Chapter Text
Pearl lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling, and fidgeted, unable to sleep. She counted the days in her head and fear crept through her. The full moon was coming in two weeks, and she had to somehow vanish for the night without alerting Cleo. She glanced over at her roommate’s bed and sat up, glancing from the empty bed to the blood red light of the moon pouring through their window.
Cleo was late. Pearl sniffed the air, looking for any scent of blood, or other wolves marking territory, but smelt nothing. She dug her hands into her bedsheets, wondering if it was time to shift and look for them. Suddenly, the door swung open, and Cleo stumbled in, dragging herself through the door and Pearl froze, staring at her.
Cleo didn’t smell like anything. Pearl should have smelt them coming, even in human form, long before she ever got to the door. Humans smelt like fresh blood, running through them constantly. Cleo smelt like nothing at all.
“Um… hello? Pearl? Earth to Pearl?” Cleo waved awkwardly, standing in the door, and something about her smile seemed off.
“Yea... where have you been? It’s almost midnight.” Pearl didn’t need to look at the moon to know, she could feel it, deep in her bones.
Cleo laughed, but the sound was hollow and shrugged. “Had a lovely encounter with some people by the old castle and lost track of time. It’s fine.” She sounded like she was completely done with this conversation, and started heading towards their bed, dropping their silver armour to the ground like it was uncomfortable to touch.
Pearls mouth was moving before she could stop herself “Why do you smell wrong?” it was just too unsettling, having a person in her room who smelt like nothing.
“I- Excuse me?? You can’t even smell me from over there.” Suddenly, Cleos eyes widened, and she reached into her inventory, her sword materializing in her hand. “You can’t even smell me. Right?”
“I- of course not. I wouldn’t be able to. I’d have to be like, a vampire or-“ Pearl laughed suddenly “Wait, do you think I’m a vampire? Think I’m gonna bite cha?” She was actively suppressing the urge to snarl, fighting Cleo was the absolute last thing Pearl wanted right now.
Cleo shuddered, her sword tip dropping to the ground, and Pearl’s concern spiked. “Be honest Pearl, why did you say that?”
“I thought you didn’t believe in vampires, you were being way more sane tha-“ She was talking too fast, she could feel it.
“Pearl. They’re real.” One of Cleo’s hands drifted to the back of her neck and Pearl snarled involuntarily. Owen, Pyro, Shelby and Scott. They all smelt wrong, but Pearl hadn’t seen them in private, she thought she was imagining things.
She surged out of bed, reaching for Cleo, but was stopped as their sword snapped back up between the two, pushing her back. “Did they hurt you? Who was it.” Who was she kidding. Cleo smelt wrong. The same kind of wrong as the people Pearl had just realized were vampires.
“You snarled. Explain yourself, now.” Cleo shook slightly, but fell into a fighting stance, both hands ready on her swords “I am literally starving, and I’ve already fought one monster tonight. I don’t have the energy.”
Peal took a deep breath, trying to steady herself, stepping back from her roommate. “I’m not a vampire. But at this point I should show ya what I am.” She steadied herself, eyes locked on the tip of Cleo’s sword, and shifted, dropping to all fours, and lowering herself, trying to look as non-threatening as possible.
The wolf held her breath, waiting for Cleo’s sword to slash down at her, but the strike never came. “Pearl? Can you look at me?” Pearl lifted her head, looking into their eyes. Cleo’s sword blinked out of existence, disappearing into their inventory, and their eyes welled up. “There we go. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have just pulled my sword. I didn’t want to scare you.”
She smiled, sharp fangs visible that weren’t there the day before. “I won’t hurt you, I swear. I’m just. I’m just rattled, ok?” Pearl stepped forward hesitantly and bumped her nose against the vampire’s leg.
The moment pearl touched her Cleo collapsed, falling back onto her bed, her hand reaching down to pet Pearls fur. The wolf shifted closer, resting her snout on Cleo’s lap and leaning into the touch, still trying to convince herself she was safe, that Cleo didn’t want to hurt her.
Suddenly, Cleo’s hand froze in Pearl’s fur, drawing a whine from the werewolf “Right. You’re a person, I’m petting you. That’s… weird?” Pearl pushed her head against Cleo’s palm insistently and they laughed, going back to petting her. “Right, so I figure petting is good then?”
Pearl tried to nod, and bashed her nose directly into Cleo’s leg, shifting back with a yelp of pain. Cleo immediately burst into laughter, shoulders shaking. Pearl pouted at her exaggeratedly, trying to give the most wounded look she possibly could, and Cleo just laughed harder.
“Oh- oh my god! That’s why you’re so good at that!” Cleo finally managed to calm herself down, taking deep breaths, and smiled down at pearl, who was now sitting cross-legged on the floor. “Thanks, I needed that. Obviously.” They frowned slightly, expression falling. “I guess I should tell you about me then, huh.
“You’re a vampire, I can’t smell any blood in you. But you weren’t before. I just want to know who did it.” Pearl bared her teeth, snarling slightly.
“Did you know. That there were actually vampires here?” Cleo was clearly trying to keep her voice steady, avoiding accusing Pearl again.
Pearl shook her head immediately “I didn’t know they were real, I just figured they smelt weird. I’ve met some people that smell bonkers in my time.” She looked down, avoiding Cleo’s eyes. “I’m sorry I didn’t figure it out, and I’m sorry I was working on the house instead of helping.”
Cleo cupped Pearl’s face in their hands, shaking their head. “It’s obviously not on you. We should sleep, I’ll explain everything that happened in the morning, ok?”
Pearl nodded, scrambling to her feet, and started to walk towards her bed, but Cleo caught her hand. “I- stay here? Please?” the young vampire was staring anywhere but at Pearl, face bright red.
“Of course, that sounds lovely. Do you wanna cuddle with the wolf?” Cleo nodded slightly and Pearl laughed, shifting and crawling into bed. She hadn’t been able to sleep in wolf form in… a long time she had missed it honestly.