Beautiful
Two facking a.m. and Simon still wasn't back yet.
Robert watched the little hands on the clock tick over and click on the hour. He'd watched his drunken, still-high band-mate stumble out of their hotel suite over an hour ago, claiming he 'just needed some air'. Probably wanted a smoke or something.
"Just needed air my arse." Robert sighed, closing his eyes as he sat up against the spin of the room. Scratching an itch at the back of his head, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and went over to the window. Unable to spot Simon from there, he stuffed himself back into his day clothes, still wrinkled from being tossed in a heap at the foot of his bed, and wandered out of the small hotel in bare feet.
The bits of gravel stung at his ankles as he walked in the cool night air, and he shivered slightly, wishing he'd thought to have brought a coat, or at least taken a blanket out with him. Shrugging, he turned the corner to the back of the hotel, where he'd seen most of the hotel's workers take their smoke breaks.
He stopped dead and backed up for a moment, freezing, when he spotted Simon and one of the hotel workers locked in what looked like some sort of passionate embrace. Flushing angrily and in indignation, he turned the corner again and was about to say something when Simon moaned loudly and tilted his head back, exposing a face contorted in ecstasy to the star-studded night.
Robert's voice died in his throat and he nearly choked, blinking at the sight. The hotel worker had his face buried in Simon's neck, obviously quite busy, and his band-mate's hands were gripping the other man's suit-jacket tightly about the shoulders, fingers occasinally scrabbling for purchase as he gasped and twisted.
The older man swallowed thickly, unable to tear his eyes away from the twisted erotica in front of him. Even still fully-clothed, it was so utterly sensual that it took his breath away. There was a heat in his chest and a sick feeling swooped down from his throat to his stomach, then became a sort of queasy thing, settling and becoming a shiver in his upper thighs. He shuddered and slid a hand down to his pants, almost surprised to find himself so hard; it felt like it wasn't his own.
Then the hotel-worker slid up from Simon's neck, pressing the young bassist up into the wall as he kissed him hard, and Robert choked on a moan. Simon was making odd little noises, half-whimpering moans that the older band-mate had never heard him make before, not even when they did the same. He supposed he should have felt jealousy.
Right now, he didn't feel anything but hot, sweltering lust.
He bit down on the back of his hand, tasting a spurt of blood as he came, muffling his sounds, and watching as Simon finally broke away from the heated kiss, his lips stained the prettiest colour of crimson...
Wait -
He hadn't been wearing lipstick today. And what business did a hotel's clerk have dressing his face up like a girl's?
Robert leapt forwards and up, knocking the man away from Simon and gasping in horror at the sight of his band-mate's raw, bleeding throat.
"Oh my God-! Simon!" he gasped, pressing his palm over Simon's neck, looking up worriedly into his friend's face.
The younger man's expression was one of absolute rapture, as if he were seeing angels coming down from the Heavens. He could feel seeping wetness against the front of his thigh where it was pressing into Simon's groin, and he turned to see the hotel worker.
Or...what was left of him. When he'd shoved the man, he'd fallen onto the wooden wicker fence surrounding the outdoor patio. There was a pile of ashes and a few bones. And a gleaming black skull with bloodstained teeth.
Pointed bloodstained teeth.
"Oh. Fuck." he breathed, looking back at Simon. He took off his shirt and started wiping away the blood. The wounds on the younger man's neck were healing at a surprisingly fast rate, and Robert tried to think of any other explination other than the blindingly obvious one staring him in the face.
"Robin..?" Simon murmured softly, opening bleary eyes and blinking a few times before his eyes focused on the older man. "What's - er - what's going on?"
"I..." Robert stumbled for an explination, gathering the younger man up in his arms and carrying him back to the hotel room. "I think...you should get cleaned up."
"Why?" Simon asked, blinking dazedly, as if in a dream. "Am I dirty?"
"You're...bleeding."
"Oh..."
They made it back to the bathroom and Robert started washing away the blood. He nearly tore Simon's shirt in two, and the younger man laughed as he did so. "Robert, are you high? Because if you are, I want some too..."
"No I'm not." he said angrily, wincing at the teeth marks in Simon's neck, washing the younger man's face and body clean of blood. "God, Simon...I think...I don't know what to think..."
Simon giggled, pushing past Robert out of the shower and looked at himself in the mirror. "Hey Robin, what's wrong with my neck?" he poked at the holes, wincing slightly. "It's starting to hurt..."
"Well don't touch it then!" Robert said, resisting the urge to slap the younger man's hand away. "Christ, Simon...get a grip!" Mirror, mirror, at least Simon could still see himself in the mirror...
"And what's wrong with my teeth?" Robert peered into the mirror's reflection, watching in disbelief and horror as Simon pushed his tongue around his lengthened, sharpened incisors. "Christ I don't have to get them pulled, do I?"
"Ah...no...I don't...er..." Robert shook his head. This was too surreal! Maybe he was dreaming... "Just come back to bed, luv, please?"
"Mmm all right, Robin." Simon giggled again softly; Robert rolled his eyes and led them both back to bed. The younger man curled up against him, purring.
Sighing, Robert closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep, convincing himself this was a dream, and it would be gone in the morning. He froze, however, when he found Simon's new-found fangs pressing lightly into his neck.
"Mmm, good night Robin!"
It was a goddamned kiss. Just a kiss.
I'm not going to get any sleep tonight...
"Robiiiiiiiiiiiin! What the fuck's happened to my teeth?!"
"Coming, coming..." Robert stumbled out of bed, groaning softly to himself. He found Simon frozen in front of the mirror, fiddling with his pointed incisors.
"Oh fuck." he sighed, dunking his face in the sink, rinsing it with cold water. Last night hadn't been a dream after all.
"What's going on?" Simon demanded, close to hysteria.
"You made out with a vampire last night, Soz. I guess he put the bite on you."
"No!"
"Odds are he seduced you." Robert groused. "You looked like you were having fun...how much acid did you eat last night?"
"None!" Simon wailed. "I CAN'T be a vampire! I can see myself in the mirror! I can stand the sunlight!" he pointed at the open window, where the morning's rays were pouring through over the pair of musicians.
"The teeth and the fact that the vampire turned to dust when I pushed him onto the wicker fence, disagree." Robert resisted the urge to snicker. "Well, you're a vampire now."
"But - but! Oh..." Simon sagged. "Well...uh...I guess that would explain it..."
"Good sport." Robert chuckled weakly. He rubbed Simon's shoulders lightly. The younger man sighed, closed his mouth, and went out into the main bedroom.
He and Robert shared the pot of coffee silently, just trying to ignore the obvious implications of Simon's...circumstances.
"I s'pose I've got to figure out the rules, then..." Simon blinked, finishing his mug. "Mirrors are fine. Sunlight is fine. Regular food is fine..."
"Stakes are out." Robert punned.
"Hah, hah. Very clever." Simon scowled and rolled his eyes. "Don't make me bite you."
"Oooh, kinky."
Simon chucked the empty coffe cup at him.
*****
The younger man made Robert promise that he wouldn't tell anyone, especially the other members of the band, about his new condition, unless it was a life-threatening emergency. Robert reluctantly agreed; now that he knew Simon was going to be all right, all sorts of wonderfully bad vampire jokes were spinning about through his mind.
But he didn't want Simon chucking stuff at him again, so he kept quiet.
As it was, it had long past sunset when Simon finally approached Robert, and announced, trembling, that he was thirsty.
"God." the older man murmured softly. "I didn't really think about that part..."
"What are we going to do?" Simon asked, curling up beside Robert on the couch in their room.
"Oh...well..." Robert held out his arm.
Simon stared.
"What, you're not getting at my neck, and don't take more than you need, or I'll pass out."
Simon blinked.
"Do I have to do everything for you?" he growled, grabbing Simon's head by his mop of shaggy hair, and, gashing his wrist, he pressed it to the younger man's mouth.
He took to it rather like a leech, sucking softly. The pull was odd, but steady, and no more painful than getting it drawn by a regular needle. Sighing softly, Robert shifted and leaned back so that he was more comfortable.
Suddenly, it began to feel good.
He gasped, moaning softly and blinking down at Simon through hazy eyes; the younger man's own eyes were closed lightly and he was making little sounds of ecstasy.
"Soz..." Robert whispered, and Simon finally stopped, looking up dazedly, licking the blood from his lips and chin, and looking for all the world like he'd just eaten an entire week's worth of acid.
"God, Soz..." he hissed, yanking Simon's head up again and kissing him so hard his jaw hurt. The younger man moaned softly, he was like putty in Robert's hands - responsive, but utterly passive and docile, drugged.
He pulled Simon onto the bed, stripping them both frantically; the younger man giggled and licked his lips again, wiping the back of his hand across his lips to get rid of the excess blood. He tugged a little on Robert's hair. "Mmm, Robin, you taste wonderful..."
Robert lost it right there.
Panting and lying over Simon's lithe body, half-furious at the younger man for making him come long before he wanted to, he growled softly and pulled his band-mate closer, as close as they could possibly get.
"Tomorrow," he whispered, drained of energy. "We'll find you a better meal..."
By morning, Robert felt slightly hungover; he supposed it was due to the blood loss. Turning to wake Simon, he found the younger man already up, dressed, and bringing him a tray with coffee and some of the complimentary breakfast things that the hotel had to offer.
"Up so early..." Robert complained.
"Look at the clock." Simon pointed out. "It's nearly eleven..."
"Early for a fucking Sunday morning." the older man protested, sitting up and accepting the coffee greatfully. "We need to find you a better source of food. You can't just go around doing that to random people."
Simon blinked, then chuckled softly. "You're just upset that you couldn't keep it up."
Robert went a rather embarassed shade of crimson. "Blood loss!"
The younger band-mate stuck out his tongue, displaying his fangs. "My gain, then."
Sighing and scowling as his blush receeded, Robert shook his head and stood up. "Anyway. You really can't only rely on me if you're going to need blood every day. It affects more than that."
Simon nodded, smile gone, replaced by a world-weary look. "So?" he blinked. "And like you said I can't go around doing that. Even if I don't take enough to kill, it's still going to leave a lasting effect."
"Right...then..." Robert tilted her head.
"Oh don't say I have to feed off homeless people." Simon winced, gagging slightly and wrinkling his nose. "That's just disgusting."
"Christ, no. Not if you can help it." Robert's stomach lurched. Then he sighed and pulled the younger man's warm body against his own. He could feel the misery rolling off Simon in waves, and he really wished he could've gotten there faster - done anything to reverse the damage done. He considered, for a moment, asking Simon to turn him as well, so at least they'd be together in their misery. Commen sense, however, took over, and dictated that the younger man would probably want him to stay human, at least for the forseeable future.
"And..." Simon began, trailing off wistfully.
"And what?"
"And I'll stay like this...forever."
Robert closed his eyes. That was the part he was most distressed about. He didn't want to grow old while his friend remained young. It was...a...depressing thought, to say the least.
"Soz...I'm sorry...if I'd gotten there sooner..."
"No - no. This isn't your fault, Robin." Simon nuzzled into the older man, slightly. "You mustn't blame yourself. I'm sure it'll work out. And if it doesn't..."
"There's always that wooden fence."
Simon and he both cracked up, and it relieved a bit of the tension floating around. Then his younger friend fell silent.
"Yeah." he said, before burying his head in Robert's chest.
*****
Around two, they'd gone for a late lunch, and Simon discovered that he could cross garlic off the list of possible enemies. He had another drink to celebrate.
Robert, feeling slightly nervous, decided to try and stay as sober as possible, since it wouldn't do either of them any good if they couldn't think straight and something happened.
He wondered why he was the one that was suddenly paranoid. After all, Simon was the vampire - not him.
When the young bassist announced he was off too the loo, Robert followed after. A man was cleaning the sinks, and Simon was licking his lips softly. The older man inched up beside the janitor, and gestured at his friend to hold off for a bit.
He slid his hands under the man's waist and pulled him into a stall, kissing him to muffle any noises of surprise and to distract him. Simon lit into the man's arm, careful to keep the bite small and out of sight for the casual glance.
By the time he'd finished, the janitor had come in his pants and had nearly passed out from the pleasure; they let him sit on the toilet.
Robert and Simon looked at each other. Then, the younger man leaned down to look the cleaner in the eyes, deeply.
"Forget." he said, and snapped his fingers.
Robert, both pleased and alarmed that Simon had picked up on his new powers so quickly, was quiet (at least relatively so) for the remainder of the afternoon. It was only when they returned to the hotel that he took Simon aside in the small outdoor café near where they'd first encountered the vampire, for a cigarette and a chat.
"We were lucky about that." he said, referring to the afternoon's incident. "It was a good idea - but I can't always be there."
"So I should be like Dracula, or something, and seduce my victims first?" Simon chuckled aloud, then grew quiet. "That wouldn't...bother you?"
"Just don't fall in love. Remember...we're either your friends...or your food."
Simon nodded. "I suppose..." he leaned on an elbow, gazing off to one side as he let out a puff of smoke. "Not to mention that if this ever got out, we'd all be in a lot of trouble..."
"I know." Robert said quietly. "Soz - you know I'd never let them hurt you..."
Simon nodded wordlessly, smiling wistfully. "Just like you, just like always."
"Don't make me start quoting my songs, Soz, because then I'll have to hurt you."
Simon snickered into his hand. "Somehow, I doubt you'd be able to." his eyes glittered with mirth. "I'm getting the hang of these eyes now. I bet I could make you do anything I wanted."
Robert's mouth went dry. "Oh - no, no don't."
"I never would." Simon exclaimed, shaking his head quickly. "I want you to know that you can trust me, not fear me."
"All right." Robert nodded. "I do trust you, Soz..."
The younger man smiled. "Good." he tipped the end of his cigarette into the ashtray, and they went indoors.
*****
It was quiet and calm in the evening when Robert went to take a shower. He was alarmed and horrified to find a crumpled body in the stall.
"SIMON!!!"
The younger man stumbled in. "Oh hi, Robin. I got 'ungry, and this fellow here was sneaking in through the window..." he giggled.
Robert took another look and realized the man was probably a thief. "Soz...are you high?"
"Nope...I think it's his blood..." he giggled and ran a fingertip over his lips. "It was so tasty..."
Robert sighed, turning on the water and dumping the body down the incinerator shoot with the garbage. "Again. You're very, very lucky."
"I won't do anything stupid." Simon nodded, pouting and hugging his sides.
"Oh, come here." Robert sighed, stripping them both and pulling the younger man into the shower.
Simon positively giggled and played with the frizzy-wet strands of Robert's hair. "You're so pretty..."
"Oh knock it off." The older man sighed, kissing down Simon's throat His band-mate's giggles gave way to moans and Robert sighed with pleasure as he continued to move over the younger man's body.
Kneeling between Simon's thighs, he pushed the younger man against the shower's wall and took his cock into his mouth.
Simon let out an unholy shriek and bucked forward into Robert's hot, wet mouth. The older man chuckled, and nearly choked as Simon bucked harder. He pressed his band-mate's hips back into the wall, sucking harder, finally deep-throating him.
Simon let out a strangled, mournful cry, and came hard, his knees shaking as he slid down the wall.
"Ah...fuck." he murmured softly, running his fingers through Robert's hair and holding him tightly.
The older man grinned, washing them both, and carrying his band-mate to their bedroom, curling up with him.
"I love you Robin." Simon half-giggled, still dizzily high on blood and afterglow.
"Love you too, Soz." Robert blinked, surprised to hear himself say the words so automatically, so naturally.
They fell into dreams together, one light and happy and filled with love, the other dark and warm and filled with blood.
Morning came too soon and too brightly for Robert, whose eyes stung slightly when he opened them. "Soz...?"
Simon was still asleep, half-tangled in the blankets, arms wound around the older man's waist. He grunted softly when Robert tried to push him off, so he could get up. "Soz...let go."
"Mmmmf." was the only response.
"Soz...if you don't let go, there's be no snogging for a week."
Simon the barnacle instantly awoke, scowling at his band-mate. "That's not fair."
"All's fair in love, war, and needing to use the loo." Robert deadpanned, wrapping himself up in a bathrobe and plodding off.
Simon was up and making coffee when the older man was finished. "Got a show tonight." Robert nodded, taking his mug. "You going to be all right?"
"I'll be fine." Simon nodded, smiling shyly. He sat lightly upon the edge of the bureau, swinging his long legs back and forth like a child on a high stool. He toyed lightly with his hair. "You know I've had girls ask me if I was a vampire before..." he chuckled lightly.
Robert laughed, sitting down beside him. The bureau creaked violently and he got right back up. "Huh. Guess it can't take both of our weight."
"Or just yours." Simon teased.
"Hey." the older man growled, a muscle in his jaw twitched. "Don't you start making jokes about my weight."
"Fine. You don't make bad vampire jokes, and I don't make fat jokes." Simon nodded to himself, grinning from ear to ear, fangs full. His eyes glittered with mirth above the rim of his coffee cup.
"Tease." Robert muttered and went to get dressed.
*****
As they trooped off the stage at the end of the show, Simon was in slight pain from the newly sensitized hearing. But otherwise, he was fine. He seemed to feed off the raw emotion and passions that were coming from everyone, but it only served to fuel his hunger.
He found Lol waiting outisde, half-into a bottle already, totally alone.
"Where did everyone else go?" Simon blinked, shivering a little with the cold wind, wrapping his arms around his chest as the night began to get darker.
"Dunno, when I got out everyone was already gone." Lol shrugged, taking another swig.
"Well that's just rude." Simon snorted, hunkering down against the wall to try and block the breeze. "They can't have left without us, it's an hour's walk back to the hotel! We'll freeze!"
Lol shrugged again, and offered the bottle silently. Simon took it, had a few mouthfuls, and then stood up. "You sure they're not just playing a trick on us?"
Lol took the bottle back and finished it off. "If it's a joke or something...why am I not laughing?" he tossed the empty bottle away, it clanged against the metal trash bin nearby. A miss.
Simon sighed quietly to himself and checked the door again. Locked. "Shit."
"What did you do to piss him off so much that he'd leave you?" Lol pointed out.
"I don't know." Simon whispered, whimpering with cold. Lol sighed, then rolled his eyes and pulled his band-mate closer, drawing them into a small alcove out of the wind. "Bloody idiots, the both of you."
Simon scowled at the insult but didn't move away. Lol was warm, warmer than he'd thought. It was almost nice, as long as the other man was quiet. Though with dawning horror, he realized that in the quiet, he could hear Lol's heart beating. He could hear the blood pumping through the man's neck and it was calling to him, teasing him mercilessly.
Oh Christ no. No, please, no... he begged in his head, swallowing against the overwhelming urge to bite down. Lol shifted and suddenly Simon found his face buried in the crook of the other man's head and shoulder.
Please...please... he was nearly in tears as he struggled with the temptation to feed. "L-Lol?"
"What?" came the sarcastic snort of a reply.
"Nothing." he said softly, closing his eyes tightly as he opened his mouth. "Oh, it's nothing."
Lol's skin seemed at first like some kind of solid, sweat-slicked salty rubber, impenitrable; and then his fangs broke through, and he was lost on a wave of ecstasy.
"What the fuck? Simon - !"
But Simon couldn't hear him; he wrapped his arms around Lol's shoulders, and drank deeper, hungrily. The other man let out a choked cry and stopped struggling.
When he finally came up, Lol's heartbeat had slowed but was still fairly steady. Simon felt dizzy, as if he was going to be ill.
"Lol you shouldn't drink...so much..." he said, before collapsing onto the passed-out drummer.
"Simon. Simon! Wake up!"
He opened his eyes blearily, and Robert's concerned face - along with Boris, Porl, and Lol, whose hand was pressing a bloody cloth to his neck - swam into view.
"Oh. Fuck." Simon sighed. "I'm in trouble, aren't I?"
Lol glared at him while the others gawked and Robert pulled the younger man into his lap. "Not...not necissarily."
"What?"
"Robert had to tell us everything." Boris nodded, sitting beside them. It was only now that Simon realized they were all back in the hotel room.
"Lol..." Simon breathed, throat hurting. "I didn't..."
Lol just shot him a frosty glare. "Shut it. Your apologies mean shit anyway."
"Lol!" Robert snarled, standing up and glaring at him furiously. "How dare you - get out!"
The drummer didn't need to be told twice. He was out of the room and gone.
"Bastard." Robert sneered after him, gathering Simon up in his arms again.
"Why is he always so pissy?" Boris sighed, glancing at Porl, who sort-of shrugged and shook his head, I don't know.
"Because he's a prick." Robert said, as if it were a well-known fact, leaning back against the headboard and pillows. Simon sighed.
"I still feel bad. I lost control - I couldn't help myself."
"I was more afraid you'd got alcohol poisoning." Porl pointed out with a bit of a grin. "We all know how much he drinks."
Against his better judgement, Simon laughed. "My head is spinning...just a little bit." he agreed, closing his eyes against the moving room.
"Anything that might help?"
"Possibly more blood..." he said, very quietly, smile fading.
"If it would." Boris shrugged, undoing his cuffs and rolling up his sleeves.
"What? Oh, no - I couldn't ask you to - " his mouth was suddenly full of wrist; he pushed it away, blushing. "No - you mustn't - "
It was returned - bleeding - and this time he coudln't resist; he moaned quietly and began to drink.
It was sweeter than Lol's - not as much alcohol to make it bitter - but still not as sweet as Robert's. "Mmmm..."
There was a fluster of movement around him, he was dizzy though, and couldn't concentrate, couldn't focus on one thing. Voices accosted him, the wrist was pried away and he cried out in anguish; there was another at his mouth and he bit down, sucking like he hadn't fed in years. It was exquisite torture.
He was pushed back a bit, could feel hands on his body; he was being stripped down and there was a sheen of sweat and blood about everything. He could feel fingers running down his body, could feel his clothes being nearly ripped off. Cool fabric tearing and replaced by warm, moist hands and mouths. Yet it was only when he tasted Robert's flesh - and then his blood - that he realized what was going on.
Faintly amused, Simon pressed up into those wonderfully arousing touches, moaning softly into Robert's neck, arms wound around the older man's body. There were mouthes and teeth on him, he groaned as a tongue found its hot, slippery way down his neck and began to trail over his quivering chest and belly. Someone was nipping at his throat; he shivered at the bloody intimacy as he stopped drinking to kiss and be kissed, crying out as he came hard, suddenly filled as his eyes shut tight against the urge to die of ecstasy...
Lol, in the next room, had had quite enough of the maddening noises. His neck still hurt.
He picked up the phone.
"Hallo? Is this..."
*****
Simon awoke and curled against Robert, content, warm, and completely buzzed.
"MmmmmmmmmgoodmorningRobin." he slurred, winding his limbs around the older man.
"Snorgphflz." Robert snorted, then blearly came awake. "G'morning."
Simon laughed. "Sleepyhead. Last night...was incredible."
Robert groaned softly. "Soz...you're...we're still both covered in blood, let's take a shower."
It was more up to Simon to get them there, since the older man was stumbling badly over his own feet. "Can't you stand up on your own?"
"No."
Simon positively giggled; he felt like he'd done a line of the best and his energy was amazing. "Ah well. Too bad."
The shower was...interesting, to say the least. Between Robert barely able to stand, and Simon as high as a kite, thehy finally managed to get clean, and get out again.
"We must do that again some time." Simon observed. "I hope Boris and Porl are all right..."
"Last I knew, they were fine." Robert nodded, helping himself to some coffee from the bureau. "Ah, well...why not? But not too often. Boris was worried about blood loss - "
Said musician burst into the room, pale as a sheet and not just from blood loss. "Look at the front page - and get dressed - NOW!!" he hissed, throwing the morning paper at them quickly before dashing out again.
Simon and Robert both froze as they saw the headline...and the accompanying photo beneath.
"How did they get a picture?" Simon squeaked, scuttling into a pair of trousers and throwing on a shirt hastily.
Robert was already dressed as they hurried out of the hotel room, leaving the paper on the bed.
Sea of Blood: Vampires in the Cure.
The next few days were something out of a Hellish nightmare. The media plagued Simon and the others; he finally had to march into a church and kneel in front of a cross before the circus began to wind down.
Lol was irritated with the whole thing, but he couldn't be traced, and so he played the indignant ignorant, co-operating with the other band members in the quest to keep the parasitic tabloids at bay.
Nothing could explain away the picture, though. Not even Lol.
Simon, in a bathroom, blood streaking down his cheeks and fangs in his mouth. Simon had no idea, no recollection of that even taking place. It was frightening.
Nearly a week later, Simon and Robert were curled up on a new hotel's bed, watching the first news stories in days that weren't about them.
"I still don't understand." Simon whispered, curling closer into Robert's strong arms. "That photograph..."
"Hush." Robert said firmly. "At least it wasn't of that night."
The younger man nodded. "I'm sorry - I'm - I'm so sorry -"
"Soz - no - don't be. None of this is your fault." Robert sighed, kissing Simon's cheek softly. "It's over - at least, for now."
Porl came in, half-munching on a piece of toast, Boris and Lol at his heels. "Simon..."
"Yeah?"
They all squeezed onto the bed, though Lol seemed distant. "We just wanted you to know...we don't blame you."
Simon hung his head, hiding his face under his wild hair. "Thank you." he murmured quietly.
Boris lifted up Simon's chin; the bassist was surprised to find him smiling. "It's all right." he nodded, smiling warmly. Simon found himself smiling back; Boris gave him a little chaste kiss on the cheek before they all snuggled up together to watch the evening news.
*****
They all went to get drunk together that night, after making sure that Simon wouldn't get hungry. The pub was crowded, hot and pulsing with life. Music pumped from speakers in the walls, and Robert swore he could only tell what it was by the rhythm in the floor.
Simon settled into the back of the booth; Robert and Porl were to his right, Boris and Lol to his left. Warm and slightly bitter, the alcohol was making his already blood-high brain giddier than usual. He was giggling girlishly at everything, and occasionally falling over onto Robert's shoulder.
Everything was going along perfectly, until Simon stumbled into the bathroom to take a piss. He was accosted by an older man, who began to shove him about, then brandished a large ornate silver cross, and Simon felt his knees give out.
He was stopped from falling, though, and was shocked to hear Lol's voice telling the other man to get out of the loo before that cross found its way into new territories. The door swung shut and they were alone.
"I...I pissed my pants." Simon croaked weakly, throat hurting as he felt the warm shame on his thighs.
"Fucking disgusting." Lol wrinkled his nose, dumping the bassist into an empty stall, sans trousers.
Simon sat on the toilet, cleaning himself up, and was amazed to hear the sink running. Lol was washing his trousers. Unbelieveable.
"Lol?" Simon inquired, standing once he was clean and dry.
"Here." he found himself hit with the trousers Lol had flung unceremoniously over the top of the door. "Think you can put those on by yourself or d'you need my help for that, too?"
"No." Simon said, irked by his band-mate's tone of voice. "I'll be fine."
"Good." Simon heard the door swing shut. Lol was gone.
He sponged the trousers dry, put them on again, and then went out, slightly puzzled. Lol made no mention of the events in the loo, so Simon didn't say anything either.
It was very late - or very early, Simon didn't have a clock to help him - when they left to go back to the hotel, and it was with a heavy heart that he crawled into bed and closed his eyes.
Why had Lol done that? Was he feeling bad about something? Guilty? What did he have to feel guilt over? What did he -
Simon's eyes opened.
"You told." he hissed, ripping the blankets away from the now-waking man's body. "You told!"
"Wh- Simon! Stop!" Lol shook his head in protest, trying to crawl backwards and away from the seething bassist in front of him.
They were alone; Lol had a separate room like Porl and Boris each did, and Simon had locked the door to make sure it stayed that way.
"It was you who let that story get out! You gave them that information!"
"Simon - I - "
"Shut up!" Simon hit Lol across the face. Hard. "Shut up shut up shut up! How could you?! You made my life miserable! It's been a living Hell!"
"So's having your throat torn open by a fucking vampire." Lol snapped, grabbing Simon's wrist and yanking him off-balance. The bassist went down like a ton of bricks. For all his vampiric powers, he didn't gain any more physical strentgh, and Lol had always had more muscle.
"I...I didn't mean to!" Simon protested, anger drowning under a wave of guilt.
"You could've fucking killed me, Simon. Don't think I'm ever gonna forget that." Lol snapped, more confident now that he had the upper hand. "And the fact that unless I haven't said anything all day, everyone treats me like shit."
Simon bit his lip. As much as he wanted to say then stop acting like such a prick, he couldn't place all the blame. "Lol..."
Lol just looked away. "Don't apologize." he growled softly, but his expression was softer and his shoulders were sagging in a defeated sort-of way. "Don't apologize, because then I don't have to care about you or feel guilty or say 'thank you'."
Simon paused, then closed his mouth and nodded. As rude as Lol's statement was, he had a point. Guilt was a nasty obligation that neither of them wanted to have to deal with.
"You don't owe me anything." Lol didn't look at Simon.
"And...and neither do you." Simon said softly, and as he did, his heart lifted just a little. Lol grinned half-heartedly, rather lopsidedly, and looked at the bassist, then blinked. "Simon? Why are you crying?"
Simon blinked as well; suddenly his vision was blurred and he realized that he was indeed crying. "I don't know..."
Lol looked uncomfortable and leaned back on his arms. "Don't - ah - don't cry..."
"I can't help it..." Simon raised his hands to his face, wiping away his tears.
"Um...maybe you should go back to Robert, then." Lol suggested.
Simon half-laughed, then got up, stretched, and left the room.
He didn't go back right away. Instead, he wandered the quiet hallways of the small hotel.
It was peaceful, comforting. People slept, dreamed, behind those anonymous doors, without fear of a vampire from down the hall coming to tear their throats out.
Simon swallowed.
That image had played out very nicely in his head...
He shook slightly, and hurried back to his room.
His band-mate was already asleep, half-tangled in the sheets, apparently dead to the world; he was snoring quite loudly. Simon giggled, climbing in beside the older man and curled up with him. It was very warm.
"Robin?"
"Mffffffffl."
"I'm hungry..." he said softly, smile fading.
He found Robert's wrist dropped in his face rather ungracefully.
"Thank you." he whispered.
He opened his mouth.
He took his pleasure slowly.
It was on beyond noon by the time Simon got up again, and he was pleasantly surprised to find the smell of fresh coffee - real coffee, not the shitty hotel kind - wafting through the air.
"Robin?" he sat up and looked around. He was alone - the coffee was waiting for him at the end of the bed, on a tray. There was a note.
He picked up the small piece of paper as he drank the coffee. Have gone to the press with Lol and the others. He suggested we find out where that photo came from. Robert.
Lol? Simon chuckled faintly to himself. Maybe the drummer wasn't such a bastard after all...
He showered and dressed, then went outside for a cigarette and some air. Suddenly he was accosted by dozens of flashbulbs and journalists. "Simon Gallup! Is it true that - "
"Oh FUCK OFF!" he yelled, leaping back and scampering off to his room, the media hot on his heels. "Can't a bloke smoke a bloody fag in peace?"
They continued to pound on his door for a good hour. He flung random obscenities at them until it went quiet. Robert and the rest of the band arrived not long after.
"We ran into crowds." Porl exclaimed. "What happened?"
"Nothing!" Simon said miserably. "I got up and went for a fag and they just came out of nowhere!"
Robert pulled a bunch of photographs from his pocket, very pale and very quiet.
"Maybe someone tipped them off that we got these." he said, tossing them onto the bed.
Simon felt like he was going to be quite suddenly and quite violently ill. The pictures were all of him in a bathroom, blood around his mouth and chin. Here he was wiping his cheek and giggling; here he was at the sink washing it off; here he was licking blood off his bared fang-teeth; here he was with his mouth in a man's neck.
Simon risked a glance at Lol but the drummer seemed just as baffled as everyone else. He obviously hadn't known about these either.
"How...I don't remember..." Simon breathed, on the verge of hysterics. "This isn't fair!"
"Simon..." Boris said softly. "I remember this one. Robert was off getting drinks when you said you were going to be sick. We let you go off to the loo, not knowing. You were pretty drunk by then..."
Simon buried his face in his hands. "How could I have been so stupid? I didn't even check to see if there was anyone there...he probably followed me...hid in the next stall..." he groaned. "What's going to happen now?"
"I don't know." Robert murmured, pulling Simon into a tight hug.
It was hours later before Robert was able to get Simon outside again. He was still nervous and upset, and it wasn't doing anything to improve the overall mood.
"Relax, Soz." Robert tried to calm him, rubbing his back as they stood near the back, out by the trash. "Come on. It's got to be over by now..."
"You don't know that." Simon protested, with tears in his eyes. "Robin, this'll never be over. And what happens when you're all old and I still look the same!"
Robert bit his lip. He had no argument for that.
Except one.
"Soz...you could..." Robert hesitated, taking Simon's hands.
"Robin...oh no, I couldn't!" he looked so lost. "I couldn't do that to you!"
"What if I wanted you to?" the older man murmured, nuzzling into Simon's neck, biting softly. The younger man trembled slightly, unable to hold back a moan of desire. Oh yes. It would be so easy, wouldn't it? To drink one another's blood - why, they could do it right here, right now.
And what about the other members of the band? And Mary, even? Surely a handful of vampires couldn't hurt. Oh, and they'd even have a better chance of surviving if they all worked together. Drank from each other, or took medically rejected blood from hospitals...
The frighteningly logical thought pattern was what made Simon stop and push Robert away. "I...this is forever, you realise..."
Robert blinked, then nodded silently. He took another drag on his cigarette, then watched the smoke rise and vanish into the fading twilight.
The walk back to their own room was in silence. Simon wasn't sure of what to say, or what Robert would want to hear. The more he thought about it, the more he wanted his band-mate to live with him forever. But he had to think about Mary's feelings. He was certain she'd understand, and why shouldn't she love Robert forever as well? Plus anyone else from the band...even Lol, if he asked nicely...they'd be a clan. A family. To protect themselves. It just made more sense than trying to survive forever on his own.
And he didn't want to die.
Robert let them in, and Simon curled up on the pillows, playing idly with his hair. The older man joined him. "Soz? You all right?"
"Mm-hmm, just thinking." Simon replied softly, leaning on the older man's shoulder. "Would you miss...being human?"
Robert kissed his cheek. "Not if I had you."
Simon flushed a little, then smiled. "And what about Mary?
"You know how much she loves you. We all share each other - she said that, not me." Robert pointed out.
Simon sighed, tracing a light finger down his band-mate's neck. "It is tempting...I think...yes." he gazed upwards.
The older man smiled, and kissed Simon's lips warmly. He sighed in pleasure as Robert wrapped his arms around his body.
Robert trailed his lips upward, kissing Simon's eyelids, silently offering his neck. The younger man bit down, moaning as the sweet blood filled his mouth. It was like honey, liquid crack, the best liquor he'd ever tasted.
No, it was better than that.
And when he raised his head blearily, blood dripping down his chin, he could see Robert smiling at him, waiting patiently.
"Last chance." he croaked.
"I love you."
Simon smiled, closed his eyes, and opened his throat.
The night was dark and cold as Simon stood alone on the rooftop. Mary and Robert had already gone out, and Porl and Boris had taken their turn to fetch the evening meal.
He heard the roof door shut and foosteps.
"Evening, Simon."
"Evening, Lol." he turned, watching as the other man came towards him. He hadn't completely forgiven Lol for what he'd done, but he seemed a lot less of a bastard now that he was dead. Tolerable.
"I think..." Simon ran a fingertip across his lips. "I'm hungry."
Lol chuckled. "You say that every night. You need a new catchphrase."
Almost tolerable.
Simon laughed. "Well, maybe." He turned and looked over the ledge of the roof into the black sky. There were no stars and no moon.
"You know..." Lol's voice sounded hesitant. "I used to be afraid of the dark..."
Simon didn't look back, only smiled. "Not afraid any more, mmm?"
Lol sounded amused. "You ended up killing me after all."
Simon stiffened. "You asked for this."
The other man only laughed again. "I know." he said. "I did."
And the night swallowed them whole, vanishing into the darkness.
THE END
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