Chapter Text
“No.”
“It's just a few footsteps worth of distance away.”
“No.”
Chess was going to a bar with some friends. Vampires from the other side of the globe were a-visiting, which meant that social gatherings were about to get a whole lot more intense.
Many times, Chess had implored Horn to come with her, but Horn had always refused. Today was no different.
“Fine.” said Chess. “Okay, whatever. I won't force you to come. But you are always welcome.”
As she left the palace, with one foot out the door, she looked at Horn pleadingly. Her effort remained ignored, so she left. It was like she had taken the life of the room out with her.
Horn wasn't one for social situations.
She preferred to keep to her own.
Besides, according to her, vampires in large swathes stunk.
She only had two friends she truly trusted, Crowley and Chess. She detested Ferid, she was put off by Lacus and René’s rudeness, both her and Mika treated each other like they didn't exist and she felt utterly intimidated by Krul's temper.
When the vampires gathered, she put on a sweet face and socialized as expected, but inside she felt her anxiety levels spike. A good wash of blood down her throat usually numbed that feeling.
Horn looked at the ground in sadness. She knew Chess meant well. But she wasn't ready to open up. She had a heavy tizzy of instability in such situations.
It was terrible when she was a child. It didn't change anything when she became an adult.
Even as a cold, uncaring, vampire, that urge remained.
Horn felt horrible. Truly, utterly, horrible. Chess was a good friend, and she meant well. What kind of person crushed the hopes of someone who cared about them that much? A horrible person, that's who.
It was a wonder Chess had become her friend in the first place with their clashing attitudes. While Crowley was someone she felt even more anxiety under despite his constant warmness.
Time flew by as Horn looked out the window. She wanted her extrovert back. It was more fun to spend the afternoon chatting and playing with Chess rather than spend it in a sea of faces that left her terrified.
Looks like she didn't have to wait long to get an excuse to intrude on Chess's evening.
Crowley Eusford invited himself to the abode not long after, with an important summons for his aide.
“Horn?”
“Lord Crowley?”
“I know you have problems with anxiety, but I need you to hear me…”
“She's drunk.” finished Crowley. “You know how she's like when she's drunk. Can you… be there for her?”
Horn looked at Crowley, studying his stiff lip and troubled face. He looked like he stressed every word and meant it.
Horn nodded. “Yeah. Sure. She's my friend.”
She wasn't lying. Chess was her best friend more than anything in the world. She just hated going outside and dealing with people. Still, the care she had for Chess outweighed the agoraphobia she had of the public.
The bar was empty, save for one patron. The shrieking, sobbing purple haired girl had her head in her hands.
“Chess? Chess!” exclaimed Horn. She wrapped an arm around her and stroked her hair. Judging by the mass of alcoholic drinks on the table, whoever Chess was with had left. She could tell that, by the empty containers, that Chess was no slouch when it had come to drinking that day either.
Horn nodded in approval seeing Chess suddenly consume an oversized jug of human blood. Judging by the scent, it must have been fresh.
She rubbed her back. “You'll feel better soon, don't worry.”
“Yeah. Yeah. That's why I keep doing it,” said Chess. She was still gripping her stomach and rubbing her face, as if she was going through a fever.
“It's going to be alright. I'll walk you home.”
“That's nice of you, Horn.”
Chess then began frantically rubbing her neck, her hands looking more and more wringed by the minute.
“Okay, girl. How about we stop that.” said Horn. She had remembered that female vampires tended to overgrow their sharp claws, though thankfully neither hers or Chess’s were at the intimidating length Krul's talons were.
“That's it, girl. Keep on drinking blood. It'll dilute the alcohol in your system.”
Chess nodded. Horn hadn't noticed how tense she must have been in her position, considering the red impressions on her arm. She must have put too much pressure on it at some point.
She stroked her hair again.
“Chess, talk to me. Did someone hurt you?” she asked (Chess could be too much of an over-sharer at times, making her an easy target for humiliation).
“I'm thinking about Mika and Krul!” howled Chess. Another jug of blood was downed by her.
“Oh?” said Horn.
“I've just learned how they met!” she shrieked. “It was really, really sad!”
You didn't know already? thought Horn, but now didn't seem the sort of time to say that.
“That's terrible, Chess. What happened?” said Horn, feigning concern. To be fair, she actually was a bit concerned.
Chess's spine shot up and so did the rest of her.
“When Krul kissed Mika, she did it in front of tens of thousands of people, as she was judged by them as their Queen. Krul could have chosen to give her blood to Mika any other way but she chose to kiss him. She wanted to make it matter.”
“Uh… yeah.” said Horn. She was wondering if Chess heard a different version of the story that was told to her but it seemed to be the same.
“When Krul kissed Mika, he was dying, covered in blood and injury, and felt like utter filth. He was going through the worst moment in his life. And even though Krul could have had him any other way,still,she kissed him. On the lips. In front of everybody.”
“Uh, huh,” said Horn.
“When Krul kissed Mika, she sent a message. A message that even though he was laying in rot and corpses, he was worthy of her love. A message that she wouldn't stop loving him no matter what happened to him. Mika was changed that day, Horn, he was ripped around, broken to his bare essentials and disfigured horribly. And yet Krul still loved him and never left him. She chose him. She went to bat for him. That boy was dying and she gave him a kiss. Do you know what Mika said? That he didn't want eternal life! That she should let him die! He was suicidal and that girl saved him! She defied his order! She could have let him die but she didn't! She made him live, Horn! Even though he would probably hate her for forcing his will and making him bear so much pain she made him live! Imagine if he eternally hated her for that. For denying him the sweet embrace of death! He could have died happy, but she loved him too much for that to happen! There was a possibility that he would hate her for saving his life, but she didn't care! He was a human! Humans hate vampires. And this one made him kiss her! Do you know how much he'd hate her for her to do that to him? To take away his autonomy? Usually, a vampire overriding a human's autonomy is a bad thing, but in this case she saved his life. No, usually a human overriding a human's autonomy is morally wrong, I've been there before when I GET unsuspecting humans, but when she did it she saved his life! She's not like me, Horn. She’s not like any of us! He's… not like them. And she's… not like us.”
“Oh. I see,” said Horn, suppressing a little laugh. “You're touched by what she did.”
“I am not just TOUCHED, Horn.” Chess bellowed.
“Take another swig of the blood.”
“I'm INCENSED. I'm FIRED UP.”
That word doesn't mean what you think it means right now, thought Horn,but now wasn't the time to point this out.
“I… I…” Chess sobbed.
Do you think someday I'll be able to experience something like that, Chess wanted to say, but she had an inkling the answer was no.
Time stood still. The two girls were alone in the bar.
A gentle hand was put against Chess's back. It was as if Horn read her mind. Chess looked at the blonde woman, her face tear-streaked.
“Sometimes love can't just randomly fall upon you. Other times it just happens,” said Horn quietly. It seemed as if wisdom had chosen her today. “If you can't be the Mika in someone's story… how about trying to be the Krul?”
Chess froze. Her cheeks were still puffy and quivering.
“You… you… really think I can do that?” she said, her voice hoarse.
“I know you can do that. Start with little acts of kindness in your day. Then, keep on doing it, until your little actions snowball into big ones.”
Like the one Crowley performed today.
Chess still looked like a worried, wet dog. Particularly because of her eyes.
Horn's gaze remained non-judgemental.
“I know anyone will be lucky to have you as their…” Horn's voice trailed off as she tried to think of a word to describe Krul. “... hero.”. Yes. That was it.
No, wait.
“I think anyone will be lucky to have you as a character in their story. Whether you're a big player in it or not.”
“Ah? Horn, you kid!”
“Why would I?”
“I'm an evil, greedy, monstrous vampire!” howled Chess. That wasn't the alcohol talking.
Horn felt a sense of gratitude towards Crowley for sending her on this mission.
“So was she.”
Chess stared at Horn with her mouth open, but it wasn't them that gave away her shock. It was the amazement in her eyes.
“I think that's why her story resonated so much with you, Chess. You see her and she shows you what you could be.”
A pause passed.
“What you don't have to only dream of being, since it's in your grasp.”
So did another.
“Come on, let's get you home. Lean on me, Chess.”
“Okie dokie!” said Chess. She began hiccuping giddily too.
“Ah. That familiar sound.” said Horn.
This time, me and Crowley are going to count them.