Chapter Text
Scott really knew how to throw a rager. Colorful lights and loud music filled the room almost as much as the people. How does Scott even know these people? Avid doesn’t recognize any of them besides the coven, and Cleo and Pearl had decided to stay home. Martyn, Ren, and Sausage refused to skip D&D night. Owen and Legundo probably wouldn’t go if you paid them. Honestly, Avid had no clue if Abolish was attending or not. Really, with this many people, the best plan was to stay around the coven. It makes sense that someone so social would make a lot of connections over 100 years, but the amount of people in their 20’s was impressive. Avid shrunk into the plush couch.
“Can you even hear me?”
Shelby leaned over the coffee table from her seat and snapped in front of his face, bringing his attention back to the conversation. Avid panicked and frantically responded, “Yep!”
Shelby frowned at him. Oops, wrong answer!
“Not really, I’ll pay attention.”
“I figured” Shelby looked satisfied and continued, “Anyways, what did he say?” She turned to Scott, who seemed focused on his phone, typing quickly, “He’s almost here.”
Shelby’s eyes lit up and grinned, showing her fangs, “Oh, I finally get to meet him!?”
“Don’t scare him off, I haven’t actually told him we’re vampires yet. I’m trying to find the right time” Scott grimaced, “You don’t just meet a guy and say,” he pitched his voice up into a mocking tone, “Oh emm gee, do you want to go to my party? Also, I’m 55 times your age and drink blood!”
“I guess I didn’t think about that…” Shelby pouted and Drift patted her shoulder sympathetically. “I guess that wasn’t really something we had to deal with.”
“Ask him if he’s ever read Vampire Diaries and then say you have a surprise for him!” Avid piped up.
“Tell him you might’ve known his great great grandpa real well.” Pyro flashed a grin as Scott looked appalled.
“If I didn’t already know not to take romantic advice from you two, I’d be surprised.” Scott’s phone pinged and he stood up quickly, “Whatever, just don’t mention vampirism too much around him, he’s here!” He walked away at a quick pace, Shelby and Drift soon following behind him. After a minute or so, Avid could see them talking to a blonde man near the door. He looked nice enough. The guy seemed nervous as all hell, and Scott looked very entertained. Back in Oakhurst, Avid would’ve pouted in jealousy.
Once he came back from limbo, the manic feeling of being a new fledgling faded and the feeling of being drawn towards Scott went away. That conversation was the one of the most awkward things he’d ever endured, second to the conversation when everyone else came back with him. Everyone that came back to life bore a new demonic piece, most of them just the area over their heart, but Avid was nearly a full half demon and Pyro bore a similar appearance. Luckily, modern makeup did wonders and hats were easy to find. Generally, they wouldn’t get any questions from telling people that the yellow eye is a prosthetic. Pyro generally wore dark glasses to hide the dark sclera on his other eye anyways.
OH WAIT, PYRO!
Avid turned to the side quickly enough to see Pyro turn away, clearly having just been staring at him. “Sorry, I zoned out a bit.” There was a long pause as Pyro looked back.
“Yeah, no worries, you’re fine.”
There was a long period of silence.
“Classes been alright?”
“Yep.”
“Good.”
More silence…had it always been this awkward? Avid tended to stumble over his words, especially around Pyro, but there wasn’t usually so much silence.
“Scott’s been talking about that guy a lot lately, right? Are you doing okay?”
Avid’s eyes widened, “Oh, I don’t, uhh, that was just the whole fledgling brain thing, you know? That’s why Scott started dating before turning.”
Pyro shifted in his seat, “Right, I nearly forgot about that mess.”
“Jimmy seems like a nice enough guy, can’t say I know him but Shelby seems to approve.” Avid thought for a moment, “There aren’t all that many people that Shelby doesn’t like, but it would be a major red flag if she didn’t.” There had only been a few people that Avid knew Shelby really hated, but those were the worst of the worst. There definitely was a time when Shelby wasn’t so forgiving, but immortality tended to lead to less grudges. Unless you were Owen.
“Do you think Shelby likes me?” Avid froze a bit at Pyro’s question, “Like, I know she didn’t when…after everything happened in the crypt, and apologizing can’t make that unhappen. I worry she still sees me as the person that killed her fledgling.” He put his hand over the lower half of his face, pulling the skin down slightly.
Avid sat there, stunned, for a moment before he remembered the importance of responding, “Yes! Of course she likes you, do you think she would just tolerate you because I told her it’s okay? We understand what happened, who you were then, who Owen was then! We’ve had a century to change! Shelby knows that!”
Pyro’s eyes crinkled, “You told her it’s okay?” He said softly.
“Okay is a stretch, don’t do it again!” Avid sputtered, “There’s no telling if I’ll come back this time! Also, I don’t like dying!”
Pyro put his hands up in mock surrender, “I know, I know. I appreciate you telling her, though.” He smiled in a way that shows the tops of his upper teeth just a bit. Avid really needed to stop looking at his mouth.
A far more comfortable silence bore for a few moments until Pyro spoke again, “What do you think you’d want in a partner, Avid?”
The question took him off guard nearly as much as the first. Avid frantically wracked his brain for a response that wouldn’t lead to teasing, or worse, Pyro getting uncomfortable. “I- I haven’t really, haven’t really thought about it that much—”
“Nevermind.” Pyro kept his tone even, but light. As if it was lighthearted. It could’ve been, if his voice wasn’t so stiff. Pyro’s knuckles seemed paler than usual, but they relaxed when Avid’s staring became obvious.
Nevermind?
Avid looked at Pyro’s face. He seemed to be forcing down an awkward grimace.
“Alriiight. You?”
“Pardon?”
“What would you look for?”
“Oh! I’m not really sure exactly how to describe- don’t look smug, I get it.”
Avid laughed, leaning into the couch. Pyro relaxed into the couch as he yawned. Glancing out of the window, Avid could tell it was well past when most people would’ve gone home, especially with typical work hours in the morning. Pyro seemed to realize around the same time he did.
“Shit, I haven’t graded any papers, I need to head home.” Pyro grimaced, checking the time.
“I’ll tell the others you’re heading home before I leave, don’t worry.”
Pyro relaxed slightly, “Appreciate it!” He walked quickly towards the door.
The empty seat next to Avid felt a bit colder. Guess that means it’s time to head out. Avid stood up, scanning for Shelby in the crowd. Once he found her, he made his way there, finding Drift and Scott near her. Scott was speaking excitedly to the pair
“—both of them will be there. Oh, hey Avid!”
“What’s going on?”
Drift spoke up first with a knowing grin, “Jimmy and Tango invited Scott to a date!”
“They didn’t say it’s a date, we’re going stargazing.” Scott retorted, but he was smiling and his ears were tinted pink.
“Totally a date. Also, Pyro had to go home and I’m going to head out. Great party though!”
Shelby gave him an odd look, “Alright, don’t feel like hanging around without Pyro, huh?” She feigned sniffling and wiping tears
“No, I have papers to grade too, I finally got the professor job, I don’t want to lose it before getting tenured!”
She stuck her tongue out at him but waved bye nonetheless.
“Byeeee”
Avid’s apartment was cozy. Avid could sink into his bed and the blankets surrounding him could nearly be mistaken for another person if it wasn’t for their lack of density. He could handle the empty apartment. Shelby and Drift moved in together pretty soon after Scott started dating again, especially with Scott’s aversion to non-fancy furniture. Avid was doing fine living alone. Maybe Pyro would be willing to move in, though Avid felt a bit delusional for thinking it.
Pyro acted so odd around him, like there was something he’d been trying to hide.