Chapter Text
Abolish was wandering around the town , looking for something to do. It had been...a while since the last drama with the vampires and things were finally calming down. Of course, he was still worried, worried about the townspeople , worried about paying his respects....worried about Pyro... It had been days since he had last seen them , and he had been....different. not the same college student Abolish had met less than a month ago.
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Pyro clutched the edges of the town’s outermost walls, panting and eyes flicking wildly. He shouldn’t be here; not after everything that’s happened. Hell, they could practically feel the overbearing eyes of his Sire burning into the wound he’d recently given the fledgling.
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He perked up , hearing something. Abolish paused and listened for...well , he wasn't sure, but he had sworn he heard something.
"Hello...?" He called out carefully
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A familiar, monotone voice filled Pyro’s ears as they flicked upwards slightly at the sound. They quickly covered what he could of his slash before replying.
“Abolish?”
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"Oh- Pyro."
He walked towards the sound of the voice , He couldn't help but notice the smell of blood but said nothing.
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“Hi,” he breathed, hoping the blood beginning to seep through layers of cloth wouldn’t be too obvious.
To him it was— he could pick up on that heavy iron scent anywhere, but for a human? Pyro just hoped Abolish wouldn’t be nearly as observant as usual.
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"What brings you here-?" Abolish looked around, silently checking for signs of any other vampires. “Are you alone?"
He made brief eye contact with them as he surveyed the area
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“Alone..?”
God was he ever alone? Knowing Scott could be overlooking everything always?
“Uh, yes,” he said quietly, “yeah I’m alone.”
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"Good." He turned and walked away , expecting Pyro to follow.
Abolish didn't know why- but something about being around Pyro was different then all the other vampires.
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Pyro stood awkwardly as Abolish started on his way, wondering what he meant by this. Was their interaction over? He knew logically that it should’ve been. Yet logically, Abolish would’ve alerted the town to the vampire’s presence— yet he didn’t. For whatever reason, he started after him.
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He stopped at his house and opened the door "You can come inside, you're invited-" What was he doing- WHAT WAS HE DOING- Abolish was letting a vampire into his home. Willingly letting the enemy in.
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“I- I can?”
The words were uttered more to himself than to Abolish. He was allowing him inside his home..? For what? Why?
“Really?”
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"Yeah..." Abolish's cold facade broke for a moment, showing a flicker of affection as he held the door open for Pyro.
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Hesitantly, he entered the household. Whatever he expected, or whatever he thought upon the matter were drowned out of the overwhelming scent of the area. Tea, wood, and what seemed like soil, made up the air— though to Pyro, all it smelled like was Abolish. It was.. it was nice.
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He sat on the floor in the middle of the room and looked up at them. Abolish's expression showed no curiosity, but his eyes did, coffee brown eyes meeting Pyro’s red ones for the second time that evening. It probably was just a coincidence...probably. Abolish told himself, blocking out everything he felt in the interest of finding out the motive of the vampire standing in front of him.
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Pyro’s gaze locked with Abolish’s and he felt a beating within his chest. He didn’t have a beating heart— so he blamed the feeling on the bleeding wound he bore there. Slowly, they joined Abolish upon the floor, sitting his legs crossed with a rather atrocious posture. Anything to further hide the not yet healed wound they bore. Vampiric healing hadn’t quite helped him with such yet. They were beginning to wonder if it would at all. Did vampire healing extend to attacks from other vampires?
He realized his eyes were still upon Abolish’s and they glanced away.
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They observed the way Pyro sat down with a frown "Your posture is awful-" He mused , breaking the thick silence in the room. He caught the faint scent of blood again, and deduced that it was coming from Pyro "Where's the blood. I don't care whose it is , as long as it's not yours."
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“What?”
His breath hitched as he sat up straighter at the comment. So long as it wasn’t his..? They tried to think of some response, yet he couldn’t even find a good lie for the man.
“Who’s.. uh.” He glanced downwards at the red-stained cloth. “Anteater.”
As soon as he’d spat out the word they cursed himself inwardly. What the hell was that..? Anteater? They didn’t even live here!
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Abolish blinked. "...anteater? An anteater.....sure-"
Of course he didn't believe them , what kind of a lie was that? Without another word , he pressed a gentle hand to the bloody spot on Pyro's clothes, looking for any changes in their expression that could be an indicator of pain.
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Pyro flinched and let out a sharp inhale at the touch, a shot of pain searing into them. Yet, funnily enough, he didn’t draw away. His ears tugged downward, an accompaniment to the grimace he wore.
Knowing Abolish, he’d known since he first saw them, most likely.
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"Any other wounds? Or just that one?" He asked , feeling a small yet growing amount of guilt for causing him pain.
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His words caught in their throat before finally uttering the words “just the one” to the man before him.
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"Can I look...?" His tone turned gentler than before , and he let his cold expression disappear completely, that was something he didn't do with anyone. Internally, Abolish was spiraling. What was he doing- he was too close to Pyro- way too close.
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Abolish’s expression shifted into something softer, something filled with emotion— something Pyro didn’t entirely realize he could do. From his voice, the way he seemed to actually care, and the contact between the two of them, Pyro found themselves nodding an agreement.
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"Show me where." He preemptively reached for a nearby bag , pulling it over to the two of them, it presumably contained medical supplies
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Pyro swallowed down whatever he felt rising in his throat before taking a deep breath. He shrugged off his coatjacket and laid it to the ground beside him before working on the buttons of his jacket. He winced slightly as the cloth brushed against the wound. Yet through all this, he wondered why he was doing this: why Abolish had chosen to help him.
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He reached over and helped him unbutton it , hand brushing against theirs for a moment. The faintest bit of pink dusted his cheeks as he helped
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Dear lord, he thought that if his heart hadn’t been dead to begin with, it would’ve stopped beating right now. Abolish now aided him with the buttons on his shirt, which was honestly necessary with how his fingers shook and blundered over each clasp. Even stranger, he thought there was color upon Abolish’s checks, bringing them to the shade of the soft pink that his lips were— though maybe it was just the lighting, or Pyro’s delusions.
After they’d undone all of the buttons on his shirt, he’d shrugged it off and set it aside with his coat. He shifted slightly, nerves and the slight chill both aiding in the soft shake of his form, not to mention the blood loss of his stinging slash.
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"Oh..that's. Not good..." Abolish mumbled.
He studied the vampire's face momentarily before looking back at the wound, shoulders tensing slightly as he examined the shredded skin and flesh. He grabbed a bandage from the nearby bag , mouth set in a determined frown. He was never good at comforting , but tried his best none the less and mumbled something to Pyro while simultaneously tearing the bandage into strips and grabbing a bottle of something from under his bed.
"This is going to hurt like hell...but I need to disinfect the wound."
He uncapped the bottle of vodka and soaked one of the bandage strips with it.
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Pyro blinked repeatedly, reminding himself to translate sounds to words and words into meanings. He wasn’t surprised Abolish had wound care with him, it seemed like something he’d have. He seemed like someone was prepared for anything at all times. However he was moderately surprised about the bottle of vodka the man produced. It wasn’t a foreign idea that the man would drink, but out of all his guesses, he wouldn’t have pegged the guy to have vodka underneath his bed.
His mind jolted back to the words from before, the ones that had warned him that sterilizing the wound would hurt like hell. He tensed at the thought of more pain scrawled across his chest.
“Okay.” He breathed, “yeah I can— I bear it.”
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He pressed the vodka soaked bandage to the slash wound , dabbing away some of the blood. Abolish took a deep breath , bracing himself preemptively for Pyro's cries of pain that he knew would come. Alcohol was just about the worst pain you could inflict on a fresh wound.
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He shuddered at the pressure of the cloth, pain shooting up through him. What was worse, though, was the sting of the alcohol. It was like Sire’s claws were raking through him all over again, tearing away flesh and skin to get deeper, the hurt more, to make him remember the lesson taught. He cried out before biting his tongue and covering his mouth, pulling away from Abolish’s aide out of instinct. The feeling was like flames across his chest, boiling the blood inside him.
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"Woah woah- It's okay-" They gently grabbed one of Pyro's arms , hoping that it would somewhat soothe him.
This whole affair was uncharacteristically emotional for Abolish. He was acting like he cared, instead of his normal uninterested, cold replies when he was interacting with anyone else.
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Pyro’s eyes were squeezed shut as he tried to pull back further. The touch of Abolish’s hand against his arm was soothing, but at this point they were just struggling to keep the words that left his mouth comprehensible within his mind. He blinked his eyes open, the stinging in them mimicking that of his chest. He swallowed and tried to take even breaths, even stopping entirely in order to minimize movement of the flustered flesh.
“It just— hurts-“ he whispered through a soft exhale.
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"I know- I'm sorry...it's all done. I can start bandaging now." Abolish set the now pink tinted bandage aside and reached for a dry one , preparing to wrap the wound
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“Yeah. Yeah okay.” He muttered.
For whatever reason, be it blood loss, the alcohol that had been pressed into an open wound, or perhaps the close proximity of him and the beautiful black-haired and brown-eyed man before him as he sat shirtless under his touch, they found themselves rather lightheaded. They tried his best not to slump forward or lean into the man before him. Though he knew he wasn’t as straight-sitting as he had been before.
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He started packing and bandaging it , hands light and gentle as he did so. Abolish was completely fixated on the task at hand and didn't notice Pyro's lightheaded state.
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Pyro tried his best to remain still, shifting slightly underneath the steady work the man provided. It hurt— hurt like hell, but he wasn’t about to pull away from the generosity he’d been given. Especially when there seemed to be no reason for such.
“Why are you doing this..?” They muttered, “why are you helping me? I’d heal anyway…”
They started at Abolish as he watched him work. He was so certain in every movement, they were sure the man had done this before.
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“I don’t want to fill out the paperwork.” It was of course a lie , but one he told well. He would be lying if he said he didn’t feel even the slightest bit of affection for the man in front of him. Abolish continued bandaging the torn and flushed flesh , careful not to cause any more pain.
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“Paperwork.?” Pyro questioned. What paperwork could the man have to fill out? Especially regarding him?
“What do you mean paperwork?” He winced slightly.
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“I’m on a documentation mission of sorts…” He mumbled.
Telling a vampire top secret information was a TERRIBLE idea, but he continued.
“I was sent here to identify any possible threats.”
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“Mission?” He repeated, “possible threats..?”
Pyro wasn’t fully comprehending the words spoken, but from what he could tell Abolish was some sort of Sherlock Holmes.
“What..?”
He shifted slightly as a sting of pain spurred from his wound. Abolish seemed more than capable of being someone who went on high stakes missions, but hearing it from his beautiful monotone voice was another thing.
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“I’ve said too much….”
Abolish went silent, continuing his care of Pyro as he internally panicked from the words that were spoken
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“Oh.” Pyro’s voice was soft, “right— yeah, a mysterious man has to stay mysterious right?”
They laughed lightly at the matter and his hand moved to his chest shortly after. It hurt, and he’d almost forgotten such.
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He sighed, “All done bandaging- try not to…move too much? I assume that makes it hurt more.” Abolish then stood up , offering a hand to Pyro
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They looked up at him, watching his outstretched hand and soft eyes. After waiting for probably too long, he reached upwards and took his hand in his, careful not to scratch him with his elongated claws. The gloves he wore were a comforting texture after they’d scraped up his hands from various activities.
As he got up, he stumbled, his legs more weary than they’d anticipated. That, and the lightheaded feeling wrought him more than ever before. He reached out to take a steady foundation against Abolish as he tried to keep himself upwards.
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“Careful- please. I don’t want to patch you up for a second time today. “ He held Pyro’s hand firmly , watching him for any signs that he might fall.
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“Right…” he mumbled, shaking slightly.
Their muscles seem to have withered within the last few minutes. Either that or the blood loss was getting to him. Or the alcohol. They prayed Abolish wouldn’t let him go, they feared they’d fall to the ground.
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“You can’t stand on your own right now , can you?” He hummed questioningly , continuing to study their expression
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“I don’t— I don’t think so..” he breathed. “I— I don’t know why. I was fine earlier I-“
They trailed off, lost in swimming thoughts.
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“It’s okay. I’ve got you. What do you need?” Abolish asked. He had to admit , being this close to Pyro was making him feel slightly flustered , but his face didn’t betray anything.
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Pyro tried to sew together the words swarming his mind into a single sentence. They didn’t know what they needed. God, did he need anything? He readjusted their footing, hoping to be able to stand on his own. He quickly realized that wasn’t an option and looked up to Abolish.
“I think— I think I need to sit back down.” He breathed.
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He nodded and helped them back onto the ground, letting Pyro rest the majority of his weight on his shoulder and arm as he did so.”Let me know if you need any blood…I have animals.”
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“Blood?” They muttered.
At the mention of the substance Pyro could feel his chest squeeze and their stomach ache. Maybe that would help. Just— just getting some nutrients back into their body. They’d lost a lot of his own blood anyway. As he settled back onto the floor, he nodded to Abolish.
“Please.” He whispered.
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“I’ll be right back.” He said as he stood up , slight unease building in his chest. He grabbed an empty bottle and went outside, draining one of the cows.
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“Thank you.” They said, a weight sliding off his shoulders.
He watched as Abolish nodded and left to grab any bottles he had, taking note of the way the air caught in man’s formal clothing, seemingly floating as he walked.
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He returned , a bottle of blood in hand. His gloves had a few red stains on them now , but he didn’t seem bothered
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Pyro’s eyes widened at the sight of the blood-filled bottle.
“Thank you,” he repeated, “oh thank you, you’re literally my savior, Abolish, thank you.”
They kept their hands wrung together in an effort to keep himself from reaching out and accidentally scratching the man who’d shown them such kindness. He still wondered why the man had extended such in the first place.
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Abolish handed the bottle to the other man , gloved hand brushing against Pyro's claws. He smiled the tiniest bit , a striking contrast to his usual expression
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Abolish smiled as he’d handed him the bottle and Pyro felt his ears flush.
Abolish smiled.
Abolish.
Smiling.
At him?
Abolish smiled at them.
It wasn’t much— wasn’t like he’d grinned ear to ear but it was there. Soft and thin, but there.
He took the bottle from Abolish and the brush of their hands sent an added spark into Pyro’s unbeating heart. He gazed at him a moment after they’d taken the object, before glancing downward at the red substance. They pressed the bottle to their lips and downed the blood, closing their eyes as he drank. It had taken less than 15 seconds for Pyro to drain the bottle. He looked back up to Abolish, a writhe of embarrassment welled in his chest, though he didn’t quite know why.
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The man standing in front of Pyro said nothing , simply tilting his head at Pyro's reaction. He could feel his own heart pounding in his chest as well , basically begging him to confess. Instead, he dug his nails into the palm of his hand though the blood splattered fabric of his glove, forbidding himself from saying anything.
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Pyro watched as Abolish tilted his head. He’d never been good at reading the man, but this action had been particularly confusing. What did he mean by that? Was he amused somehow? Judging them? A thousand other complex theories wrought his mind yet he said nothing. Even with Abolish having let some sort of guard down, he was still nearly impossible to read. Pyro supposed that the curiosity he had about the well dressed and properly mannered man had been part of what spurred on this cocktail of feelings they’d had for him.
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None of his actions seemed logical, to an outside eye nor himself. Abolish sat back on the floor opposite from the other and just....watched. Watched to see what they would do.
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Abolish joined him once more on the floor and once more Pyro was forced to figure out what he meant— what he was supposed to do in response.
“Uhm— thank you.” He said again, “I’ve said that a lot haven’t I?”
They traced a finger across the rounded glass of the emptied container, glancing from it to Abolish and back again.
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There in that moment he decided that it wasn't worth it , no matter what the logical , often right part of himself said. He decided it wasn't worth hiding what he felt anymore , and if Pyro reacted badly...? He could just deal with it. Like he had dealt with so many things, this was nothing in comparison but it felt like the end of the world. "Pyro." He addressed them "I have something to confess,"
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Oh dear lord. Oh God no. Pyro felt panic rising along his spine and hairs stand upon the back of his neck and arms. ‘I have something to confess’ was not a phrase he associated with anything pleasant. The last time they’d had to confess to something, it was to the empty forest air that he had indeed killed Czeslaw. Whatever Abolish had to say, Pyro worried it would be along the same lines of distress. He was just saying how he was on a mission— had he been sent back home? Never to be seen again? Had he poised the blood he’d given him or something? Theories, no matter how insane or out of character they were, flooded through him.
“Yeah?” He managed to say, “what’s up..?”
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"I've.." He looked away wistfully "I've taken a liking to you...and I can’t ignore it anymore- I like you , Jack-"
Abolish felt his face heat up , he didn't even know what he was saying anymore. His usually clear head was full of noise , something that was extremely disorienting to him. And all of it led back to Pyro.
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Pyro stared at Abolish. What else could they do? What could they possibly say? He’d— he’d just admitted to liking him. Abolish Veylocke, the man who was so good at everything always, had just said he liked them, Jack Von Pyroscythe, who was a murderer and monster. His head throbbed lightly and their mind spiraled. Perhaps he’d read his words wrong. Perhaps Abolish meant he’d liked them as a friend— that he’s taken a liking to them in that way, rather than a romantic one. Pyro wasn’t quite sure why he was rationalizing this statement; his heart aches for the words to be exactly as he’d first thought. Yet logically it should’ve been anything else, and Pyro hesitated to jump to conclusions without proper evidence. Woes of a scholar he assumed.
“Oh.” He replied at last, “…really?”
He hoped the heat from his cheeks to his ears didn’t have a red shade accompanying them.
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He nodded quickly , cheeks flushing. This wasn't what Abolish had wanted to happen....falling for the enemy. But what was that word in the grand scheme of things? A word. That's what. Everyone had people they called their enemies, and Jack von pyroscythe was not that to Abolish. He inhaled sharply and just...let himself talk "I've thought you were cute ever since you stepped foot into oakhurts- but I was scared- and then you disappeared into the woods with Owen and Scott and I was even more scared . I know I seem like a really calm guy but I'm actually constantly freaking out internally and you make me panic in a good way, because I think you're really cute and you make me feel weird-" He rambled , not even trying to mask the anxiety and fear he constantly felt while in Oakhurst. He fidgeted with the button on one of his gloves nervously, watching Pyro’s face for a change in expression.
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Abolish nodded, and started to speak. He spoke of how even upon their first meeting he’d thought Pyro was cute. Spoke of how he’d been terrified when Pyro had been taken by Scott and Owen. Spoke of how he’d masked his emotions and anxieties. Spoke of how Pyro made him panicky in a way that thrilled him. He spoke of how he liked Pyro.
Throughout this, Pyro wondered if he’d died; truly and utterly dead. Yet— he’d killed in cold blood, even if he had been dead he wouldn’t have been here with Abolish before him, telling him he liked them, that he thought they were cute. No, if he were dead, there’d be a fate much worse for him.
Abolish had rambled these words and now twisted, turned, and pulled on the button of his glove. They blinked. They blinked, and they took deep calculated breaths. This— this wasn’t some cruel trick? No… if Abolish wanted him chained or subdued he wouldn’t have needed some elaborate ploy. So— so he truly..?
“Woah.” He whispered the word, unknowing of what else to say.
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"I get it if you don't feel the same- you don't need..to do....anything....." He trailed off , going silent again. It was getting increasingly difficult to put his thoughts into words, and he felt like his throat was closing up. He couldn't stand it, he couldn't stand Pyro. And it was the best thing that had happened to him in a long time.
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If he didn’t feel the same. If Pyro didn’t feel the same. Pyro, the guy who’d wanted nothing more than to shower the guy in flowers since he doesn’t remember when, not liking Abolish. Abolish, the guy who’d been with him through everything? The one with the eyes like some secret shade of gold? The one who’d patched him up and fed him, with no hesitation? God, there were so many reasons Pyro liked this man and Abolish didn’t think he did? Truth be told, Pyro had thought they’d been painfully obvious about the fact. That didn’t matter now though. None of it mattered other than what was happening right now.
“If I don’t..?” They repeated his last few words, “Abolish I’d be an idiot not to like you. God, Abolish have you seen yourself? You’re fucking gorgeous! And you’re strong! --God, you’re gorgeous and strong! And you think I wouldn’t like you? Damnit, Abolish, how do you like me?”
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Abolish's face turned an even brighter shade of pink , and he could feel the fluttering in his stomach "I- I am?" The praise shocked him and left him feeling even more flustered than before. This wasn't the Abolish everyone else saw , he wasn't acting distant or cold like was typical of him. He was sitting here , and blushing over a boy he thought pretty. Oh , how much Morcant would hate this- he was getting distracted...again- Distracted again by Pyro. But he couldn't help it.
"You're fucking lying-" was the only thing he managed to say before internally cursing himself "I- ack...why is this so hard-"
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Lying? This creature of handsomeness and integrity thought he was lying? Pyro sympathized at the difficulty of the matter but by God, he thought he was lying?
“Abolish, I’m not lying to you,” they muttered, taking his hand in theirs.
Days, he loved seeing the soft blush upon Abolish’s face. Wasn’t something he’d ever thought they’d get to see.
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His hands were shaking slightly , something that wasn't visible but still remained a set in stone sign that they were nervous, yet still suppressing emotions. The only thing he could think about was other people's disapproval, the town member's , the vampire's , Morcant's. It was overwhelming...He couldn't fail this mission. But at the same time....he couldn't tear himself away from the others man's gentle touch.
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Pyro squeezed his hand gently and smiled at the man. His heart hammered in their chest, at least thats what it felt like. He didn’t quite know what to say; just stared into Abolish’s eyes. They were scared out of their mind but they felt intoxicated. Drunk on this feeling that somehow, against all odds, Abolish liked him too.
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Abolish made eye contact with him for a fleeting moment before looking away again , his face felt hot and he knew he was blushing a ridiculous amount. The beat he could do was squeeze their hand back
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Pyro took a breath at the sight and made a snap decision. He raised their other hand to the side of Abolish’s face and traced a thumb across his cheek with a smile, careful not to scratch. Before thinking better if his rash decision, he pulled Abolish inward and pressed their lips to his.
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His eyes went wide but he almost immediately kissed back softly. His brain was going even faster and he had no idea what to think or do. Pyro’s touch was making him malfunction , he did the only logical thing to him in the moment and pulled the vampire closer
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Abolish pulled him closer and Pyro accepted the offer fervently. It was safe to say that Pyro had imagined this happening before; imagined what it would be like to be within Abolish’s arms and vice versa; to have his lips pressed against theirs. Any daydream they’d ever conjured up paled to the reality of it. Pyro sighed softly as he melted further into their kiss, careful of his fangs in the process. They moved a hand from his and snakes it around Abolish’s waist, pulling him against him, trying to get more contact with the man. It was then that he was reminded of his shirtless and bandaged manner of being. He hoped Abolish didn’t mind much.
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Abolish’s eyes fluttered shut as he kissed back , blushing profusely as he felt Pyro’s hand around his waist. They took their free hand and cupped the side of his face , rubbing a light thumb against Pyro’s jaw
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Adrenaline coursed through his veins with every touch, every breath, every heartbeat. His hand trailed from Abolish’s cheek and wound through his curly black locs. God, it was bliss, and Pyro never wanted to let go.
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After a couple more seconds he broke away. "I still- I still gotta breathe-" He panted , trying to regain his lost breath. He still kept his face next to Pyro's, however, his hand lingering on their cheek.
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He laughed lightly with a broad smile. He’d forgotten about that, to be honest. All that had been on their mind was being as close as he could to him, being careful of his fangs, and kissing him until he wouldn’t let them anymore. He’d forgotten about the breathing necessity that could be interrupted by such an activity. That didn’t matter though, he didn’t mind pulling away as long as he didn’t truly pull away. As long as he kept himself close to Pyro, he couldn’t care less what he did.
“Right,” he said, “forgot about that. You okay?”
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"I'm fine-" Abolish responded, resting his chin on Pyro's shoulder and closing his eyes again . His breath was warm against their neck , a reminder of his unshared humanity with Pyro. "I can taste the blood on your breath." He murmured, no venom or accusation in his tone.
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Abolish settled his head on Pyro’s shoulder and they quickly decided they never wanted to be away from this man ever. God… did he really need to leave eventually? What would Abolish think if he just didn’t? If they just settled into his home like it was theirs instead of leaving at all. What if he just followed him around forever till the end of time? What then?
The words “I can taste the blood on your breath” exhaled from Abolish’s almost blissful sounding voice. They loved Abolish’s voice. Could he just keep talking? Could he just let them stay here and to him? Could he?
The actual meaning of the words settled in not long after hearing them, and Pyro sputtered at the mention.
“Ah, uhm— I’m sorry I didn’t even think about that-“
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"It's fine. I don't mind it." He lifted his head from their shoulder and pressed his lips to Pyro's again , not as timidly this time. The man's hand returned to his cheek again , thumb brushing against the skin there lightly. Abolish still was scared , scared of other's disapproval , scared of what would come next. But the skin contact he had with Pyro made it better , less pressing, it make him feel...truly calm again. He hadn't felt that in a long time and certainly not since he had come to Oakhurst.
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His words stilled the slight worry that had begun to build within him, but did little for the embarrassment of it. Then Abolish had returned his hand back to its place on the side of their face and had kissed him again. He was more confident with the way he moved and Pyro melted into the kiss and Abolish’s warm form. Oh days, he was so warm and comfortable. They felt his thumb trace across his face and they hummed softly at the calming sensation. Abolish was so soft; his skin, his lips, his hair, all of it was. They loved it. They loved this— just the two of them being together.
He was glad he didn’t have to breathe. Meant he had more time to simply kiss Abolish Veylocke, and if he needed breath, then hell, he could have theirs. Anything to keep him close.
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Despite the fact it prevented him from breathing, he stayed pressed against Pyro as long as he could, kissing back. Abolish’s eyes fluttered closed , and he hummed happily as he did so. He pulled his other hand from Pyro’s grasp and snaked it around their waist. Their skin felt unnaturally cold, a trait of vampirism he supposed. But it didn’t matter, he could warm them up….oh lord , the thought of snuggling with Pyro made him blush even heavier.
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Abolish pressed closer against Pyro and deeper into the kiss and they gladly accepted the gesture. He allowed him to take over, combing through Abolish’s hair with one hand. His hand wound around their waist and warmth flooded through him as they came into more close contact. Pyro allowed the kiss to last a while longer before breaking away to allow Abolish breath. While they were apart he moved their hand from his hair to wrap it around him, pulling him into an embrace. He kissed Abolish’s jaw before burrowing his head into the crook of his neck.
“You’re warm.” He muttered.
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“I would hope so…” He chuckled “I’m human- if I was cold that’s probably a bad sign.” He mumbled sweetly , his hand going to Pyro’s hair and toying with a lock of it gently.
“Your hair is soft…” Abolish commented as he continued playing with it gently
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“Thanks-“ he mumbled, shifting slightly within Abolish’s arms. “I like that you’re warm.”
He planted a kiss on Abolish's neck.
“It’s been cold since turning.”
They drew in a soft breath, taking in Abolish’s comforting scent. He hummed an exhale, feeling a soft tremor rumble through his chest. They hadn’t felt anything like that before, but it felt nice.
-
He shivered a bit at the kiss “Just- don’t bite me please…I need to be human- so I can find the cure. And I don’t think doc will be very happy…” Abolish said , a hint of regret in his tone. He twisted a bit of Pyro’s hair between his fingers gently
-
“I won’t.” They replied softly, leaning into his touch.“I won’t hurt you, ‘Bolish.”
Just the mundane and repetitive movement of his hand through their hair was so calming. He felt that same feeling build within his chest; a soft vibrating rumble. In an effort to assure Abolish of his words, he turned his head the other direction. He still rested upon his shoulder but their fangs were angled away from the man’s skin.
-
“Thank you…” He whispered, pressing a light kiss to Pyro’s head. It couldn’t get much better then this…holding the man he’d longed for since the moment he saw them. It was a distraction from his mission…But he liked this this distraction- he like this distraction a lot.
“I think I love you Jack…can I…can I call you that..?” He asked
-
Pyro smiled at the kiss, yearning for the warmth he was already enveloped in. Was it normal to miss something you still had? They missed this already. They missed being with Abolish. He missed his warmth and his kindness. He missed his kisses and soft touch. All they could do was savor this moment, and hope many like this were yet to come.
“I think I love you, Jack…” the words were spoken softly from the other, “can I… can I call you that..?”
‘I love you, Jack.’
‘I love you.’
He replayed the words within his mind, the beautiful phrase from the most beautiful voice. The soft purr in his chest increased ever so slightly as he buried himself closer into Abolish’s form.They were so focused on the words, he’d temporarily forgotten about the question asked. Abolish wanted to call him Jack. They hadn’t gone by the name all too oven and it was a long time since he’d been referred to as such. Hearing Abolish say it felt intimate. Felt like something just for his lips, just for his voice.
“Yeah.” He laughed lightly, “yeah, you can call me Jack.”
He paused a moment before adding, “only if you say that again though. I wanna hear that again. Wanna hear your voice.”
-
“Say…’I love you’ again?” The question was quiet, Abolish’s voice low.
“Of course ... .I love you Jack.” He breathed, burying his face in Pyro’s hair lovingly.
His heart had slowed down , only to start beating faster again due to their proximity. He held Pyro tighter with a strong but gentle grip , like he was worried that if he let go; Pyro would leave. It overwhelmed him but Abolish refused to pull away , not yet and maybe not ever. He just wanted to stay there and hold Pyro. How long had it been since they arrived in Oakhurst? Weeks? Months? It felt like eternity, trapped here by whatever cursed magic was on the beacons surrounding them.He sighed quietly, both out of content and weariness. It was exhausting here , being at the front lines and fighting against vampires. But he hadn’t felt any guilt…until now. A vampire in his arms that he absolutely refused to hurt. He was starting to regret every bottle of holy water he had thrown , and every clove of garlic he had eaten. What was this all for anyway? What had the humans ever done to the vampires? Scott was just…determined to hurt people he supposed.
-
Pyro could listen to those same four words for the rest of his life and never get sick of them. Hell, even the first three would suffice. They listened as Abolish’s heart rate shifted to and fro, going from slow and rhythmic to fast and steady. They weren’t quite sure why his bpm kept shifting, and while it worried him slightly, the changes were admittedly entertaining to listen to. Could he stay here forever? In Abolish’s arms listening to his calming heart and soft voice whispering ‘I love you’ into his ear. Veylocke kept a comforting embrace around Pyro and for that he was thankful. They let themself drop the rest of the way to the floor, pulling ‘Bolish along with him; he laid more-less on top of him. Pyro reached for his coatjacket that he’d shed earlier and dragged it over the two of them like a blanket before returning his arms to their rightful place around Abolish’s warm body. He smiled and kissed his cheek before resting their head back onto his shoulder.
“I love you, Abolish.”
-
The other man seemed slightly shocked at the gesture , but snuggled close none the less , heart rate rising again. But he kept his composure and focused on Pyro’s touch , using it to keep himself grounded. “I love you too-“ Abolish peppered a few kisses to Pyro’s cheeks and forehead happily, smiling again. He seemed content , happy and wasn’t afraid to show it. In the outside world any and all emotions could be used against you. But this wasn’t the outside world, it was his house- and he was snuggling Jack Von Pyroscythe without a single care in the world.
-
Abolish had muttered those words again and Pyro smiled. He’d been smiling since that first kiss— it was hard not to, when they were with him like this. How the hell had he gotten this man to love him? How the hell did this man love him? Jack thought vaguely that he might be dreaming, but the soft sting that was slowly fading from his chest told him otherwise. As Abolish continued to kiss different parts of his face, he once again felt that purring sensation build within his chest. They liked the feeling, it brought a sense of bliss and calm over him, though he hoped it wasn’t as audible or obvious as he thought it was.
-
He made a noise of vague confusion, hearing the purring.
“Huh…? Jack- you’re purring….”
Abolish seemed curious , tilting his head again. The noise made him feel warm , it was a sure sign that Pyro was happy, or at least comfortable. And that made Abolish happy…He wasn’t sure what had happened to them , but whatever or… whoever had left those scratch marks certainly didn’t have his best interests in mind. He had a suspicion of who had done it to Pyro too… Scott Goldsmith. The singular worst person in the entirety of Oakhurst, the worst person Abolish had ever met. And Abolish had met a lot of bad people. It was just something about the elder vampire that made his skin crawl , made him even more anxious then what was normal for him.
-
The words made his ears turn downwards and he could feel their cheeks flush. They weren’t quite sure why they were surprised, Abolish was the most observant person he knew. That, and he currently laid on top of the man, so it wasn’t a for foreign idea that he’d heard or even felt the vibration.
“Uhm— I think.” He whispered, “I think so. I— did not know I could do that.”
He adjusted to look Abolish in the eyes.
“Did you know vampires did that?”
He always knew everything about vampires. Surely he’d have some say in the matter.
-
They shook his head, “No…I didn’t. But then again- I’ve never been this close to a vampire before…It’s cute.”
Abolish gently brushed his hand to the other’s cheek. Suddenly he sat up , looking nervous.
“Shh-“ He shushed Pyro quietly. “Thought I heard something…”
-
Pyro leaned into their touch, trying not to feel too embarrassed about the fact. Then he’d quieted them and instantly Pyro was on edge. His ears flicked upward as he sat up and tried to identify whatever it was that Abolish had heard
“What..? What’d you hear..?”
-
“Not…not sure.” He stood up , giving Pyro a regretful look at the loss of contact and peered out the window carefully.
There was nothing…or no one- out there, that didn’t cool his rising nerves though. If anything, it made it worse. Abolish returned back to the floor beside Pyro.
“Maybe we should go to my room? Much more comfy snuggling on a bed- and-“ He shot a glance at the window “More…secluded.”
They started messing with the hem of their glove , and one of the buttons on it. It was a habit he was prone to while nervous and he feared it was pretty noticeable. He was messing with the button so much that the stitching holding it to the white fabric came undone and separated from the glove completely, the button falling to the floor with a small clink.
-
Abolish stood up and left him only for a moment yet Pyro already missed the warmth he brought. He’d always been colder than usual after turning but they’d grown used to it. However getting that taste of what it was like to be truly warm again was addictive. Mainly they just wanted to be with Abolish again. As they checked the window, he reached for his shirt once more and worked to put it back on. Thankfully, Abolish returned to the floor beside him.
“Maybe we should go to my room?” He suggested, “Much more comfy snuggling on a bed- and-“
There was a pause between his words and Pyro was glad they’d looked away to peer out the window one last time, because he was sure his face was peppered with red.
“More…secluded.” He finished.
Even through all this he could feel ice build along his spine from worry. If Abolish really had heard something and they hadn’t, which wasn’t too difficult to believe considering how out of focus Pyro had been, there were only so many things it could’ve been. He had a suspicion of exactly what that was. /Who/ that was. Pyro nodded; he wanted nothing more than to get further away from prying eyes. A clattering sound snapped Jack from his thoughts, flinching away from the sound sharply. A button, it was only a button. He looked back up to Abolish, who was the origin of the object’s fall. One of their buttons had come off of his gloves after they’d fidgeted with it all too long. He reached for the round thing and picked it up off the ground before standing up. He smiled hesitantly as he extended the object to Abolish.
“Yeah.” He said, “your room sounds great.”
-
He took the button silently and slipped it into one of his pockets, tucking it away for the time being. That would be an issue for later Abolish to fix. His glove was slightly loose and he worried that it would fall , but there were other more pressing issues at hand. His glove could wait. Abolish extended a hand out to Pyro , nervously glancing around. His eyes kept flickering back to the window.
“Come on…” He rose from his seated position on the ground and went to his room. Abolish did something inside before he would let Pyro in , possibly putting something away. He returned to stand next to them , hand extended again.
-
He smiled softly and took Abolish’s outstretched hand, glad for the opportunity to feel his warmth once more. Pyro wondered vaguely what Abolish had done before allowing him in, but decided he wouldn’t pry. They saw Abolish’s eyes flick back to the window again and their eyes followed their gaze once more, a vat of tar writhing within his stomach. Finally, they set off toward Bolish's room, and Pyro felt a small amount of anxiety slide from him. The sooner they got into a space with less… prying eyes… the better.