Chapter 1: Still Beats Your Name
Chapter Text
Chapter I: “Still Beats Your Name” (Killswitch Engage)
What was Ava doing here. She could hear the rapid pounding of kick drums and the thrum of downtuned bass before she even stepped foot in the warehouse. She wasn’t exactly a normie, but neither was she on the level of the punk, goth, and alt heartthrobs chatting outside. Hell, she was glad she found a leather jacket in her surviving wardrobe.
One $5 cover charge, and she was in. Shit was bare-bones, underground. If she hadn’t taken her last drink at a laundromat and seen the event poster, she wouldn’t have heard about it.
That poster—so easy to miss among dozens of other flyers, impossible for Ava not to notice. Her older sister was on it. Mugging alongside her bandmates, looking a lot more like the alt heartthrobs than the young woman she’d last seen a decade ago, one year on E, terrified, and in a screaming match with their parents.
That was what she was doing here, jostled by spillover from the pit, getting beer splashed on her jacket, pretending to be a lot weaker and less agile than any creature of the night should be. She was here for Zeta.
For that, she endured the crowd, the smoke, all the hot bodies full of hot blood and beating hearts, the pounding, chugging music.
The lead guitar soared, sparking old memories. A dissonant chord high up the neck, bent and released and bent again like the twisted agony inside—
Zeta. There she was. Shredding a black flying V with hot pink accents. Her hair was wild and loose, color difficult to discern in the blue stage lights. She’d managed to put on some weight, it looked like—both fat and muscle on display in her hand-cut crop top. Ava could see the lines of tattoo sleeves, but everything was too much, too fast. Zeta was moving, bounding to the mic with her big fuck-off boots. She opened her mouth and...howled. That was the only word for it. Like a ravening wolf. And then came the death-metal growls Ava had expected.
Yeah, that was her sister. This was where she had always thrived. She was alive. She looked happy. Two things Ava couldn’t say for herself.
At least one of them had made it.
Zeta opened her mouth for the chorus and—
Faltered. Good thing Jonesy and Tank had backing vocals on “Revenge of the Bog-Witch,” because...no, there was no fucking way.
Ava was here.
She couldn’t pick out any faces in the crowd without her glasses, but she could smell her. Even ten years later, with new hormones coursing through her, there was no mistaking Ava. The scent that had faded from Zeta’s favorite hoodie was in this room. She had to—
No, calm the beast. She was working. She’d—she’d find Ava later. She would. She was here.
Zeta picked up the second line with an apologetic glance to her backers and got back into the riff at the next bar. A hiccup. No one would think anything of it.
Jesus Christ, one whiff of her sister, and she was back to masking how bad she was down. That’s what she got for never working through it.
Whatever, later. The warehouse’s roof was still firmly in place, so Shroud’s job wasn’t done yet.
One hour and seven songs later, Shroud threw their horns and took their bows. Zeta thanked the crowd one last time. Lights came up. Tired musicians started clearing the stage for the next act. Zeta put her glasses back on and absently coiled her cables while scanning the room. She could still smell Ava, but where—?
“Hey.”
Zeta whipped around. Like fucking magic, her sister was standing inches from her. And, god, it was her sister. The way she was meant to be. Zeta wasn’t just older, she’d also come out first. Had taken the brunt of their parents’ abuse, like always. The last time she’d talked to Ava, the girl was still in hiding. They’d told each other their names, talked about the things they wished they could be, held each other through long, lonely nights in the closet.
And then, Zeta had left. Ava had stayed. All this time, Zeta hadn’t known if she’d gotten out.
“I don’t know if you recognize me,” her sister said.
“Avalon.” It was a whisper, probably lost in the dull roar of the chatting audience. A human wouldn’t—
Ava nodded.
Zeta couldn’t hold back. She dropped her gear and pulled her into a desperate embrace. “Of course I recognize my little sister.”
She felt Ava melt into her, trembling. Her cheek on Zeta’s neck was cold. She never wanted to let go, but Jonesy bumped her shoulder and said, “Take it backstage, Z.”
Time and place kept conspiring against her tonight. She pulled back and started gathering her gear again. “Sorry, Ava, I uh—”
“No, no, I’m the one who ambushed you.”
“It’s really good to see you again.” Keep it cool, Z. “I didn’t realize you had moved out here.”
“It’s recent. I didn’t know where you’d wound up either. I didn’t have your number.”
“Yeah, well, if Mom and Dad coulda been normal for half a second….” Zeta had tried to text Ava after she left, only to find her sister’s number disconnected. She moved to grab her pre-amp, but Ava beat her to it.
“Let me give you a hand.”
“It’s heavier than it looks.”
Ava hefted it without trouble. “You’re not the only one who got stronger,” she said with a smirk.
Heat rushed into Zeta’s cheeks. Fuck. She couldn’t help it: “You look good, girl.”
Ava glanced away sheepishly. But it was too fucking true. A bob of scarlet-dyed hair framed her estrogenized face. Her black leather jacket and faded jeans hugged her new curves. Zeta got a real good look while wheeling her half-stack behind her sis. They followed the other members of Shroud—Jonesy (rhythm guitar), Tank (drums), and Re (bass)—out the back of the warehouse to the van. She got a thrill out of introducing Ava as her sister, which she seemed to share. The others said hi, and then Jonesy told the pair to skedaddle. They’d pack up without their frontwoman.
“It’ll go faster if we help,” Zeta protested. “You were literally just talking about how much you wanted to catch Cryptkeys—”
Jonesy poked Zeta in the chest. “And you’ve given us your fucked-up backstory. Girl, you’ve written at least three songs about your sister. Go catch up.”
Zeta shrank a bit, hoping the shadows and her hair hid her blush.
“We’re playing with Cryptkeys again next month,” Tank added.
“Not like we’re gonna miss the whole set,” Re said.
“Okay, okay, you guys rock. Catch y’all later.”
Zeta led Ava toward the front of the buliding. “So, you want to see more music, or get outta here?”
“I don’t know, it’s a little rough in there.”
Zeta threw an arm around Ava’s neck. “I promise to keep you safe~”
Oh, fuck, she was strong. And coated in sweat, and her heartbeat was so adorably elated. Ava laughed and slipped out easily. “I’m not worried about that, you goober. It’s just—”
“Not really your scene?”
“Not yet, anyway.”
“Oh?”
“Well, you seem pretty established, so I’m sure I’ll be catching you at all kinds of dives from here on out.” She noticed Zeta falter in her steps. She was pretty sure she heard her heart skip. “What’s up?”
“You’re—you’re really here. Like, to stay?”
Ava took Zeta’s hands. “I’m not going anywhere, sis.”
“Even though I did?”
“That’s...a big conversation to open up.” Ava smiled. “Right now, I just want to find out who you became. Catch up, you know?”
Heavy music beat on the other side of the wall as Cryptkeys launched into their set. Zeta glanced at it. “Probably not the best place for that. Let’s go get a drink.”
Drink. Shit. Ava hadn’t drank all week. She was still getting the lay of the land here and hadn’t wanted to risk missing the show by getting tangled up with a bad donor.
“Your hands are cold, by the way,” Zeta said, startling her. “How about we grab some food, too? You look hungry.”
Ava pulled her hands back. “Do I?” She was usually a lot better at deflecting humans. But this was her sister. She wasn’t used to hiding things from her. (Well, except for that one big thing.) Human food wouldn’t do a damn thing for her, but it would at least help the pretense. “Yeah, what’s good this time of night?”
“Depends on our range. I can’t take the van. How’d you get here?”
“Oh, I—I walked.” Another clumsy lie. She’d gotten here under her own power, at least.
“There’s a diner in walking distance. This way.” Zeta still walked with a slouch, hands in her pockets. In other words, cutely, especially with her new size and shape. “So, when you say you got here recently….”
“A couple months.”
“Get a new job or something? Oh, hey, did you end up going to college?”
“More that I needed to be around different people.” Not really a lie. She was skimping on the immortal peril, though. “And yeah, I did.”
“Hell yeah! Glad one of us made it.”
Ava swallowed the words she wanted to say. She hadn’t made it, not really. She kept focused. “I started HRT after junior year, and didn’t come out until I got all my stuff out of Mom and Dad’s.”
“And how did that go?”
“They’re blocked.”
Zeta growled. “I didn’t really expect them to change, but I hoped they’d go easier on you.”
“Same.” Ava nudged her. “Luckily, someone already showed me how to handle that.”
“I wish I could have protected you. I should have been there—”
“No, you shouldn’t have. And you shouldn’t have had to take the hits you did. Not as a fucking teenager.”
“...You’re right.”
They walked a while in silence, glancing at each other and smiling. Furtive and failing. Zeta occasionally commenting on this or that aspect of the city she’d lived in for six years now, she said. And then, she headed for a big, open patch of gloom.
The cemetery.
“Uh, Zeta?”
Zeta turned back to her lagging sister. “It’s a heck of a lot faster than going around. What, you afraid of the dead?”
“No, that’s silly.” Ava was lying—Zeta could smell the fear. “Just...it’s pretty dark.”
“I do this all the time. I promise you’ll be safe with me.”
Ava was calculating something in that clever head of hers—something more than just the likelihood of getting mugged. Another puzzle piece, but Zeta had yet to see the picture.
Finally, Ava nodded and followed. Zeta kept a protective arm around her shoulder, alert. Maybe her sister’s paranoia was contagious. She wished she had her feral senses right now, even though she hadn’t run into Trouble in months.
Shit, someone was here. She smelled fresh blood. Human blood. But where—?
“Well, well, look who’s here.”
Fuck these stupid human ears.
Zeta spun around, herding Ava behind her.
A vampire stood just a few feet away. A pale woman in a short, black dress, a spot of blood still on her chin. Fangs out, like she didn’t expect her would-be prey to get away or call for help. That was reckless.
Zeta’s lip curled in a snarl. “Don’t even try it, bitch. Tonight’s not your night.”
The stranger laughed, clear and vibrant. She peered around Zeta’s broad shoulders. “That is you, isn’t it, Ava? Who the hell is this?”
Wait, what? How did this vampire...oh, no. Pieces started falling into place.
Ava pushed her way past Zeta’s warding arm. “Sadie. What the hell are you doing here?”
Sadie wagged her finger. “I asked first. Did you seriously rebound already?”
Zeta almost choked on her own inhale.
“First off, that is my sister , Sadie,” Ava said. “Second, what the hell are you doing here. You following me, or what?”
“Chicago’s on fire, darling. You gonna stress where every one of us rats ends up?”
Sadie started closing distance, step by slow step. Zeta tried to get in front of Ava again, but her sister kept her back with one hand.
“Your sister, huh? Well, sister or no, she’s seen these bad boys.” Sadie ran her tongue across her fangs. “And I daresay she knows exactly what we are.”
She got close enough to put a bloody finger to Ava’s lips. Ava wavered. She hadn’t been drinking, had she? And she needed to, because—
“You know you can’t be taking such risks right now, Ava dear.”
Ava snapped back upright. She seized Sadie’s hand, bent it backwards, and took her by the throat. She spun the other vampire into a headstone with inhuman speed, cracking the granite. Ava’s shadowy wings came out, melting through the back of her jacket. Fangs bared, all masks and cloaks shredded by her wrath.
Fucking Christ, Zeta’s sister was a vampire.
Well, now she really couldn’t tell her she was a werewolf. And in love with her.
Chapter Text
Chapter II: “Closer” (Nine Inch Nails)
“Ouch! Rude!”
Sadie used the cracked grave marker to haul herself back up, flexing her jaw and shaking her broken fingers back into shape.
“You will not touch her,” Ava hissed. She could hear Zeta’s rapid heartbeat behind her. Her sister hadn’t run away. She couldn’t bring herself to look at her, though. Her inhumanity was on full display. Better to imagine all the fear and disgust surely twisting Zeta’s face than to see the truth of it.
“And here I was going to let you have a drink on me,” Sadie said, cocking her hips casually. “You clearly need one, darling.”
“Not from you.”
Sadie rolled her eyes. “Come on. Hey, I wasn’t really going to kill your sister. I was listening, you know, all those times you got blood-drunk and rambled on about her. But seriously, Ava, be careful. Our side lost.”
Ava willed her body to calm. Put the wings away, girl. “Never joke about it again. And don’t you dare follow me.”
She took a step back to the path and nearly fainted. Zeta was there, catching her and holding her up.
“Hey, take it slow, sis. You’re too thirsty to be curb-stomping your shitty ex.”
“Shitty?” Sadie scoffed. “I was good to her, I’ll have you know.”
“I’ll wait for her word on that, thanks.”
Zeta huffed and went down on her knees, still supporting Ava like she was a ragdolling cat. God, she was weak. Even her sister saw it.
“Do you have a stash somewhere? I’ll run and get it.”
“Too far,” Ava managed, turning her face into Zeta’s chest. By some miracle, her big sis was still here, still touching her, trying to comfort her. Ava wasn’t sure what thirst she wanted quenched first. “Just need a couple minutes. Then I can go.”
Sadie sighed. “If you’re trying for pity, it’s working. Fine. Offer’s still on the table.”
“Offer…?”
The other vampire walked up. Zeta tensed and watched with her wolfish gaze. Sadie knelt, grew her nails into claws, and slit open her forearm. “Feed, Ava.”
She wanted to. She didn’t want to. She needed blood. She had to get away from this woman. She had tried. “No.”
“Don’t be stupid, dear.”
“Don’t call her stupid!” Was Zeta shaking, or was Ava? It seemed both of them were fighting to stay in control. “She said no. We’ll figure out something else, then.”
“It doesn’t have to be so difficult. I’m fresh and full. There’s one less pig in the world, by the way. You seem like the type who’d appreciate that, Ava’s Sister.”
“Zeta.”
Sadie snorted. “Okay.”
It was hard to think. Ava had gotten this far on fumes and the euphoria of finding Zeta. She’d pushed herself way past her limits.
And there was Sadie’s blood. Thick in her nostrils, clouding her thoughts further. She hated how good it always tasted. Hated herself for always going back for more. Hated Sadie for being here.
“Fuck off,” Zeta growled. “She said no.”
“No,” Ava whispered. “I mean, yes. I’ll drink. Please.”
Sadie smiled, light and victorious. “That’s a good girl.”
“Ava, we can figure—”
“Stop, Zeta. She’s right. I was just making it more difficult.” She pulled away from her sister—like cutting off her own arm—and put her lips close to Sadie’s blood. “I’m sorry for throwing you into a headstone.”
Sadie ran her fingers through Ava’s hair. “All is forgiven, darling. Drink up.”
Minutes later, Zeta and Ava went on their way without another word to that woman. Soon, they were out of the cemetery and back under the regular grid of lights.
“I’m sorry you had to deal with her tonight,” Zeta finally said.
Ava flinched out of her ruminations. “I’m sorry you had to see any of that. You’re...taking it better than I expected.”
“Yeah, well….” Zeta stretched, putting her hands behind her head. “I’ve gotten around the block a few times. Had a few run-ins with vampires before.”
“And you’re still alive.” She sounded surprised.
“What, like it’s hard?”
Ava didn’t laugh.
“Sorry.”
“You’ve gotten lucky. Don’t fuck around with my kind. Luck runs out.”
Oh, if only she knew. “Yeah, I hear you. Did Sadie turn you?”
“No. I hope you never meet the one who did.”
“Sounds like things have been rough.” Zeta hooked her arm through Ava’s experimentally. To her relief, her sister leaned into her.
They arrived at the diner, a 24-hours, hole-in-the-wall joint. Ava ordered some eggs and toast, surely out of politeness—Zeta was fairly certain vampires didn’t need to eat. She herself, on the other hand, was always ravenous after a show. Besides that, it was easy to lose herself in conversation with Ava and eat mindlessly over the next several hours. They cracked old in-jokes, rehashed friendly arguments, and caught up on the decade they had spent apart. Ava didn’t seem keen on talking about whatever vampire political bullshit had gone down in Chicago and driven her and Sadie out. Understandable—the place wasn’t crowded, but they weren’t totally alone. They should come up with codes.
“Do you work?” Zeta asked, chowing down on a mushroom and Swiss burger.
“Night owls like me still have to pay rent,” Ava replied, watching her intently. “Luckily, it was remote already, so not much changed when I moved. Different time zone, but eh. I do server management for a hosting company. Bit of cybersecurity when called on.”
“Smart person shit, got it.”
Ava rolled her eyes. “You’re not still calling yourself an idiot, are you? At thirty?”
“I’m ready to admit I have certain kinds of intelligence.” Zeta finished her burger and grabbed the second one. “Not like you, though.”
God, these were hitting the spot. Wolfie want meat. Wolfie get meat. Yum. She wiped at the sauce dripping down her chin and sucked it off her finger. Ava was still watching. “Uh, you want a bite?” Zeta asked, proffering the burger.
Ava blinked. “Hm? Oh, no, I’m good. Keep eating.”
Zeta knew she really shouldn’t read too much into innocuous phrases like that, especially coming from her sister. But. Listen. Just because the tiniest canid whine escaped her, that did not mean she was reading too much into it.
Ava plowed past the moment. (Whatever kind of non-moment it was.) “So, what are you doing for work?”
“Mm, band stuff, mostly. Occasional odd job, lending an extra set of hands to a few friends. Sometimes they pay me.” At Ava’s concerned look, she shrugged. “I tried steady work for a bit. Couldn’t hold anything down.”
“Are you doing okay? Money-wise?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Have a place to stay and everything!” She gave a cheeky grin. “...See, the joke is that hasn’t always been true.”
“I figured.” Ava grabbed her hand. Her fingers were warmer now, with the fresh blood in her. “I wish I could have helped.”
“No worries. I survived, sis.” That was meant to sound reassuring, but it didn’t seem to do the job. Ava could tell she was holding back. But Zeta’s years as a homeless tranny hopping from car to couch to tent, doing a lot less scrupulous “odd jobs” than she did these days, getting herself mauled in the woods and turned into a werewolf and still not knowing if it was consensual or not—yeah, not good first-night-back conversation.
“At least one of us did.”
Oh, right—there was that angle, too.
“Dead or not, you’re still here,” Zeta said, squeezing her hand. “I’m so fucking happy you’re here, Ava.”
“And you really don’t have a problem with…?” She made little fangs with her fingers and mimed a biting motion. Cute.
Zeta moved to Ava’s side of the table and wrapped her in a warm hug. “Not at all. I love you always, Ava. I promise.”
She stayed there as the wee hours matured. Zeta started losing her voice—she had screamed an hour-and-twelve set that evening, and the chatter between them was nonstop. She ordered some tea, then some ice cream to soothe her throat. (This place fucking ruled.) Finally, Ava checked her phone.
“Oh, shit. I’m not making it home before sunrise.” She started getting her things together. “Fuck, I have to go find somewhere to hole up.”
What, like a literal hole? Nah, not Zeta’s sister. “You could crash at my place,” Zeta offered. “You don’t need grave dirt or anything, do you?”
Ava laughed. “No, but...I won’t be intruding?”
“Like I said, I have my own place.”
“I can’t have any sun, Zeta. I mean any.”
“Bedroom doesn’t have windows.”
Something unreadable passed across Ava’s face.
“It’s fine, I can take the couch,” Zeta added.
Something even less readable passed across Ava’s face. “Okay. Let’s settle up and go.”
“And here we are!”
When Zeta led Ava to what was clearly an auto body shop, she had assumed there was a second story she couldn’t see from this side. Or maybe an apartment out back? But, no. Her sister unlocked the side door, flicked on the lights, and her “own place” was a goddamn garage. The band’s van was parked inside.
Okay, to be fair, most of the shop equipment had been cleared out, and the storefront/waiting room was stripped and replaced with mismatched kitchen/living room accouterments. (Messy ones—this was definitely Zeta’s place.) A mishmash of weights, racks, and benches of different makes sat out on the garage floor.
“Feel free to keep your shoes on on the concrete. The bedroom’s carpeted, though.”
“What bedroom?” That came out cattier than Ava had intended.
Zeta no-sold the barb. “In the back. Used to be the office. Hence, no windows.”
She started off that way, but Ava caught her arm and...wow, had to pause. She’d felt Zeta’s muscles every time she’d held her tonight—especially during the cemetery encounter—but this was the first instance Ava had grabbed her like this. She looked so big and soft when relaxed, but underneath, she was stronger than she’d been in high school. For a flash, Ava remembered Zeta flexing for her back then, when she was just a boy showing off to his brother. Like one does.
God, Ava wanted to pounce on her.
“What’s up?” Zeta asked.
“Sorry, I just thought you meant an apartment or something. What the hell is this? You said you were fine on money.”
“Yeah, we make rent.”
“‘We?’”
“Well yeah, me and the band. The owner’s retired and rents it out to us. It gives us a practice space, backroom for recording, we got parking.”
“And you live here.”
“And I live here real cheap.”
“That cannot be legal. Is there a shower?”
Zeta looked away. “Ah, no. Tank’s just down the street, so I borrow theirs every few days.”
Ava quirked an eyebrow.
“Maybe once a week.”
Revision: Ava needed to pounce on her.
“Look, I do what works for me! I don’t need to be judged by my little sister just cause she’s a college grad hacker babe with a shiny real apartment and probably her own car and—”
Ava grabbed her chin, stopping her cold. “You’re cute when you’re defensive, but I’m not judging you, Zeta. I just want to make sure you’re really okay, and not pretending everything’s fine.”
Zeta’s heart was racing. This was probably cutting it too close. Ava let go and backed off a step. “You always had that habit,” she finished.
Her sister didn’t try to argue. Or maybe she was simply stunned Ava had come so close to making a move. It was strange; a week ago, Ava had no idea if Zeta was even still alive. At that stage, she hadn’t allowed herself to contemplate the unspoken feelings between them. Whether they still existed. Whether they had ever been real in the first place. If wires had just gotten crossed in the brains of two abused closeted trans teens. Ava knew she should be content with Zeta being in her life again. She couldn’t risk repeating history.
“So yeah, here’s the bed.”
Ava hadn’t noticed Zeta leading her into the former office. It was...surprisingly cozy. The mattress was topped by a nest of blankets and plushies, all a little ragged, like they’d been chew toys at some point. There was a turntable on the dresser and a couple milk crates of vinyls. Posters and banners of various metal bands decorated the walls, with a trans flag over the bed. It smelled earthy, but not musty.
Zeta scooped up wrinkled clothes from the floor to make a clear path, apologizing as she went. Ava followed her and sat on the bed. Something poked her ass, and she found a huge, spiked collar attached to a steel chain. Her sister froze.
“There’s no way this fits your neck,” she said with a laugh, handing it to her.
“It’s for ahhh...roleplay.” Zeta coiled the chain and stashed it all in the dresser. “Sorry about that.”
“No, I’m glad you’re having fun. Meanwhile, I haven’t had sex since I left Sadie.”
Zeta sat down next to her, rubbing her back. It felt divine. “I’m sorry that all happened tonight.” Zeta adjusted, clearly mulling something over. “Hey, if you ever need to drink that bad, you can always take from me.”
Ava wanted to say yes, but did she know what she was asking? “Maybe once every couple of months. Humans can’t replenish as fast as we can.”
“You saw how I eat these days. I bet I can do more than that.”
“I’m not joking, Zeta. You’re sweet, but….” But if she drank from her, she didn’t know if she could stop at the veins.
Her older sister shrugged. “Just an offer. I’ll be on the couch out there if you need anything—”
Ava grabbed her arm again. She looked up at her, searching her expression, pleading with her eyes. “Please don’t go.”
Zeta’s heartrate spiked again.
“Let’s share the bed. Like we used to.”
She was hesitating. Ava looked away. Shit, she shouldn’t have—
“Okay.”
She snapped her eyes back to Zeta’s. Her smile was so soft, enveloping with its warmth.
“I still can’t say no to you.”
Zeta didn’t know if this was a good idea or not. It was just going to reinforce those feelings she was trying to ignore. But she looked at her little sister, cut off from the family like her, driven out of her last home, forced to take sloppy second cop blood from her ex, in desperate need of the kind of comfort Zeta hadn’t given her in ten years. She just had to be careful with her cards. Nothing untoward. Don’t make it a big deal, and it wouldn’t be. Right? Play it casual.
She dropped her pants and dove into the bed. (Her boxer briefs were still on; she wasn’t making it weird.) She wrapped her arms around Ava and pulled her down, pinning her.
“How’s this for old times?”
Ava chuckled ominously. Her hands slipped under Zeta’s arms and slowly amped up the pressure. Zeta strained against her sister’s new strength. She was pretty sure she’d win if she shifted. As it was, she gave in, letting Ava break free, flip them both, and pin her big sis.
“Hm, not quite how I remember it,” Ava teased.
Fuck, she was so hot on top. Zeta wanted nothing more right now than for her sister to lean down and kiss her. She’d become so confident, so beautiful. Grinning like a cat. Making a werewolf feel like prey. Why couldn’t they just….
Ava let go and rolled off of her, shattering the moment.
Zeta knew why. It simply wasn’t allowed, for even more reasons no than there used to be.
At least they were together. At least they’d sleep through the day in each other’s arms. At least Zeta got to see Ava’s fine as fuck ass as she stripped down to her underwear.
God, she hoped this wasn’t a dream. If it was, she hoped she didn’t wake up.
Notes:
Siscon Sundays? Is that anything?
Anyway, welcome to Repressionville, Population 2
I'm sure they'll get out of there :3
Chapter Text
Chapter III: “Tears Don’t Fall” (Bullet for My Valentine)
Zeta woke first, around 4:00 p.m. Ava slept like...well, like the dead. She had to remind herself a few times that Ava not breathing was normal. She was pretty sure not moving in her sleep was also normal. Not 100%. Her other run-ins with vampires had not gone this way.
Ava was still warm, though, from feeding, from being wrapped up in her sister’s husky bod and fuzzy blankets. As Zeta lay there, intertwined, the stillness became more peaceful than creepy. Girl had seemed like she needed her rest. Moving was stressful even when you weren’t fleeing a nebulous, supernatural power struggle. And then trying to keep your very nature hidden from the person who had first seen the real you, back in another life—that, Zeta could relate to. Maybe she should just say fuck it and tell her. She’d accepted Ava’s vampirism without a second thought; didn’t she trust her sister to show her the same grace?
It was more complicated than that, she reminded herself. Ava was already disregarding stringent rules by revealing herself to a “human.” If other vampires found out she was chilling with a werewolf? Especially her enemies from that nebulous, supernatural power struggle (NSPS)? She wouldn’t have to worry about humans hunting her down to stake her; the old guard would do it themselves. Zeta couldn’t put her in danger like that.
But...she could push her away. Wasn’t that the safest option?
No, no, not a chance in hell. They had just gotten each other back. Call her selfish, but Zeta couldn’t let Ava go. So all that left was keeping a lid on the lycanthropy. Suppress her transformations, have a wild night out far away from Ava when she absolutely had to shift.
She stroked her little sister’s cheek, brushed hair out of her eyes. So beautiful. Like a doll.
She could make something work out. She had to.
Ava stirred, stretching away the torpor. She startled, briefly forgetting where she was. The ubiquitous scent of her sister calmed her. She was somewhere safe.
Zeta had probably gotten up hours ago. She should have warned her that she’d be out cold from dawn till dusk. She lamented not being able to wake up in her big sister’s arms. At least she had drifted off in her tender, weighted embrace.
She walked out into the open garage area and froze. One of the others from last night was on the couch, with a snoozing Zeta’s legs across their lap. Re, if Ava recalled. They played bass in Shroud. Lanky and dark, with shoulder-length red locks and tattered denim. Ava, on the other hand, was still mostly naked. She darted back into the bedroom, but too late—they made eye contact.
She pulled on her clothes from the night before and tried again.
“Hi, Re, right? Sorry about that.”
“Hey, no worries. Zeta didn’t wanna wake you when I got here.” They had their hands on her sister’s legs.
Zeta stirred, but not much. Her glasses were askew.
“She was awake. But I guess last night really took her out.” Re scratched Zeta’s tummy lightly. “She’s adorable when she sleeps like this. Puppy energy.”
Ava combated the wave of jealousy by perching on the arm of the couch, above Zeta’s head. “Yeah, she always had that.” She scritched her sister’s side shave, like she would back in the day, when her whole head was cropped like this. Zeta made a tiny noise and leaned into her touch. Ava smiled. Yeah, puppy energy. “I actually found her collar within about ten seconds of entering the bedroom.”
“Oh really?” Re smirked. “She always told me she was ‘too feral’ to sub.”
Did she now. “I—sorry, I know I just got here, but are you two…?”
“We’re not together, but we’ve had our fun. Zeta doesn’t tend to get that attached to anyone. Has a hard time with trust, I think.”
Ava watched her sister’s face and sighed. “Runs in the family.”
“Good thing you have each other, then.”
She looked up at Re again, reassessing the whole scene. This person wasn’t a threat to Ava. If their whole fucked-up lives couldn’t keep them apart, one FWB wouldn’t get in the way. The reunion was still so fresh, her feelings so raw, it was hard not to get paranoid.
Zeta opened one eye.
“Hey, sleepyhead,” Ava teased.
“I got up hours before you, thanks,” her big sis said, stretching. “Just got bored waiting.”
“You’re also not usually up all night,” Re added.
“You don’t need to become nocturnal just because I am.”
Zeta rotated into a sitting position, fixing her eyes on Ava’s. (God, her stare was intense.) “Maybe, but I’m still gonna pull an all-nighter your first evening here. How’d you sleep?”
“Like the dead.” No, it never got old.
“Are you...hungry?”
“I think I’m good for a while.”
“Want to smoke? Or are you too professional for that?”
Ava shoved her. “Why do you insist on making fun of the fact that I have a career?”
Zeta shoved her back. “Mostly cause I can.”
“Yeah? You forget what I can do?” Ava put her foot behind Zeta and knocked her off the couch. Wait, shit, they weren’t alone! How’d she forget that? She looked at Re, who stared at Zeta on the floor with wide eyes.
Her sister jumped back up. “And that’s your last freebie!” She leaned in to Re. “Gotta let her pretend she’s stronger than me sometimes. Good for a kid’s self-esteem, you know.”
Oh, that bitch. If it weren’t a cover…. “I’m twenty-eight,” Ava muttered.
“Yeah,” Re replied to Zeta. “I think Imma head out.”
“One hit?”
“Nah, I have a morning shift and still gotta drive home. You two have fun working out...whatever the hell this is.” They waved as they exited.
Once Ava heard a car door close, she turned to Zeta. “I am so sorry! I’m usually more in control than that—”
“Hey, hey, it’s all good.” Zeta put her hands on Ava’s shoulders. “It’s a big leap from ‘This girl’s stronger than she looks’ to ‘My bandmate’s sister is a vampire.’”
“‘Bandmate,’ huh? I’ve never been in a band before. Do you all fuck each other, or...?”
Zeta went over to a tray on the counter and started rolling a joint. Her heartrate quickened. “What kind of a fucking question is that? Why do you care?”
“I—forget it. I say stupid shit when I get stressed.”
“You do, but you always mean whatever it is.”
The best part about sisters is how well they know you. That’s also the worst part.
“We talked all last night, and you never brought up any relationships. That’s all.” It was not all. There was also how fucking good Zeta looked standing there in cutoff shorts and a tank top, blue hair mussed and tangled from sleep, pits and tats all on display. And other people got to be open about how hot her sister was, got to have her in ways that—for all the depth and strength of their bond—Ava didn’t. Couldn’t. It wasn’t fucking fair.
“The only one of yours I know about is Sadie, and that info wasn’t exactly volunteered.” Zeta turned around, joint in hand, and swept her hair out of her eyes. “I genuinely don’t understand why you’d be upset.”
“Do you really not?” Was that better or worse? Maybe the only thing preserving their relationship was that Zeta had never figured out how Ava truly felt about her. Well, either way, the statement hurt like a stake. “Whatever. Let’s go smoke.”
What the fuck just happened? Last night was a dream come true, and less than twenty-four hours later, they were fighting. Zeta led Ava out to a wasteland of decaying tires, tetanus hazards, and an uneven picnic table—the yard. She lit up and took a drag, then passed the joint to Ava.
“You ever done this?”
“Plenty of times.”
Zeta smirked. Ava always tried to impress her with the pettiest things. Well, money to mouth, little sis.
The vampire inhaled, held a few seconds, and then started coughing out her bronchi.
“Hey, first time for everything,” Zeta said, taking the joint back.
Doubled over, Ava flipped her off. “I’ve smoked weed, you ass,” she managed. “Listen, if you didn’t need to breathe, how often would you?”
“Lungs don’t get much exercise these days, huh?” Zeta’s mirth fell. Oh, shit—was teasing Ava about this ableist? She rubbed her sister’s back. “Uh, sorry. I didn’t think of that.” She took another hit.
Ava flashed her wings and alighted on top of the table to calmly pace. “Who would? There’s going to be a learning curve here. I wish it were easier for you, but—”
Zeta grabbed her hand. None of that now. Ava nodded, catching the meaning in the look. Zeta passed to her again. She waited for her to stop coughing before asking, “So, when do you need to feed again?”
“Depends how many more fights I get in. But usually a few days. Like, three or four.”
Zeta’s stomach growled.
Ava smirked. “How about you?”
Zeta chuckled and blushed. She’d eaten breakfast, but that was hours ago. Plus, something about Ava seemed to be bringing out her appetite. Stupid hungry beast clawing at the bars. “Honestly, I could massacre some takeout right now.”
Ava hopped down. “You have a kitchen. I could make you something, if you don’t feel like cooking.”
Something about that had the wolf thrashing even more. Her sister cooking for her...making enough for two people, as the recipe said, but of course, vampires don’t eat...watching Zeta eat it all instead—
Down, girl! Jesus Fucking Christ.
“That’s sweet and all, but you don’t have to. There’s this Chinese place I’m craving. Besides, you’re my guest! I’m not going to put you to work.” She headed back inside, not waiting to see Ava’s reaction. She knew she’d disappointed her. “Speaking of, how long do you want to stay? I’m not keeping you from work, am I?”
“It’s the weekend,” Ava said, right behind her. Girl was fucking quiet, holy shit. She put her arms around Zeta. “I don’t want to leave just yet.”
The touch started hesitantly, stiff. (Zeta had fucked up at least three times tonight, by her count. Even if she couldn’t quite understand how.) But Zeta relaxed into it. She couldn’t not. Ava calmed as well. Whatever else was up, this sort of contact felt natural. They could finally be sisters, and no one who mattered could call them anything else.
Just sisters.
Notes:
Chat, should we tell them?
imadrian98 on Chapter 2 Sun 07 Sep 2025 06:38AM UTC
Comment Actions
HungryGayDragon on Chapter 2 Sun 07 Sep 2025 05:14PM UTC
Comment Actions