook a steak, but he hadn't been able to eat anything, and he didn't have the energy to cook, either. He thought a nice, homecooked meal might do it, just like it did it for you whenever you were sick.
But Caleb realized how mistaken he was. He found himself gulping while looking at the raw steak, still in its container. He hadn't turned on the stove yet, and it wasnt the steak that appealed him, it was the blood. Caleb involuntarily gulped, he didn't know what was wrong with him, but he couldn't help but lean down, his tongue darting out to lick at the red liquid in the container.
"..Fuck."
He groaned under his breath, gripping the container as he brought it to his lips. He didn't even realize he drank every single drop till he set it down, licking his lips and breathing heavily. Caleb didn't know what was wrong with him, but at least he had realized something. He needed to stay away from you. This need he felt.. he couldn't satisfy it. Not with animal blood, not with another person's. It had to be you. He'd never forgive himself if he were to hurt you, and since he was sick, he locked himself up.
-
Caleb always texted you good morning. He texted you before work, during work, after work.. It didn't matter where he was. So why hadn't he texted you these days? You were busy fighting wanderers, and there were also some cases of people supposedly biting and sucking other people's blood. The two seemed to be connected, especially since it all started from a person being scratched by a particular wanderer, but you weren't entirely sure yet.
You had tried to call Gideon, but he said that he hadn't heard from Caleb either. You called Liam, and he said that Caleb hadn't gone to work lately. So you had no choice, you just had to go see for yourself just what was going on with him, right?
You made your way to his apartment, and immediately noticed the way his blinds were all shut. You could only imagine how dark it was inside, but you were definitely going to find out. You reached for the door, using the keys Caleb had explicitly given you so you could make yourself at home whenever.
But the keys didn't work. Had he changed the lock? Why was he going this far to keep everyone out? To keep you out? You wouldn't let this stop you, though. You took out your gun, aiming it at the lock and shooting at it. The door hung open, and you made your way inside.
It was extremely dark, or it would of been if it weren't for the candles that adorned the place. You looked around the kitchen, the living room, the bathroom, and his room.. But Caleb was nowhere to be seen. That only left one room to check, so you made your way to his former bedroom, which was now yours.
The door was creaked open, and you could see the silhouette of a tall guy laying on your bed. It was Caleb. He was gripping the sheets, and he seemed to be holding them against his face. You couldn't help but feel extremely confused as you pushed the door open, a soft creak emitting from it as you stood at the doorframe.
You walked closer, as Caleb's eyes shot towards you. You stood in front of the bed, gun dropping to the floor as you stared at him. His face was flushed, all the way to his ears, and his drool coated the sheets. The fabric was directly in his mouth, and he was curled up.
Caleb had sniffed your scent from the moment you had entered the house. He was so desperate, trying to hold back, curling up in himself and gripping the sheets as he kept some in his mouth. That's all he was allowed to have, who knows what he would of done to you, if you were in front of him? But now you were. You were right there, and Caleb couldn't help but bite down on the sheets harder.
"Caleb? What are you... No, moreover, are you okay?"
Your tone was soft, as you tried to walk closer to him. The sheets fell from Caleb's mouth as he growled, scooting back to the other end of the bed. He brought his hand to his mouth, biting down on it so hard that it drew blood. You reached out towards him, yanking his hand away as his eyes widened in surprise.
"Pips...fuck, please stay away"
His tone was desperate, it was needy. So how could you stay away? You let go of his wrist, and with your hands coming up to cup his cheeks, you turned his head to look at you. His eyes.. they had a faint, red hue to them, his face was pale, yet his cheeks were flushed. And when your eyes landed on his mouth, you couldn't help but notice the tiny fangs poking through as his jaw tensed.
"Caleb..?"
You muttered his name, and god, he hated your for it. You were making it so hard for him to hold back, he really was trying to not hurt you. But he couldn't help it, he was way too fast for you to stop as he pinned you down on the bed. He breathed heavily on your neck. Your pulse, your scent.. it was sweet, almost fruity. Like a pomegranate.
At first, you squirmed under him, calling out to him and trying to snap him back from whatever was going on with him. But then it clicked. The wanderers, the infected people, the blood sucking... Caleb, somehow, had gotten bitten, and ingested infected blood. But how? It didn't matter now. Your instinct wasnt to push him off, nor to call for backup. If they had found out what Caleb was.. what would of happened to him? Would they of killed him? Experimented on him, maybe? You would of never let that happen to him.
Your fingers tangled in his hair, as you couldn't help but shiver as his lips brushed against your neck. Caleb was gripping the sheets tightly with one hand, but the other was holding yours, fingers intertwined. You could feel his body tensed up, his breath heavy, his heart racing. It followed the rhythm of your own perfectly.
"Please..push me off.. God, please shoot me."
Caleb groaned against your neck, and you felt a pang hit your chest. He had locked himself up, isolated himself, and possibly starved himself.. He had ignored you up untill now, all to protect you. It's what he always did, and so you bit the inside of your cheek, fingers curling tighter in his hair as you pulled his head closer. Caleb's eyes widened, his face couldn't possibly flush more than this, as his eyes shot up. He couldn't quite see you, but he was confused, and he was in pain, he needed you, and he didn't want to.
"It's okay, Caleb. Drink up. I promise you it's okay, you won't hurt me"
You whisper, voice soft against his ear as you stroke his head. If he didn't eat, he would die. And from the other cases that had been documented, you knew that he needed to consume blood.
Caleb tensed up, breathing heavily as he hesitated. He really didn't want to hurt you, but God, you smelled so sweet, and he was so hungry. You were all he had been thinking about. His tongue darted out, licking a long stripe up your neck. The taste of your skin made him grip the sheets tighter, as his other hand held onto yours equally tighter. He suckled at the sink, just relishing in your taste. But god, it wasn't enough, he wanted to go deeper.
You couldn't help but bite the inside of your cheek harder at his action, tasting your own blood, breathing heavily as you felt your face warm up. He was on top of you, holding your hand while he got ready to feast on you. You could only squeeze his hand, as if giving him permission.
And Caleb took it as that. After a taste of your skin, he couldn't hold back anymore. He parted his lips, sinking his fangs in your neck as he feasted on you. The taste of your blood was intoxicating, making him moan pathetically against your neck. His face was flushed all the way to his ears, and he was absolutely devouring you. He was drooling all over your neck, sucking desperately, as if it was not enough. He needed more, he wanted to taste you till his throat couldn't gulp anymore.
And the worst part was, that you were loving it. You tugged on his hair, not urging him to stop, but urging him to continue. It felt equally intoxicating to you, as you let out soft sighs, your whole body burning up. Eventually you started to feel dizzy, so you tugged harder on his hair, urging him to stop.
Caleb took the cue, kind of coming to his senses as he pulled back from your neck, slightly. Once he pulled back fully, he looked down at you with those soft, puppy eyes you've always loved. They were fully red now. You could see the guilt spreading on his face as he realized what he had done.
You ran your hand through his hair, earning a shuddering breath from him as he looked down at you.
"Shit.. I'm so sorry, oh my god. I'm so sorry, pips"
Caleb panicked as his eyes shot to your neck. He had let go of his self control, he had bitten you. He had feasted on your sweet blood and he couldn't forgive himself for it. That's what he would of liked to say, but what was he supposed to feel, when you looked at him like that?
Your eyes were so soft, and your face was flushed. Your heart was racing, and he could feel it against his chest. You held onto his hand tightly, refusing to let go, and you ran your other hand through his hair, as if he hadn't just drunk you dry. You looked so pleased with yourself.
"It's okay.. Are you okay? Are you feeling better now?"
Caleb couldn't help but let out a shuddering chuckle as he leaned down, pressing a kiss to your forehead. He had drunk you dry, and here you were, asking if he was okay. He pressed another kiss to your nose, your cheeks and then, reluctantly, he brushed his lips over yours. He looked into your eyes, as if looking for confirmation that this was okay, that he was allowed to do this. You only squeezed his hand, eyes fluttering shut, and Caleb couldn't help but smile, leaning in to press his lips against yours.
It was a slow, intimate kiss. Your hearts beat in unison, your bodies almost melting into one. You couldn't believe it, but you could certainly feel it. You felt everything, every emotion Caleb poured into this soft, gentle kiss. You had trusted him to not hurt you, and sure enough, he hadn't hurt you.
It was a moment before he pulled back, his eyes looking over your face like he was memorizing every inch of it. He trailed his lips over your jaw, down your neck, and over the bite marks. He kissed over them softly, slowly, muttering praises of how good you took it, and how sorry he was for putting you through this.
"Are you okay? Did it hurt? I'm sorry.. I'll run you a hot bath and cook you your favorite, does that sound good?"
Caleb's voice filled your ears as he continued to place gentle kisses over your neck, and you couldn't help but smile. He must of passed a horrible few days, so it was good to see him back to his usual self, all worried about you and trying to cheer you up with food. Sure, you didn't need to be cheered up, you loved this, but who says no to a free hot bath and food? You played with his hair, basking in his warmth as you nodded.
"Sounds good, but add some kisses and cuddles to that. And an explanation of everything that went down, from start to finish"
You declared, and Caleb chuckled softly, pulling back to kiss your forehead once again. He nodded, getting off of you very reluctantly as he tugged at your hand, pulling you to sit up. He placed one last kiss on your cheek as he walked towards the bathroom. The distant sound of running water filled your ears, as your hand trailes up to touch your neck. You winced as you found your bite marks, and yet your face was filled with warmth. It's as if he had marked you.
You pulled out your phone, with a message from your boss, Jenna, asking if everything went well on your mission, and if you found anything about those weird wanderers and the infection that came from them. You bit your lip, looking at the message, before replying.
"Nope, found nothing. I'll have to search some more."
You pressed send, before throwing your phone far away on the bed. You'll never let anyone find out about this, and you'll never let anyone take Caleb away from you.