Archive of Our Own

Natalie Scatorccio is the most interesting person Misty has ever known.

Misty isn't entirely sure when exactly her fixation started…at least to this intensity.

Maybe it'd been the day they had first met. Accidentally bumping into each other in the hallways while Misty was on the way to her first class back in high school. Natalie had been so apologetic and had dropped to her knees to help Misty pick up her spilled pencils.

Maybe it was the years following that. With Misty watching the team on the field, her eyes often glued to Nat in particular, who would occasionally smile a little at Misty as she passed her a water bottle during break time.

Or maybe it was her observations of Nat's increasingly strange behavior in the years after high school.

Most of the team had left Wiskayok after graduation. Misty and Nat were part of the few that remained. With Misty attending a local career college to follow in her mom's footsteps in working towards a nursing career and Nat….drifting from one job to the next.

But Misty had kept tabs on her in the last three years. She couldn't help it. She had the feeling that Nat was unsettled in more ways than one, lost and adrift. And what kind of person would Misty be if she didn't keep an eye on her teammate?

But…her observations of Nat recently has made Misty even more worried. She's always been a bit of a loose canon but Misty has noted that she's been more of a night owl as of late. Often returning to her apartment late into the early hours of the morning based on Misty's view of her apartment complex from across the street. Her skin appears to be even more pale than usual and she can't seem to hold down a job for more than a month at time.

It's gotten to the point where Misty has finally decided they're due for another meeting. A 'chance encounter'. At least, that's how Nat would view it hopefully.

That's why, after weeks of planning, Misty finds herself here. In the small gas station market that Natalie frequents to buy cigarettes.

It should be around the time that Nat comes in. A little past midnight. Misty has kept track of it long enough to get a pretty good average estimate. But it's been almost twenty minutes and the woman at the register is giving her a weird stare. She needs Nat to get here before she's potentially kicked out…

The door to the market swings open, the bell ringing to signal the arrival of another customer.

Misty looks up from where she's standing by refrigerated aisle to see who it is.

Thankfully, Natalie is now standing in the door, the coldness from the night air floating in with her.

She still doesn't look well. No better than the last time Misty had seen her. Her skin is still that ghostly pale tint and she has bags under her eyes.

Unfortunately, Misty doesn't have long to observe her. She knows that she only has a very short window to make an effort to talk to her.

Without further thinking on it, she springs into action and approaches the register, putting on her brightest smile. "Hi Natalie! Funny running into you here."

Even through her apparent exhaustion, Nat still manages to look somewhat surprised at someone in the store saying her name. Misty watches her do a double take and blink before her gaze settles on her.

"Hey Misty."

She doesn't look displeased. Misty can't really read her expression. But she supposes that's better than what it could be.

Misty keeps up her bright smile. "Small world, right? I just came in here to buy some milk."

Nat quirks an eyebrow at her. It might be wishful thinking but Misty thinks she might look a little fond. "At half past midnight?"

She supposes that is a bit of a weird time to be buying milk. She maybe should have thought of that.

It's fortunate that she's a quick thinker.

"I know it's kind of unusual timing. But unfortunately it's all I can manage sometimes with my clinical hours." She says with a short laugh.

Something weird crosses Nat's face then. A frown that Misty can't quite decipher. "Oh, yeah. You're going to be a nurse, right?"

Now she maybe looks a little…well not displeased, but uncomfortable maybe. Though Misty has no idea why.

She opens her mouth for a retort but is cut off by the woman at the register clearing her throat loudly.

"Are you two going to check out?"

Misty is tempted to go back and say she has something else to grab. The sooner she no longer has an excuse to stay in the store, the sooner this meeting with Nat will end, after all. And she isn't sure yet when her next chance will be.

Just when Misty is about to pipe up with something about needing to go back and look for other essentials, Nat speaks up first.

"I'll just take a pack of Marlboro."

Misty scrunches her nose in distaste as she watches Nat pass over a few bills to buy the cigarettes, biting back any possible comments.

She wants to try to continue their conversation outside the store and she's fairly certain voicing her disapproval of Nat's smoking habit wouldn't really make her welcome to the possibility.

After Nat pays for her cigarettes, she spares Misty one look. "See you around, I guess." Then, before Misty can say anything in response, she's turning and heading out the door and into the night.

"Nat, wait!" Panicked, Misty quickly pays for the milk and briskly follows Nat outside.

Fortunately, Nat hadn't gone far. Misty finds her just outside the door, leaning against the wall and lighting up one of the cigarettes she had just purchased.

The relief of having not lost her outweighs her disproval of what she's doing.

Nat looks at her with an expression Misty can't quite read, but it doesn't seem angry.

"To answer your question," Misty says as she walks over to stand beside her against the wall, "yes, I am studying to be a nurse."

"Cool." Nat doesn't offer a response beyond that.

Okay. Misty can work with this. At least she's not walking away. "I've seen you around here a few times," she says, hoping she sounds casual and curious and not like she's digging for information. "What have you been up to the last couple years?"

For some reason, Nat immediately stiffens at the question.

Misty thinks for a moment that she may be about to flee, which would be disappointing. But she surprises her by actually responding.

"Not much."

Okay so it's kind of a non-answer. But at least she responded. Misty can work with this.

She knows that with Nat, a slow and subtle approach is the best way to go as to not potentially scare her off. But Misty also worries that she's running out of time with this encounter as it is.

She lets out an airy hum that she hopes sounds casual. "Do you like nature walks?"

"What?"

The word comes out sounding harsh. Shocked. Misty looks up at Nat and sees that she's now looking at her with a harsh stare, as if seeing a ghost.

That was enough to set her off? What is she hiding?

Misty attempts to reply with some levity. "I've noticed you coming from the neighboring woods a lot. I haven't explored them much myself. Do they have walking trails?" She tries to appear genuinely interested. "I've thought about possibly getting into hiking. Maybe I could…"

"I'll see you around Misty," Nat suddenly says, cutting her off harshly. Misty curiously notes that she's giving off the same energy as a frightened wild animal.

Misty trails after her as she begins to walk around the parking lot. "I wasn't trying to pry! I only…"

Nat quickens her pace, not looking back at her. It eventually proves to be too much and Misty finds herself watching her form get further and further away until she disappears entirely.

Well….that definitely could've gone better. Misty is upset at herself for not approaching that topic more tactfully. Despite what she thought were her best efforts, she still managed to scare Natalie off.

But one thing is for sure. She is hiding something. And it clearly has to do with the woods.

The possibilities are endless. One way or another, Misty is going to figure out what it is.

Natalie becomes more elusive over the next few weeks. It has become much more difficult for Misty to track her movements than it had been before.

She knows it's likely due to their conversation outside the convenience store and Misty once again curses herself for allowing that to go so badly.

Instead of helping her case, all it did was make Nat suspicious of her intentions.

Oh well. All she can do now is move forward and be sure to not make the same mistakes twice.

It takes a little prodding and planning but eventually, Misty manages to find an opportunity to break into Natalie's car at a time where she will be none-the-wiser. She leaves it completely unscathed of course, with the exception of the tracking device she hides within it.

This way, she'll know when Nat drops her car off at the apartment complex at least. It'll give her a better window to figure out the exact timing of her….late night ventures.

She tries to let it go for a few days after that. She can't completely forget about her school work after all.

But on a Friday night, only a month after their encounter at the convenience store, she gets herself back on the move.

At around eleven-thirty at night, Natalie parks her car in its usual place at the apartment complex. The way she always does.

And then, from a safe distance away, Misty watches her walk off of the premises.

If past patterns are anything to go by, it's clear where she's heading off to.

This time, Misty is going to follow her and get to the bottom of things once and for all.

Careful to keep her footsteps light and as undetectable as possible, Misty starts off in the direction Nat disappeared to.

Misty is led right where she expected to be, of course.

But once she reached the heavily wooded path, she hesitated slightly. Not out of fear really, but out of contemplation.

The ground wound be uneven and probably filled with twigs, rocks, and other hindrances that would make masking her footsteps much harder.

There's also the fact that she really doesn't know what Nat may be hiding, although she has her guesses.

Whatever it is, how can she convince Nat that she can trust Misty with her secrets? How can she ensure that she won't react in panic once she realizes Misty has followed her?

But Misty doesn't have time to fully contemplate any of this. Her thoughts are interrupted by the sound of a screeching wail.

It sounds entirely like some kind of animal, far from human, which brings Misty some comfort. But it still sends her running into the wooded area.

"Nat!"

The ground is as uneven as Misty imagined it would be. At one point, she nearly trips over a log that was laid across her path. But after getting over her momentary stumble, she quickly trudges on.

She runs until she finally finds what she's looking for….

Only to freeze in her tracks at what she sees.

Natalie is standing in a small clearing. Below her, a buck lies seemingly dead at her feet, unmoving. With a clear bloody gash at the base of its neck.

But the strangest thing about the scene is Nat's mouth, which is clearly stained with dripping blood, her eyes somehow appearing darker than normal.

For once, Misty is momentarily speechless.

A beat of silence. After a moment, Nat seems to notice her. Her eyes widen in what looks like shock and horror, all of a sudden looking very reminiscent of a frightened wild animal.

Misty watches as she frantically moves a hand up to her lips to wipe off the dripping blood, movements fast and crazed.

"Misty, this isn't…"

Her voice still sounds like Natalie's.

"You killed that deer," Misty said calmly. A statement, not a question.

Nat seems caught off guard by her words. Misty briefly wonders if she expected her to be scared.

Maybe she should be. That probably would be the reaction most people would have, Misty figures. But she only feels a thrilling fascination.

She steps closer, feeling a swell of disappointment when Nat immediately backs away from her. The dead deer lying in between them.

"Misty…"

"I'm not scared," Misty feels the need to clarify. She tries to keep the swell of excitement and interest out of her tone, knowing that could possibly alarm Nat as well. "Can you explain?"

She half expects Nat to refuse or come up with a quick lie, which would be futile. Misty knows from some of their brief 'run in's' in the past that she's not the best liar.

But instead, Nat lets out a sigh that sounds tired and glances down at the deer as she says her next words.

"Let's get out of here."

They end up going back to Nat's apartment.

Secretly, Misty is buzzing with even more excitement now. She's seen the outside of Nat's apartment before of course. Had even gotten close to entering it herself. But the idea of actually being invited inside by Nat wasn't something she thought she'd accomplish so soon.

Misty is sitting on a small sofa as Nat remains on her feet, clearly not relaxed. Her shoulders are tense and she seems to be trying to look at everything in the apartment except Misty.

It's kind of silly. Misty told her that she didn't have anything to worry about from her. But she knows trust doesn't come easily for Natalie.

Misty decides to break the silence, since its becoming more and more apparent that Nat won't.

"How long?"

As she expects, Nat doesn't seem to need further context to know what she's asking. Misty sees her wince at the question.

"A little under six months, I think."

Misty doesn't say anything in response to that, waiting for her to elaborate. After a moment, she does.

And, to Misty's delight, she sits down on the couch beside her. It's progress, even if she sits as far away as the couch will allow her.

"I didn't choose it," Nat says. "It just happened."

Misty still says nothing. Only continues to look at her questionably.

Nat lets out a sigh, looking away from her. "This guy I hooked up with bit me, alright? I've been like this since."

Like this. As in biting the necks of deer?

"You need to drink blood to survive?" Misty asks the question out loud.

Nat winces. "I guess so. It's painful if I don't. I guess I've never been able to hold off long enough to find out. At least not yet."

Not yet. Oh Misty doesn't like the sound of that. Not at all. She knows that Natalie is just self-sacrificial enough to actually do it. Let herself starve to death and wither away.

She's too soft for her own good.

But maybe that's why Misty was meant to integrate into her life like this and discover this secret.

Nat needs her. And Misty won't fail her.

Misty allows a concerned frown to cross her face. "That doesn't sound fair to me. You can't help that you need it to survive."

"Maybe I shouldn't."

"Oh stop that," Misty says, looking at her sternly. "You didn't ask for this to happen."

"But…"

"And," Misty continues, cutting her off before she has a chance to continue. "You're doing the kind thing by feeding off of animals instead of people. That's noble."

The comment can't help but stir up some other thoughts. Had Natalie fed on a person before she decided to start feeding on animals? What did it feel like to the person, to have Natalie's teeth sinking into their body?

Misty feels a strange sense of jealousy towards a person who might not even exist.

Nat doesn't seem too comforted by her words. "There's always a chance I'll slip up. I haven't yet, but I've come close. It's dangerous."

Misty scoots closer to her on the couch without thinking about it. Natalie makes no move to close the distance further herself but she also doesn't retreat. Misty will take that as a win.

"Is that why you've been keeping yourself away from everyone?" She asks softly.

Nat doesn't answer. But her silence tells Misty that she's right on the mark.

Feeling encouraged by Nat's lack of retreat, Misty decides to take a brave, maybe somewhat risky leap. "I can help. Now that I know the truth."

Nat looks at her with what appears to be disbelief. "Help how?"

Misty hums. "I can come with you during your hunts. Help you keep watch and make sure no one sees you. You've come pretty close a few times. Honestly Nat, it also shouldn't have been this easy for me to find you."

There were a few times that Misty actually had to steer someone away when she felt like they were getting too close to where she saw Nat disappear to. It's a miracle that it's taken someone this long to find Nat out.

She's also lucky that it was Misty and not someone who would've reacted much differently to her secret.

Nat shakes her head, still looking at her like she's grown three heads.

Misty thinks that it's sort of funny that even in this situation, she seems to be looking at her as the strange one. But there's no sense in bringing that up. Not if she wants Nat to agree to let her help.

"Why?" Nat asks after a moment.

Misty blinks at her. "Why?"

Nat nods, breathing out a sigh. "Why do you want to help me?"

Misty thinks she senses an air of suspicion in the question, which is slightly frustrating. Can't Nat guess that Misty has had her back for months now? Keeping an eye on her?

But she reminds herself not to be impatient. She knows that trust doesn't come easily for someone like Nat. Especially not in this kind of situation.

It's no matter. Misty would prove herself to her once and for all eventually.

"I want to help you because I think you're a good person," Misty says after a moment. "You don't deserve what's happened to you."

Nat continues to stare at her. Misty feels a flash of disappointment that she can't really tell what she's thinking. But she doesn't seem angry at least?

"You don't even really know me."

Not true. Misty knows her. Probably much more than Nat will ever realize. And it isn't just from the research and watching she's done since they all graduated high school, but things she observed before that as well.

But she can't admit all of that to Natalie. At least not yet. There is still a big risk of scaring her off.

"I know enough," she settles on, keeping it vague. "And your secret is safe with me."

Something different crosses Nat's face then. Something a bit softer. Relief? Maybe even some happiness?

But before Misty can get too excited, her mood is deflated a bit when Nat says her next words.

"You should go."

Oh, well that is disappointing. It's definitely not what Misty had been expecting and hoping for after their conversation. She supposes she can take some reassurance in the fact that Nat isn't trying to threaten her into keeping her secret…that maybe she trusts her just enough to believe her when she says the secret is safe with her.

…But most of that hope is dashed when Misty quickly reminds herself of a couple probable facts. One, that Natalie is far too kind to threaten anyone's life like that. And two, that she probably doesn't care enough about her own safety to worry over whether or not Misty will tell people.

It's okay though. She made so much progress tonight. She can hold on for a little longer.

Misty stands up from the couch reluctantly, looking at Nat one last time. "Are you sure? I don't really think you should be alone right now, Nat. You know the mind can do a lot of…"

"Just get out of here, Misty."

Nat's tone is hard and unmovable but Misty thinks she can detect a hint of desperation in there too.

She's lonely. She wants company and understanding. And Misty is the perfect person for her to receive that from, now that she's the only person in the world who knows her secret.

She just needs a little more pushing to fully accept that.

Reluctantly, Misty stands up from the couch, looking at Nat one last time.

To her disappointment, Nat is clearly trying to avoid looking at her, her gaze firmly turned towards the floor in front of her.

"I'll leave you my number. In case you need anything," Misty says, doing her best to sound calm and soothing.

"Don't bother." Nat still doesn't look at her as she replies, voice hard.

Misty does her best to not let herself deflate. This is just a minor hiccup. A small road block.

"I'll be around," she promises before finally beginning to walk off.

She doesn't listen to what Nat said, of course. Before she leaves the apartment, she scribbles down her phone number in neat handwriting on a paper towel and leaves it on Nat's small kitchen counter.

Two days go by and Nat doesn't call her. Misty is trying to be patient but she can't deny that a large part of her aches to go and drop in on her anyway.

It's admittedly hard for Misty to even focus on her studies, though she still does just enough to make sure she'll continue to get a decent grade in everything.

And although she sticks to her guns about giving Natalie some space to process everything, she does keep tabs on her in other ways.

The tracker she left in her car hasn't alerted Misty to her leaving town, for one. That'd been something she was a little afraid of at first. That Nat would think having a single person know her secret would make her feel like it was necessary to flee Wiskayok completely. She hasn't risked trying to follow Nat into the woods again. (Nat can be a little oblivious. However, Misty doesn't think she's that oblivious.). But she does try to take peaks at her apartment every once in a while, to try to gauge how often Nat is going out.

After the third day of careful, subtle monitoring, Misty decides that an intervention is necessary.

Unless she's found a way to go completely undetected , Nat hasn't been going on her hunting trips nearly as often as she was before . Which makes Misty worry that she may be trying to starve herself.

So, she resolves to try to go see her on a Saturday night when she doesn't have to worry about doing anything the next day.

As she steps into the parking lot of the apartment complex, it doesn't take her long to spot Natalie's car in its usual place.

She's likely home, as she expected.

She finds her apartment easily enough and pauses outside it, debating on whether or not she should knock.

In the end, she decides against it. She's most likely to catch Nat at the best time if she's unaware of her presence at first.

She shouldn't take the fact that Nat was silly enough to leave her door unlocked for granted.

As quietly as possible, Misty opens the door and pushes herself inside the small apartment.

At first, there's no sign of Natalie anywhere. Just a large pile of dishes in the sink and something that looks like a smashed glass plate littering the living room floor.

Now Misty is a little worried.

"Nat?"'

She ventures further into the apartment. She quickly comes across a shut door that she assumes must be the bedroom.

Without further thought, she places her hand on the knob and swings the door open.

It doesn't take her long to find Natalie after that. She's in bed, face turned away from her and looking towards the opposite wall.

She doesn't even look over to acknowledge that she's here. Misty wonders if she's asleep.

"Nat? Are you okay?" Misty takes a couple tentative steps closer.

It's then that Nat finally addresses her presence, though she still faces firmly away from her. "Go away Misty."

Her voice sounds faint and almost scratchy. As if she was severely dehydrated.

The thought raises Misty's hackles quickly.

Her earlier suspicions about why Nat wasn't leaving the apartment as often as before are confirmed.

"Have you been starving yourself?"'

Nat doesn't answer the question, nor look at her. "I said go away."

Still stubborn, even after days of possible starvation. But Misty can work with this.

"Nat," Misty says, trying to change tactics and make her voice as soothing and pleading as possible, as if trying to calm and lure a wild animal. "Please, let me…"

"Get the fuck away from me."

Nat turns to look at her then finally. Her eyes are red and bloodshot. Her skin is even more pale than usual and she looks like she's in pain.

It solidly confirms Misty's suspicions about Nat starving herself.

"No," she replies firmly, feeling brave in her sudden swell of determination. unbearable

Natalie looks surprised, even amongst everything else going on. "What…"

"I'm not going to let you starve yourself." Without further thinking on it, Misty suddenly climbs into the bed beside her, exposing her throat.

Nat stiffens even further. She looks like she wants to bolt. But something, probably the unbearable hunger, keeps her planted there in the bed, seemingly staring at Misty's throat. "Misty…"

"Do it," Misty urges, exposing her throat further. "I trust you Nat."

Nat continues to look conflicted, like she's fighting between two different halves of herself. Misty gets ready to go on another long spiel about how she shouldn't feel shame over what she needs to survive only to cut herself off when Nat suddenly moves in closer, mouth only inches from her neck.

Excited goosebumps immediately erupt over Misty's skin. Already imagining what it might feel like for Natalie to bite her. To skin her fangs into her flesh the way she had that deer and receive nourishment from her body.

She doesn't have to imagine it for too long. Within seconds, she feels the sting of fangs piercing the flesh at the side of her neck.

It feels nice. Unbelievably so. Misty can't quite describe to herself why, but it does, especially after the initial painful sting fades away. There's an euphoric feeling to it all. As if she's floating on a bed of clouds.

And the fact that it's Natalie evoking these feelings from her makes the experience all the more wonderful.

Nat lets out a groan, which tells Misty how much she really needed this. And her arms wrap around Misty tenderly as her mouth and teeth stay latched onto her neck, holding her like Misty imagines she might hold a lover.

Lost in the bliss of it all, Misty closes her eyes.

She understands why it must be so easy for Nat to drain the deer she hunts. If they felt anything like this during the process, they probably didn't put up too much of a fight.

Misty would be more than content to go out this way. In Natalie's arms as she's providing her what she needs to survive. She really couldn't years think of a better way to go. It's poetic and romantic, in a way.

But after a few moments, Nat does manage to pull herself away, and that euphoric feeling is suddenly lost.

With a gasp, Nat moves away from her neck and shoves Misty apart from her in what feels like a panic, quickly turning from her.

Misty whimpers a bit at the sudden loss. After regaining her bearings, her hand moves up to carefully inspect the spot on her neck where Nat had her mouth.

She feels a small wound there. But nothing like the gaping, deadly wound that had been left on the dead deer Misty saw a little while ago. Natalie must have been extra gentle, even with the starvation.

A large swell of fondness runs through her at the thought.

She refocuses her attention away from her neck and onto Nat, who has curled herself on the bed as far away from Misty as possible.

Without an ounce of fear, Misty crawls towards her. "Do you think you took enough?"

Nat somewhat surprises her by actually responding. "You shouldn't have done that."

"I couldn't let you starve yourself," Misty automatically replies. She takes a chance and reaches out to put a hand on the back of Nat's shoulder.

To her delight, Nat does nothing to break the contact.

That feeling increases even more when Nat slowly turns around to look at her. Her eyes are no longer red and bloodshot and a faint amount of color appears to have returned to her skin. But there's still something deeply unsettled about her expression.

"I could have hurt you. Or…fuck, even worse…."

"But you didn't," Misty insists. She moves her hand from Nat's shoulder to grab her hand instead, giving it a squeeze. "I trust you Nat."

A beat of silence goes by.

After a minute of staring at her incredulously, Nat lets out a laugh. "You're crazy."

Misty blinks at her in surprise. So much for maybe being grateful…."What?"

"How long have you been following me?"

Misty's surprise admittedly grows. Of all things she expected Nat to say, it definitely hadn't been that.

Has she not been as careful as she thought she was? Did she slip up sometime along the way and allow Natalie to catch onto her?

Nat continues before she can respond. "And don't say you haven't. I…I saw you sometimes. At first, I thought maybe it was a coincidence and that you weren't doing it on purpose. But, fuck. You know too much. You always seem to be there at just the right time."

Nat didn't give an exact time frame in her accusation. Does she know that Misty has been subtly keeping track of her in certain ways ever since they graduated high school a little over three years ago? If she doesn't, would that piece of information only make the situation worse?

She eventually decides to go for vague honesty. Natalie might be inclined to lash out further if she suspects her of lying.

"I've been checking up on you from time to time since we graduated," she admits. Nat doesn't need to know the exact details of what that meant. "I've been worried about you."

"Why?"

Nat's hackles must be lowering somewhat because Misty thinks she sounds more curious now rather than accusatory.

"Because we were a team," Misty says automatically.

Some of the other girls might have laughed at that and told Misty that she technically wasn't part of the team, only the equipment manager. But she knows Natalie is far too kind for that. Instead, Misty even sees her smile a little.

She takes some pride in that. Knowing she made Nat smiles even while she's currently so miserable.

But the smile is gone almost as quick as it had appeared. She watches Nat let a sigh and shake her head, turning away from her again. "You should get out of here. Thanks for giving a shit but…"

Oh no. No. No. She can't start doing that again. Not when they've been making so much progress.

Misty takes a risk and reaches out to grab one of Nat's hands, pleased when she doesn't move to yank her hand away and break the contact.

"I'm not afraid of you Nat," she says, hoping her words sound convincing and soothing. "I know you won't hurt me."

"Misty…"

"Besides," Misty continues, feeling brave now that Nat hasn't tried to take her hand away. "I know your secret now. You don't have to worry about hiding from me. Wouldn't it be nice? To not have to be alone anymore?"

She knows Nat has been alone for a while now. If her observations were adequate, and Misty is fairly certain they were, Nat hasn't had any sort of companion in almost a year.

They could be that for each other now.

Nat doesn't verbally respond to that. But Misty feels her relax further, leaning into Misty as if in desperate need of anchorage and comfort.

It feels like a surrender.

Misty wraps her arms around her in a hug. Nat doesn't return it but she doesn't pull away from it either.

"I got you. It's going to be okay."

It isn't complete smooth sailing from then on. But Nat doesn't try to fight or retreat when Misty approaches her anymore.

As the weeks past, they settle into a little bit of a routine. When Misty finishes up with her classes for the evening, she heads over to Nat's apartment and she allows her to accompany her on her trip into the neighboring woods.

Sometimes, when Misty could get Nat in just the right mood, they'd stay in the apartment and Nat would drink from her again. But those were few and far in between. Nat is still afraid of hurting her. Which, while a bit disappointing, Misty can understand.

But there's still something greatly unsettled about Nat. And Misty sometimes get the impression that she isn't receiving enough…nourishment. That the deer and occasional sips from Misty aren't truly enough to sustain her. And while Misty is far from being an expert on vampires (kind of impossible to since there is exactly zero research on them. She's tried to find it) she has the suspicion that it might be because Nat needs a more potent source of blood. And a much larger abundance of it.

She has an idea. She isn't sure if Nat will like it. In fact, she's confident that she won't at first. But Misty hopes she's at least willing to hear her out.

That's the mindset she has as she makes her way over to Nat's apartment towards the end of the day, at around six in the evening.

Misty doesn't even bother knocking before stepping into the small apartment. Nat has become accustomed to her showing up at this point and never seems that affronted by the concept of her coming in unannounced.

When she finds Nat, she's sitting on top of her sofa and lacing up the boots she usually seems to wear during her hunting trips.

When she looks up, Misty thinks she actually looks a little surprised. But not displeased, thankfully.

"I was starting to think you weren't going to show this time."

Misty is reminded that it is quite a bit later than usual. Most of the time, she's at Nat's apartment by five at the latest. But she supposes she was actually stalling a little due to what's on her mind.

"I'm always going to show up, Nat," she says, secretly cringing at how overly earnest her voice sounds. She hopes Nat doesn't find her to be too needy and pathetic. That's another aspect that might end up scaring her away.

Still, she wants Nat to see her as someone reliable. Loyal.

Nat doesn't reply to that. Maybe doesn't know how to. Misty finds that she's holding her breath as she watches her stand up from the couch after finishing lacing her boots.

"Well, let's get going."

Not the reaction Misty would dream of. But at least she didn't dismiss her.

Misty gives her a nod and then follows her out the door.

For some reason, Misty doesn't find the courage to bring up her idea until after they're in the woods.

"Do you feel like it's been enough?" She asks.

"What?" Nat looks over at her from where she's hunched on the ground, mouth still slightly stained red from the deer she just drained.

Misty had at first been a little afraid of the animal carcasses she's been leaving in the woods. Worried that someone might randomly come across them and find their wounds suspicious. But fortunately, it seemed that other animals were doing a good job of finishing them off because they're always gone whenever she and Nat return to the spot.

Still…it's definitely something to keep in mind.

"The blood," Misty clarifies, kneeling down onto the ground beside her. "Do you think it's been enough for you?"

Nat doesn't' respond right away. Which tells Misty that she's correct in assuming that it isn't.

"I don't think it is," she says, breaking the silence herself. "You always seem so pale and…"

"Not really much I can do about it," Nat cuts her off with a shrug. "I've been managing like this just fine."

She really doesn't think about her own care at all. Misty finds it both admirable and frustrating.

"I think I have an idea," she responds, moving a tad closer to her. "Will you hear me out before you reject it?"

"I don't think I like the sound of that."

It's the kind of statement that might have made Misty deflate or worry that she's scaring Nat off under other circumstances. But the way she says it doesn't' sound like she's trying to insult her and there's a smile on her lips. It almost seems like…she's teasing her? But in a nice, playful way.

Misty's heart skips a beat at the sight of such a pretty smile being directed at her, even if it's still a little stained with red.

She's almost temped to abandon her idea altogether, at least for now. She doesn't want to potentially ruin such a nice moment between them.

But she mentally encourages herself to push forward. Nat needs this, after all.

"I think you need to consume more blood from humans. Possibly."

Nat frowns. "We already talked about…"

"I don't mean me. Someone that you can completely drain." Kill is the word she's thinking of. But she knows that will scare Nat off for sure, even if it's still strongly implied.

The reaction she gets is expected, even if it still makes her a little sad. Nat's eyes immediately widen in horror and all of that pretty lightness she had moments before is completely gone.

"Misty, what the fuck. You know I could never do that."

She looks sort of angry now. As if she's mad and horrified at Misty for even suggesting it.

"Nat." Misty tries to make her voice sound as gentle and soothing as possible. "The way you've been going hasn't been working. Deep down you must know…"

"Then oh fucking well."

At least she's not trying to deny it. That's a step in the right direction. Even if she's still looking at Misty like she said the worst thing anyone could ever say to her.

Misty thinks it's a little dramatic. But she's grown to know full well how sensitive Natalie is when it comes to these kind of things.

Misty places a hand on top of her arm. "It's not what you're thinking, I promise."

"Then what it is? Because it…"

"I'm not saying you should drain just anyone. I mean bad people. People who deserve it."

"And how do you decide that?"

Nat doesn't look as angry anymore, which makes Misty happy. But she's still clearly on guard.

Misty responds without preamble. "By looking at the sex offender registry."

Silence.

Misty observes her, a little annoyed when she realizes that she can't quite tell what she's thinking.

But at least she isn't trying to run away.

"Think about it," Misty says, taking the silence as a chance to clarify. "It's not like anyone would miss them! You'd be doing the world a favor."

Nat still doesn't seem convinced. But fortunately, the way she's looking at Misty now seems less like disgust and fear and more like apprehension.

"Say I agree to this. How do you see us getting away with it? You get worried about the damn deer in the woods. You think no one will notice when a bunch of people start going missing? Even if they deserve it."

"Well, that's why you have me, silly! " Misty beams right. She'd had hope she would come around to the idea but not this quickly. "I'll help you."

She's learned things over the years, after all. Plenty about how to dispose of a body. And how to do proper research. She won't let Nat down.

Visibly, Nat's shoulders relax somewhat.

"Tell me your plan while we're out and I'll think about it."

A week later, Misty puts her plan into action.

She'd gotten Natalie's agreement, albeit reluctantly. Misty thinks she isn't fully convinced that they'll be able to pull it off. But the starvation must be even worse than Misty thought it was, because she'd agreed to give it a try despite that.

But it was alright. Misty would prove herself once and for all after tonight.

This would go perfectly because she's done everything possible to prepare for it. Has done all the research to know how easily they'll be able to get away with it.

The man she's been casing is completely estranged from his family and his ex wife has an active restraining order against him, among several other factors. He is not someone who will be largely missed.

And she knows he'll likely be all alone tonight.

As if summoned by her thoughts, Misty's phone suddenly starts ringing.

She smiles wide when she sees Natalie's name pop up on the tiny screen. She's been calling first more and more lately.

Misty answers the phone after the third ring. "Hey Nat."

"Hey." She thinks she hears wind in the background, which tells her Nat must be driving with the window rolled down. "I'll be there in about five minutes."

Misty beams, even though Nat can't see it. "Great! I have everything ready to go. This will go just fine. You'll see."

A pause. She thinks she hears Nat suck in a deep breath.

"Are you sure about that?"

Misty answers without hesitation. "Of course I am. I've thought of everything…."

"Do you really want to get wrapped up in this?"

Misty pauses. Of all things, she hadn't expected to get asked about herself through this whole thing.

"What do you mean?"

A pause.

"You know if this goes bad, you can end up in a lot of trouble right?" Nat asks after a moment. "A fucking murder charge."

Oh. This is going in a direction that she hadn't been expecting.

"I'm stuck dealing with this shit no matter what," Nat continues. "But you're still normal. You…"

"It'll be fine Nat," Misty assures her. And it will be. She's planned everything out perfectly. Has looked through all the possible hurdles and found solutions.

Even if she wasn't sure, she knows Nat is worth the risk. She isn't sure if saying that will only scare her off though, so she keeps that bit to herself.

"You don't know that for sure."

"I do, actually! This is a completely foolproof plan."

"You think you're that clever, huh?"

It's the kind of thing that Misty might've taken as mocking not that long ago. But she can hear the undeniable warmth in Nat's voice when she says it. The kind of warm tone that's been coming from her more and more lately and never fails to make Misty's heart flutter.

Misty tries to speak around her sudden swell of bashfulness. "Well, I have done my research."

"Should I be wondering if you've killed someone before?"

Natalie's tone makes it sound like she's joking. Mostly.

"Of course not," Misty decides to assure her anyway. "Up until now, I haven't had a reason to."

Nat laughs. And it makes Misty feel light, even if she isn't entirely sure about what's so funny.

"I'll be there in a minute."

Nat abruptly hangs up the phone before Misty can say anything in reply.

They walk to their destination. It's more discreet that way, especially with it being night time. No one is out this late and they're able to blend into the shadows.

Nat suddenly speaks in a hushed tone as they near the small house as she walks along Misty's right side. "I meant what I said before."

"Meant what?" Misty asks, speaking just as softly as she turns to look at her.

This seems a little random after over ten minutes of silent walking.

Nat suddenly stops walking and Misty pauses in her tracks alongside her. "About how you're taking a risk being involved with this. You don't have to be. You can walk away."

So she's doing the whole martyr thing again. Not completely unexpected after all.

"Nat," she says as she reaches over to take her hand into hers, trying to put as much conviction and sincerity into her voice as possible. "I'm with you no matter what."

She hopes that this will be enough to convince her, at least for now. They really shouldn't be wasting too much time and risk the sun beginning to rise before they've done what they needed to do.

Thankfully, Nat only gives her a small nod. Misty smiles as she thinks she feels Nat give her hand the smallest of squeezes before they continue on their way.

After tonight at least, she thinks Nat won't question her dedication anymore. Misty isn't entirely sure how her condition works exactly. But if Nat is able to turn others into vampires the way they do in a lot of tales, she hopes that'll be something she'll consider doing to Misty in the near future.

It would probably be so nice. To be damned together in that way.

They end up sneaking in through one of the back windows. The guy has no security cameras on the premise. That'd been one of the first things Misty had looked into days ago.

Misty goes first because she tends to be lighter on her feet. Sneakier. She makes quick work of finding the main bedroom.

She has her syringe sinking into the guy's neck before he can even register that someone is in his bedroom. She pins his arms down rigidly when he thrashes.

A perfect amount of diazepam, just enough to keep him compliant and near sleep but not enough to kill him.

When she knows that the coast is clear and the man is no longer trying to put up a fight, she gestures at Nat to come into the room.

For a moment, Nat only stares at the limp form on the bed. Misty can tell she's thinking about something and hope that she isn't having second thoughts. Again.

Misty is about to go on a spiel about how Nat doesn't have to feel guilty because the man is not a good person and that she'd actually be doing his ex-wife a favor when Nat speaks.

"You don't have to stay in here during."

The disappointed feeling is immediate. She really hopes that Nat isn't going to try to force her to leave the room. It shouldn't be that different from Misty watching her drain forest animals, right?

But then Nat's eyes seem to go dark, taking on a more animal-like look, and she's heading towards the bed without another word.

Misty holds her breath as she watches Nat bite into his neck, somehow seeming even more brutal with it than she is in the woods.

She always looks extra ethereal to Misty when she's doing this. It's hard to look away.

The guy is so out of it from the drugs Misty gave him that he doesn't even seem to register that he's being drained. Just continues to lie still, even as his skin appears to grow more and more pale.

Eventually, in what feels like far too short of time, Nat parts from where her teeth are latched to his neck and backs away from the bed.

The man is clearly dead now. And Nat's mouth is stained red.

"Did you watch the entire time?" When Nat asks the question her voice seems a bit deeper than usual. Huskier.

Misty isn't entirely sure if the truth will upset her or not. But the answer burst out of her before she can carefully consider them.

"Yes."

Nat takes a few steps closer to her. She still looks ravenous. Eyes almost completely black and mouth still red from her recent meal.

For one exciting moment, Misty thinks she might be getting ready to bite her next. She has no idea how Nat could still be hungry after draining a full grown man but she won't question or complain about it.

But then Nat does something unexpected but just as welcome.

She lurches forward and kisses Misty on the lips.

Her mouth tastes metallic, still covered in the blood from the body she just got done feeding from, but Misty doesn't mind. Quite the opposite actually. She moans against the kiss and threads her hands through Nat's hair, urging her to get closer.

Nat obliges and backs Misty into the wall behind her as the kiss deepens, mouths opening under one another.

A pleasant shiver runs through Misty's body as Nat's fangs gently nip at her bottom lip, enough to draw a few small dribbles of blood.

It's her first ever time doing something like this at all. Fortunately, Nat seems to either not notice or mind.

She wants to be completely consumed by Natalie. To fuse together until they become completely one. To…

Suddenly, Nat pulls away from her just when Misty begins to fist at her shirt in an attempt to pull it off.

Misty's pout is audible and completely and unabashedly needy.

Nat lets out a light laugh and reaches forward to wipe away some blood that had been left on Misty's cheek. (Misty realizes with a thrill that she isn't sure if it's her own blood or their victim's.

"We probably shouldn't do that here."

Logically, Misty knows she's right. Even if a part of her deeply wants to continue. Both out of excitement for everything and out of fear that Nat might start retreating again and they won't get another chance at it for a while.

Still, she reluctantly agrees. "We need to get out of here before the sun rises."

Nat nods, suddenly appearing a bit more sheepish as she looks around the room.

"Alright. What's next?"

It takes a short while after that. But they manage to leave the house at around three in the morning, well before the sun usually begins to rise.

Misty is confident that no traces of either of them were left anywhere in the house or on the body. And by the time anyone notices that anything is amiss, the body will be further decomposed. The man seemingly hadn't been well-liked by anyone.

Still, she's sort of grateful that, according to Natalie, it'll be at least a couple months before she'll need to drain anyone to that degree again. But she still figures they may want to look at other towns for the next victim as to not stir too much hysteria.

When they reach Misty's apartment, she's surprised when Nat doesn't walk straight over to her car in order to leave.

Nat looks at her with raised eyebrows as they stand on her doorstep. "You aren't going to invite me inside?"

Misty scramblers quickly to open the door wider to allow her entrance. "Of course you can come in!"

Once they're both inside, Misty shuts and locks the door behind them. "You can also stay the night, if you want. My bed is plenty big enough for both of us. You could take a shower and I have t-shirts that I'm sure will fit you…"

She's cut off abruptly when Nat's arms suddenly envelope her into a hug.

Huh. Nat is full of surprises tonight, it seems.

Misty is quick to return the hug. She doesn't know when the last time someone held her like this. Probably not since she was a kid. And it feels so impossibly good.

When Nat speaks after a moment or two, her face is buried in Misty's hair. "Thanks for tonight. For giving a shit."

Misty doesn't really know what to say to that. She's not used to people showing her gratitude in this way. So she just settles on continuing to return the hug.

When they part, she looks at Nat curiously. "You aren't worried anymore?"

She can't help but notice that Nat does seem lighter than usual right now. Maybe even happier. She wonders if having a decent fill of human blood helped with that at all.

Nat shrugs. "Nah. I believe that you know what you're doing. And it's the two of us now, right?"

Somehow, that single sentence makes Misty feel even more joyous than the kiss and hug put together. She nods right away. "Right."

Nat leans in once more to press a kiss to her forehead. "I think I am going to take up your offer for a shower. Where do you keep your towels?"

"Oh go right ahead! They're in the bathroom on the back shelf." Misty tries to control her excitement but it's hard. If Nat is taking a shower, that likely means she isn't planning on leaving any time soon. She might even stay the night.

"Thanks." Nat walks towards the bathroom door a few feet away from them, her back to Misty.

Misty thinks that while she's in the shower, she should remake the bed. Make it look as inviting as possible to maybe further convince Nat to stay…

Only, Nat turns towards her again at the last second just as she swings the bathroom door open, a small grin on her face.

"Do you want to join me?"

Misty's heart stops. "In the shower?"

Nat shrugs. "Might as well. You probably need a shower too, right?"

It probably would be good for them both to get cleaned off after the night's events…

The idea makes her a little nervous. But there's no way she's going to pass the opportunity up.

"It would be good for water conservation," she says after a moment, stepping forward.

She thinks she sees Nat roll her eyes but she's still smiling all the same.