Chapter Text
“Cater, are you okay? You look like death.”
Cater slumps forward onto the desk, groaning. He feels like death- more so than usual. How long has it been since he’s last eaten…?
“Do we need to step out into the hallway?” Trey murmurs beside him, and he hesitates for a single moment before nodding. He needs to eat now, or he might actually lose his mind.
Trey raises his hand almost immediately, making some BS excuse about Cater being sick and running him to the infirmary- or, Cater thinks he does. He isn’t really paying attention, too busy trying not to launch himself at the nearest available person. Professor Crewel agrees to let Trey walk him out of class regardless, and Cater slides out of his seat. His legs tremble for a moment before giving out from under him, but Trey- bless his beautiful heart- catches him before he can bash his head against the desk.
Yeah, he desperately needs to eat.
Out in the hallway, he ducks into the nearest supply closet and drags Trey- who’s already shucking off his uniform jacket and unbuttoning his shirt- behind him.
Once the door is shut and locked behind them, Cater wastes no time sinking his teeth into Trey’s shoulder. It gives easily beneath him, like breaking through the flesh of a fruit.
Trey tenses, backing them both against a wall so he can lean against it for support. Cater digs his fangs in deeper, vaguely aware of his nails breaking skin with how harshly he’s holding the man beneath him. The blood from the wound stains his lips scarlet, and little rivulets of it drip down Trey’s collarbone.
When that pesky brain fog finally clears, he pulls away and licks up the remaining blood. As gross as it is, vampire spit has healing properties, sooo… The choices are either to tolerate being licked, or risk bleeding out. He knows what Trey would prefer.
“...Thanks, Trey. I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
Trey wipes the few remaining droplets of blood away with a handkerchief he keeps in his pocket. “Aside from the obvious, no, but I’ll take those iron supplements you got me when I go back, just in case. You gonna head back to the dorm?”
Cater nods. If he went back to class with Trey, it wouldn’t be hard to figure out the two of them were lying through their teeth- so he opts to dip out. He might be able to take a nap before PE, if he’s lucky. And by lucky, he means ‘if Riddle isn’t at the dorm and doesn’t pester him to do his homework’.
“I’ll bring your stuff by the dorm after class lets out. Try not to sleep too long, yeah?” Trey grins, nudging him in the side. Under normal circumstances, Cater would argue that he doesn’t nap between classes that often, but between an increased homework load and a wonked-up feeding schedule, he’s been sleeping in more and more as of late, so he can’t contest it in good conscience. Booooo.
So, instead of arguing, he just shrugs and watches Trey leave to get back to class. He needs to head out soon, too, if he wants to dodge Riddle and Hunting Season and have a chance at getting a nap in.
He turns on his heel to leave, and smacks right into someone.
Ow. Ow, ow, ow, ow.
The student he ran into squeaks, questions tumbling out of his mouth at breakneck speed. Cater can barely keep up with all he’s being asked, but he catches the question of “are you okay?” multiple times, so he staggers to his feet and holds up his hands. He’s fine, aside from a bruised butt and a matching ego, but this guy doesn’t seem to fully realise that.
“LOL, no worries! I’m totes fine, prommy. No need to get so worked up over it!!” He assures, flashing his signature Magicam smile. The student pauses his ramblings, and shrinks into himself.
Cater takes a minute to get a good look at the guy, and realises who it is he’s speaking to; Idia Shroud, local hermit and cryptid of Night Raven College. What is he doing outside of his room? Isn’t the dude, like, a complete shut-in?
Well, it isn’t like Cater has any room to talk. He’s been spending less and less time outside of his dorm room- to the point where even Yu and Grimm noticed last week- so he really shouldn’t be saying things like that. Not for the first time, he laments the fact that vampire turnings are practically never documented.
“Oh- right, right, I should have guessed, LMAO. MB, gang, haha-” Idia chokes out, trembling. He looks like some kind of spooked animal, ready to bolt at any moment. He’s pale as a damn ghost- and that’s coming from a vampire- and his hawkish yellow eyes dart around like he’s looking for a form of escape.
In short, he looks like he’d be incredibly easy to bite.
Cater flexes his hands, balling them into fists and stuffing them into the pockets of his pants. “NBD, man! What had you so distracted though?”
Idia flinches like he just got sucker-punched, and Cater’s eyes drift to the tablet held tightly in his hands. If Idia holds that thing any tighter, he’s bound to crack the screen clean in half…
Getting the sense that Idia Shroud probably won’t be much for conversation, Cater shrugs and smiles again. He really doesn’t want to scare the guy- not so soon, and especially not when that familiar monster is rearing its ugly head in his gut.
“Well, it’s none of my business. Byeeee!” He says cheerfully, giving Idia a little finger wave before scampering off towards the Hall of Mirrors. That little distraction probably cost him his naptime, unless he chances Riddle’s wrath and spends his free time napping instead of doing his homework for Trein.
…Yeah. He would really rather sleep.