Chapter Text
Valentine was wandering down the hallways of the school building, waving back at the Ghouls who were cooing over him.
He knew he was popular with the vampire girls at the school, and he enjoyed the attention for sure, who wouldn’t? But there was only one he truly cared about.
“VALENTINE!”
A short pink ball of energy came rushing towards him, he braced himself for the inevitable impact.
He felt air violently leave his chest as she smashed her face into it, wrapping her arms around him. Once he got his bearings back, he returned the hug.
“Well Morning Lala!” His Southern Belle voice made her look up with a blush.
“Oh Valentine, I missed you so much!”
He couldn’t help but laugh at that.
“You just saw me yesterday!”
she gave him a pouting face
“Any time away from you is too long!”
She dramatically put one hand over her forehead and the other on her heart.
He rolled his eyes with a smile.
“What am I going to do with you…?”
He pat her shoulders, looking down at her bright smile. “marry me I hope!”
Before he could even respond, she had already started skipping off towards their first class, taking a moment to spin in her big skirt.
The small smile on his face was genuine as he watched her go. He loved her so much, but sometimes it didn’t feel right… like he saw her more as a friend or sister than he did a partner.
…but it had only been a few weeks! These things take time, it would click eventually… he hoped.
Looking down, He started following her to class.
———
They sat down at their table together, pulling out their books, and waited for class to start.
They continued to chat as other students came in and sat down.
When out of the corner of his eye he saw a boy that caught his attention. He must have been at least over 6 feet tall. probably taller than him, which was an achievement. And even under his uniform Valentine could see he was well defined. He felt his face heat up as he kept staring.
“And so I was like- eh? Val… VALLLL” she waved her hand in front of his face trying to catch his attention back.
“What are you even look- oh” she followed his gaze and saw the new boy starting to sit down. turning back to look at him she took notice of his now blushing face. She continued to look back-and-forth between the two boys,
It took her a moment to put the pieces together.
“Oh… OHHHHHH” the loud unusual noise from her made him finally snap back to her.
“What? What is it?” She gave him a pet on the shoulder and a sympathetic smile. Her voice was gentle when she spoke again. “We’ll talk later…”
He just looked at her confused. But he didn’t have time to question it before he heard the bell ringing,
Time for class.
———
Class had finally finished and they had 10 minutes to get ready to go to their next one, then they had first break.
He couldn’t wait for that. Not because the classes were hard, but because
Draculaura had been acting weird ever since the start of their last one.
She kept asking odd cryptic questions? Like she was interrogating him for something, and he didn’t know what he did wrong…
“Soooooo, have you ever like… looked at another boy and thought, ‘wow he sure looks good!’” She was looking up at him like she was trying to get him to confess to a secret. Only problem was, he didn’t know what that secret could be?
“Uhh I don’t know, I guess? There are some Mansters that even I can admit are attractive…” he scratched the back of his neck nervously. That wasn’t weird, right? I mean, Ghouls complimented each other all the time, they could see the beauty in each other, so why couldn’t Mansters?
She looked contemplated. Her eyes wandered the halls avoiding him like she knew something he didn’t, and was subtly trying to tell him without anyone else knowing.
“hmmm …And is that in a ‘I wish I looked like him’ kinda way or a ‘he’d be a good date’ kinda way…?”
His face flushed in embarrassment. What is she thinking? What does any of this mean? Of course he’d been jealous of some Mansters looks, but that was normal, wasn’t it? And sure he’d look at some of them and thought they’d be a nice Boofriend… from the perspective of a Ghoul of course. He used it as inspiration to be a better boyfriend, that’s all.
He didn’t mean to raise his voice with his response.
“Laura what is this even about!?”
“Ohhhh nothing…” she turned her head away and pretended to whistle like she was hiding the truth from him.
hands clasped behind her back, She skipped ahead of him along the hall again.
He couldn’t wait for next break…
———
There second class went by too slow for him. He sat bouncing his leg and scratching his hands anxiously the entire time.
He looked over at her and she looked back with a sad smile.
Why was Lala acting so weird this morning? Had he done something wrong? If so he didn’t know what it could be… he’d be nice and giving, as any good Boofirend should. Gifts and attention. And he always made sure to compliment her, her makeup or hair or outfits. And not because he cared about how good she looked, but because He knew she put work into her appearance, and appreciated when he recognised that.
…so why?
…Did she want to break up? He didn’t know if he could handle that… if she wanted to that was fine, of course…
But despite how many ghouls he knew fancied him, he didn’t think many would be okay with the ‘eating their love’ thing…
He had spent years breaking hearts to stay fed until he met Drac. He originally planned to break hers as well. He felt awful just thinking about it…
But she had found out what he was, and what he was doing, and convinced him he didn’t have to break a heart to feed from it. She let him feed off her freely. And he didn’t know how many other monsters would. And he really didn’t want to go back to his old ways, they were never fun for anyone…
He looked back at the teacher and tried …and failed to pay attention.
Hopefully things would turn out okay…
——
The bell rang and Draculaura had quickly pulled him by the arm out of the class room.
“Lala what’s going on?!”
He was dragged down the hallway by his Ghoulfriend, moving straight past the creepateria.
“shh! Just follow me.”
He rolled his eyes but quickened his stride to save his arm from her uncomfortable grip. She led him to the stairway of the basement. Not many students went down there, as it was normally only used for storing and transporting old school supplies like tables and chairs.
Confused, he followed her to the downstairs hallway.
“Alright, we should be safe here…” she sat down against the old brick wall. He cringed watching her dress hit the dirty floor.
“Safe? Safe from what?!”
He was really starting to get sick of all this…
“Eavesdropping!” She said as if it was the most obvious thing ever, and he was stupid for missing it.
He let his anger out through his breath, and crossed his arms, defeated.
“Just tell me what’s going on!”
His anger turned into disappointment quite quickly. “Is, is it me…? Do you wanna break up…?”
“No! Val of course not! I just- ugh come here…” she pat the space next to her, indicating for him to sit.
He mentally apologised to his nice clean pants and got down with her.
Looking over at her confused, he nodded his head for her to continue with the conversation.
Air left her mouth and skirt at the same time as She sighed and hit her hands against her puffy petticoat.
“…I just feel like, maybe you’d want to, ya know, …break up?”
“Wha- Laura? Why would you think that?”
“Well… It’s kinda obvious you don’t like me…” he almost jumped out of his skin at the accusation.
“Wa?! Of course I do Lala!” He quickly tried to defend himself, putting his hands over his chest, where his unbeating heart lay under his skin, in sincerity.
“I mean ‘like-like’ I don’t doubt you care about me! but… you, don’t like me as a Ghoulfriend.”
he thought about it, avoiding her gaze, and looking to the floor next to his feet.
She was right… he had just hoped she wouldn’t notice…
He kept telling himself he could learn to love her. she was sweet and pretty, She was a bit immature, but so was he. They laughed at the same terrible jokes. And she was understanding of his emo vampire situation. She was seemingly perfect for him. he had no reason to complain, So why couldn’t he love her?
“Ugh… I’m sorry Lala, I’m trying I really am! I want to love you, I promise! I just… need a Little more time…”
He reached out to hold her soft delicate hands. looking down at them to give him a distraction from her eyes. He couldn’t bear to see her disappointment.
“Oh Val… it’s okay, I’m not mad. And you don’t have to force yourself, it doesn’t work like that.”
turning to face him fully, She pat his hands, holding them in her lap.
“But, I think I know why you might be struggling with that…”
He looked back up at her curiously. She met his eyes, then turned away with an embarrassed blush.
“I have a feeling, and don’t get mad at me for this!” She looked back to him sternly and pointed a finger at him.
“That maybe… you don’t exactly ‘like-like’ ghouls… in that way…” she cringed as she said it, tensing like she was expecting anger at her words.
But instead he just looked at her puzzled.
“…what…?”
He saw the stress leave her body in a puff of air. “Ok! well, it’s just the way you reacted to that new boy in class this morning.” She rubbed the back of her neck anxiously. “I mean seriously Val! I don’t even ogle at boys like that, no matter how cute…”
His hand flew up to touch his cheek as he felt them grow hot, obviously flustered.
“It looked like you were already planning your wedding vows” she giggled at her own joke as if she didn’t just flip his entire world upside down.
“I-I” he tried to come up with an excuse but none came to mind. He didn’t even know thats what it was, but she was right. He was attracted to that boy, wasn’t he? That’s what he should be feeling for the Ghoul in front of him, but instead it was for a random guy he’d never even seen before.
That only made him rethink all the other times he’d looked at another Manster for a little too long. All the times he wished he was a ghoul for a day, just to know what it was like to have a strong, caring Manster love him. Treat him like he did his Ghoulfriend. …that wasn’t normal at all was it? All the times he thought were jealousy or admiration, were they all really just stupid crushes?
“Oh my Ghoul!” He quickly covered his mouth with his hands, shocked at his sudden realisation.
…Shock quickly followed by horror as he thought about what this would mean for him. He didn’t know much about monsters with same gendered attraction. But the little he did know was that no one seemed to like them. He heard talk about them, and it was never nice. Words like ‘Disgusting And unnatural’ at best …wish’s of death at worst. And once word got out about one …they often weren’t seen from again…
He felt himself trying to catch air he didn’t even need, breathing quicker by the second, As if the extra air in his already dead lungs would protect him. His eyes darted around the room, making note of every exit. The stairs they came down? To obvious. There was a door at the end of the hallway, But that could be a dead end. it got harder to see with the new tears flooding his eyes, when did he start crying? he tried to blink them away but they just kept coming. Hands got caught in his hair, pulling it in frustration, trying to ground himself to refocus.
He needed to get out of here. If anyone else found out, if Draculaura told anyone… she wouldn’t right? She might be upset he didn’t love her, but surely she wouldn’t put his life at risk over it? Was what he did really worth getting a wooden stake to the heart? He decided to beg just in case.
“…please, please, please don’t tell anyone, I’ll do anything, I promise!” He bowed his head and clung onto her in desperation. “…I don’t wanna die, please Laura,”
“Hey! hey! Val it’s okay!”
She swiftly brought him into a hug, trying to comfort him by bringing her arms around his back, like she was trying to protect him from the world.
“No one’s going to hurt you, not on my watch!”
He hugged her back tighter, holding onto the Ghoul in desperation, like they were on a cliff and she was the only thing stopping him from falling to his death. He spent what felt like hours, crying into her poor shoulder.
It may have taken the rest of the school day. But eventually he managed to calm down enough to talk to her again.
“You… you really won’t tell anyone? You promise?” He pulled back just enough to look into her eyes, checking for honesty. He’s only hope was that, Draculaura wasn’t a liar.
“Of course not Valentine, i don’t see you as any less of a friend because of this” she wiped the tears away from under his eyes.
“But… it’s wrong isn’t it?”
She contemplating looked off into the distance, seeming to take a moment to think about it.
“Well if it is… I’m wrong too.”
He looked up surprised, her face was sympathetic. “You… what?”
“Yeah! I can like anyone! Including other Ghouls. I’m sure I’d feel no differently about you, if you were a Ghoul.” She bounced on her knees in excitement, making her big dress move with her.
“My Dad says my heart is too big to worry about things as silly as gender.”
he looked through his glasses and saw her heart, she was right, it was the biggest he’d ever seen. It’s why he thought she would be perfect for him.
If only…
“He’s right, you do have a big heart laura…”
She put her hand on his shoulder and gave a soft smile in reassurance.
“And you’ll always have a place in it, even if you aren’t my boyfriend.”
He finally smiled back, a soft little one, the most genuine look he felt he had ever given her. Maybe because they were finally seeing each other for who they really were for the first time.
She hugged him again, his smile didn’t last long however as he started to feel worse as he held her, guilt creeping in.
“I just, wish I could be! I wish I could love you like how you love me…”
“Oh Val, that’s very sweet but this is something you can’t control, the heart wants what it wants.” He felt her squeeze his hand reassuringly. He knew deep down that was true. If he really thought about it, he could remember having feelings like this, even from back when he was alive. And that was 1200 years ago…
“…but what if my hearts wrong?”
She sighed disappointingly and used her serious tone again. “Kieran Valentine, I know there will be Normies and monsters alike that will try and convince you that you’re broken or sick for this.” He was sure if Vampires didn’t have souls, she must have given him one because she was staring right into it.
“But They’re wrong Val! Love is so beautiful, in all its forms!” She wiggled her finger in his face like a disappointed mother.
“Never! let them make you lose sight of that.”
He smiled at her little pout.
“I- …Thanks Lala.”
He was almost relaxed again, when he got startled by her jumping on her knees in her spot, giggling.
“…but you know what this does mean?” She leaned closer to his face, with an excited smile. He learned back away from her, nervously. Gods was she lying? Was she going to blackmail him with this- “…what…?”
“We get to talk about cute boys together!” She grabbed and shook him by the shoulders. He couldn’t help a laugh escape past his confusion. Gods this Ghoul was gonna be the death of him. He grabbed her shoulders in return and tried to hold her still.
“Not too loudly! We don’t!”
The smaller vampire stopped her excitement and covered her mouth in shock. “Oh, right…”
“laura I’m glad you’re so supportive but… as you said, not many others will be, if anyone finds out…”
He tried to stop his eyes from watering again. His hands shaking in his lap.
“So I can’t even risk getting a boyfriend if I don’t want to put the both of us in danger…” his cheeks were wet with tears, a contrast to his drying mouth.
“Which also means… I’m stuck without a food source for who knows how long and-“
“Shhh” the ghoul held him close, trying to reassure him. “Hey it’s gonna be okay Val, time’s will get better I promise, and one day you’ll meet a handsome Manster and live happily ever after!”
He laid his head against her shoulder and let himself have a sad giggle.
“Your optimism is inspiring Lala…”
He felt calmed by the soft drag of her hand against his arm. He looked up and saw her contemplating.
“Oh!” She finally piped up, making him jump slightly. “What if I continue to pretend to be your Ghoulfriend so that no one suspects you! And that way you could still have my love to feed off!”
He looked up at her bewildered.
“…you’d really do that for me?”
“Of course! All I ask for in return is an invite to the wedding.” She gave him a big wink.
He couldn’t stop his tears, even if he wanted to. He brought his sleeve up to wipe them. “…Thanks LaLa, you’re the best”
Her smile widened “oh, I know.”
Their laughter echoed across the hallway Of the old building as they fell into a hug on the dirty old floor.
Maybe things wouldn’t be so bad…