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Pearl hummed to herself as she closed her door for the night. She sighed. Today had been a long, hard day. Not just because of the amount of trees she felled, even if the muscles in her arms and her shoulders and her back were still aching. She really needed to repair her axe. Pearl still wasn't sure if silver was the best material to use for it, but she'd take it over stone, and it was the only metal they seemed to have in Oakhurst.
She saw the only other building still with the orange light of flames visible glowing in the windows in the town, and the man in a green waistcoat watching her from it. "Goodnight Avid," she said, even though he couldn't hear, shooting him a grin and a wave as she swept the curtains shut. "Goodness," she muttered, undoing the laces on her already well worn boots. They'd been pristine when she'd arrived in town, somehow kept that way on her hike over, but she'd gotten a lot less precious about them very quickly.
She paused for a moment as she realised how silent the house was. "Cleo?" She called out. "You didn't give anyone any invites or something, didya? No tea parties?" She paced over to the kitchen. Empty. To the living room. No one. Up the stairs. No response. The bedroom.
"There you are," she smiled as she saw her roommate sitting on the edge of their bed, staring at the wall, seemingly in very deep thought. Her hair glinted in the candlelight, the same colour as the tiny flame doing its best to fight off the shadows creeping around the corners and under the furniture. Her roommate's shadow loomed over her on the wall, much larger than the woman beneath it. A frown had settled on her face. "You good?" The floorboards creaked under Pearl's feet as she approached. "Oh," Cleo jumped a little, her focused gaze flicking over to Pearl, drilling into her. "Sorry, just- you know. Big day,"
"I do I mean, I can't believe Avid and- that Avid was right," her voice tripped over Shelby's name. Cleo nodded. "Probably should've seen it coming from Scott, though. I mean, who dresses like that in this century?"
"Yeah, I guess he was strange," Cleo's eyes never left her face. Pearl realised she hadn't blinked ever since Pearl had entered the room. It was the kind of thing you didn't notice until it stopped, and when you did you couldn't help but for the small hairs on the back of your neck from standing up on end.
"Seriously, what's up with you?" Pearl could feel her smile dimming. "You weren't hurt in that fight, were you?"
"No- no, I wasn't," Cleo shook her head hurriedly, her eyes suddenly refusing to meet Pearl's. Still no blinking. "Just a shock. You think you know people, and then- well, bang. Vampires,"
"Yeah. D'you think that there are any more of them?" The bed groaned as Pearl sat next to Cleo on the soft sheets. She could hear her roommate's deep, slow breathing. "What do you mean?" A smile strained at the edges of Cleo's lips.
"Just that if there were four of 'em hiding in town, what's to say there aren't more? You and Martin caught 'em in the act, but what if some were off doing other things?"
"You have a point," Cleo sighed. Their eyes dragged their stare up the wall before turning back to Pearl's face. They inched closer to Pearl on the bed, before seeming to think better of it. She couldn't help but feel her heart fall in her chest.
"Seriously, are you sure you're not sick?"
"I'm fine. I can talk to Legs tomorrow if you're so worried," her words were sharper than they normally were with Pearl. She almost sounded like how she had been just before she drew her sword in the house judging competition last week. Pearl raised her hands in mock surrender, but she didn't get a chance to retort. Cleo's shoulders tensed up. "Sorry. I appreciate your concern, but I promise it's nothing,"
"Can you do something for me?" Pearl lay a hand on Cleo's shoulder. Their breath hitched. "What is it?"
"Can you blink for me?" Cleo frowned a little in confusion. Her eyelids fluttered over her leaf green eyes. Pearl nodded. "Good. I'll drop it now,"
"Thanks," Cleo muttered. "Had I not been before?"
"No. It was a little creepy, to be honest,"
"Sorry. I was just lost in thought," Cleo placed her hand on her lap.
They leaned away from Pearl a little. She let her hand drop from their shoulder. "What do you think about the vampires?"
"Don't want 'em near my neck, I guess,"
"I meant as people," she sighed. The frown pulled deeper on her face. "I liked Scott, he was fun, but I definitely buy that he's a bloodthirsty creature of the night. Owen seemed kinda sad, like he didn't really wanna get too close to us, and I guess we know why now. I didn't talk to Pyro much, he seemed a bit weedy, though. Didn't think he'd be one who'd stay and fight,"
Pearl turned to look down at the wooden floorboards she'd so carefully laid when she'd been building the house. "I miss Shelby. She did seem kinda insane, but she was nice enough to make up for it. She was so sweet," Pearl put a hand to her forehead. "I mean, how could she be a vampire? She had to look away from the animal pens when we were slaughtering them!"
"Do you think that being a vampire makes someone a monster?" Pearl couldn't see Cleo's eyes anymore, but she could feel her gaze clinging to her spine.
"I don't know enough to say something like that. And I don't know about you, but I don't wanna get in biting range to ask,"
"I guess not," Pearl could hear Cleo slide next to her on the bed. Could feel her body slide against hers. Then pull back a little. "You can stay there, you know," Pearl twirled a strand of hair that fell just over her ear. "I'm fine,"
"R-right," Pearl glanced back up at Cleo.
She couldn't help but frown too at what she saw. Cleo's breathing was so, so heavy. And they'd moved all the way to the other side of the bed. "Cleo," Pearl's voice was firm, but not cold. "Please, tell me what's wrong,"
"I'm sorry,"
"It's okay,"
"It's not," She clenched her dress in her hands. "Damnit, I thought- Damnit!"
"What is it?"
"I need some air," she stumbled to her feet and staggered to the door of the bedroom. Pearl followed, placing a hand on the small of her back. "Don't!" Cleo yelled. Pearl didn't move.
"You don't have to tell me what's wrong, but you're not alone in this,"
"Pearl, please, listen to what I'm saying. Go to bed. Lock the windows. Put something heavy in front of the door,"
"Sure, once we get you some air. I'm not gonna leave you alone at night, not when you're like this,"
"That's really nice, but I need to- Pearl-" Cleo gasped as if she'd just been hit. She pushed herself through the door, shoving Pearl away- "Close the door. Block it. Lock the windows. Go to bed. It'll all be fine in the morning."
Pearl marched after her. "No, I won't,"
"Pearl, you don't understand-"
"Well, you haven't exactly told me what's up yet," Pearl forced a smile onto her face to lighten the mood. "I can't,"
"I'm not going until you do,"
"I just want you to be safe,"
"So do I," Pearl easily cut in front of Cleo and put her hands on their bare shoulders, resting her forehead against theirs. "Pearl. Please." Cleo sounded like she was on the verge of tears. "Just let it out,"
"No. No, no, no," Cleo pulled uselessly against Pearl's firm grip. They should've been able to break out easily, but their arms had barely any power behind them. "Get away from me! Get away from me!"
"Why?"
"I don't want you to die!"
"Like you won't if you go outside alone looking like that? If the vampires don't get you, Avid might," Pearl let go of one arm to angle Cleo's face up to meet her own. Her eyes brimmed with tears like a cup filled so close to the brim you could hardly move it without spilling any. "But if you tell me, I can help you."
Cleo brought a pair of shivering, clammy arms around Pearl's waist, a development she would've been a lot happier about if the circumstances were any different, and held her close. Cleo rested her head against Pearl's neck. She could feel her anvil heavy breaths against her skin. She thought that it would've been warmer. "I'm scared, Pearl," she whimpered. "I am, too,"
"No, not like that. I-I lied, before,"
"About what?" Pearl forced her voice to be light, if only not to make Cleo feel even worse. "I was hurt in the fight,"
Pearl's heart skipped a beat.
"How hurt?"
"Very. I-I've never been so thirsty in my life,"
"Okay," Pearl said. "Have you- um- drank yet?"
"Just animals. It helps,"
"But it's not enough?" Cleo shook her head into Pearl's shirt. "Okay. Can I take a step back for a moment?" They let their arms fall to the sides, their emerald eyes shining with desperation. Pearl took a step back. And began to undo her collar. "What?" As they spoke, Pearl could see hints of the fangs that their canines had become, but only when she was looking for them. "You're thirsty, right?"
"I mean, yeah,"
"And you can bite me without turning me, right?"
"Yes,"
"Then there's no problem,"
"Alright," Cleo sighed. "Get a stake first,"
"I don't think we have any,"
"Look under your bed."
Pearl went back to the bedroom, and rolled a sharp, spike of dark wood out from under her bed. "I put it there about an hour ago," Cleo hadn't moved from her spot. "Where do you wanna do this?"
"Could you go on the bed?" Pearl's heart thumped behind her ribs. "Whose?" She squeaked.
"Mine,"
"Right," Pearl lay down on Cleo's bed, hesitantly placing the stake over her stomach. Cleo began to crawl over her, placing their lips over the newly exposed skin between Pearl's neck and her shoulder. "You sure?"
"Yes,"
"Tell me when you want me to stop,"
"You'll know," Pearl nodded, careful not to bump her chin into Cleo's head.
"Any day now,"
"R-right,"
Her fangs broke the flimsy barrier of Pearl's skin as easily as an axe against a sheet of paper. She gasped on reflex, but it didn't hurt. It didn't feel like much of anything. It was just numb. She heard Cleo gulp as her blood was drawn out of her body and into theirs. Pearl's breathing slowed as she felt the energy leaving her body. The sounds of Cleo drinking got faster. Pearl's muscles started to go slack. Her eyelids began to flutter.
"Okay, that's enough," she groaned. It was like Cleo hadn't heard them. A rush of fear ran through Pearl's veins, but it soon became sluggish. The energy that should've come with it never reached her. "Cleo, Cleo that's enough." They gulped down her blood even faster than before. Pearl tightened her now loose grip on her stake. No. That was an absolute last resort. Even just pricking it against Cleo's skin was something she refused to do. But an idea bubbled up into her drained mind.
She pressed her lips against Cleo's forehead. Her fangs flew out of her body immediately. "Wha- oh, sorry," Cleo said, her flushed face meeting Pearl's. She wouldn't have thought that vampires could blush. "Did- did you say something, or-"
"I don't think you heard," Pearl smiled down at her. "You could've just lined up the stake. I would've backed off,"
"Am I that bad of a kisser?"
"No!" Cleo's blush got even deeper. "I just- I- I didn't want you to feel awkward, or that you couldn't stop me,"
"Using this," Pearl held the stake in the air before letting it clatter to the floor, "Was something I really didn't wanna do. Are you feeling better?"
"Yeah. So much,"
"Good," Pearl yawned as she lay back down on Cleo's bed. "What're you doing?"
"Turns out getting fed on's really tiring. I'm gonna go to bed,"
"But that's my bed!"
"You asked me to go here. Besides, I just fed you. Don't I get something in return?"
"That's fair," Cleo mumbled. "What would you like?"
"I'm sleeping here tonight, and I wanna hug you while I do,"
"Okay. Anything else?" Cleo glanced down at the red warmth trickling out of her still numb neck. "You should probably get out of that shirt, by the way,"
"You do it," Pearl muttered.
"What?"
"I don't feel like it. You do it. And get me my pyjamas,"
"Sometimes I forget you were rich," Cleo rolled her eyes, but brought over Pearl's soft, silk bed clothes. "Would you like anything more, my lady?" They said with a mock curtsy. "I think that's everything. You gonna feed on me tomorrow, too?"
"So long as I don't get hurt too bad, I'll be fine. Besides, it looks like it took a lot out of you. I shouldn't need as much next time. You'll need to rest for a while before we even consider it,"
"If you say so,"
Cleo leant over her. "Lift your arms up," Pearl obeyed, allowing Cleo to change her clothes, relishing the way her face turned as red as a ripe tomato as she did. After a few minutes to prepare herself for sleep, she slid into bed next to her, her arms wrapping around her once again. "Good night, Pearl,"
"G'night, dear," the words slipped out of her lips moments before the world faded to black, a small smile lingering on her face.