Chapter Text
Oakhurst is a small, lonely town, nestled somewhere between soaring mountains and endless forests. Its population of just under two thousand eight hundred people makes up a community of simple people, mostly farmers, shepherds and merchants. Their lives are undisturbed by any dangers and horrors that might lurk in the shadows, and yet, they love telling each other stories of what lies below. They wholeheartedly believe in the existence of monsters, spirits and revenants, and that such being caused the area to be wiped out times before. But since the town has been growing in the last two hundred years without any turmoil, those worries usually only lay in the back of people's minds, never getting a chance to resurface.
The woods surrounding Oakhurst are vastly unexplored, even despite how long the town has stood in place. There is no one person who knows even half of all the nooks and crannies one could find while exploring this place. Even if someone is aware of the existence of some mysterious spot, most of them are too afraid to actually explore them, rendering these old ruins safe from prying eyes.
Which makes them perfect for a little midnight ritual.
One of these sacred places was visited that night by two men. It was a tall, slightly dilapidated tower, overlooking the land from a tall hill. Over the ages, parts of the walls and a serious chunk of the roof eroded. If one was to find themselves on the top floor, they could see the entirety of the black, night sky, and every single star shining over their heads. The two men chose a perfect man for a night of stargazing, as they laid on the floor, joined by a hand, staring high overhead.
"See this one? That one that looks like a snake? That's the Draco constellation..." The mayor, Louis, spoke up. His voice rang soft and comforting, as he stroked his companion's knuckles with his warm fingers. His white hair, which he usually kept tied up, was now loose upon the floor like a silver lake. "And right in that nook of its body is Ursa Minor. It's pretty easy to spot, so it's a good landmark..."
"All of them look the same to me," The lumberjack, Owen, whispered, before beginning to cough. His lungs burned on such a cold night, and the long trek through the forest rendered him exhausted. And it's not that he was unused to such activity, not at all. His small, wounded hand, covered in thick bandages, gently squeezed Louis' palm. "But... Yeah, they are pretty..."
"I wish I had a telescope..." Louis sighed, before tilting his head back a bit. "Are you okay, dear...?"
"Yes, yes, I'm fine... Just..." Owen winced. "The cold shivers, I hate them..."
"Aren't you too cold? Do you want my jacket?" His companion offered. The question made Owen more flustered than he would care to admit.
"No, no, of course not, you can keep it... I don't want you to be cold..."
"Oh, sweetie..." Louis shifted over, his head now over Owen's, obscuring his view. A bright smile lit up his features. "The nights around these parts are cold, but... A real creature of the night never feels cold."
The lumberjack gulped when his friend's red eyes shined down upon him. He was still getting through his system that his only friend, the man who aided and supported him from the first moment they met, was... Not exactly human. A creature of the night, a vampire... One of those monsters he had only ever heard from the stories passerby would share when encountering him. That is, until they noticed the signs of his illness, and rushed away in horror. He closed his eyes when Louis pulled his fingers over the bandages on his neck.
"You have goosebumps... Do you have a fever, dear...?"
"No, I... I don't think so...? But maybe it's brewing..." Owen chuckled nervously, then looked up at Louis again. "Are you sure you want to touch me there...?"
"Dearest, you know your sickness cannot affect me, right...? This is why I gave you my proposition..."
"Yes. Yes, I know." Owen confirmed, averting Louis ' gaze. The vampire squinted. He misinterpreted his sentiment, didn't he...?
"Or is it something else that bothers you...?"
There was no response at first. Louis sat up on the floor, pulling his claws through Owen's hair. Even despite his illness, his hair was so nice, silky and curly... The vampire already grew to love playing with them. Especially whenever he noticed the lumberjack slowly lowering his defences, even gracing him with one of his beautiful, delicate smiles. He smiled so rarely... And yet, Louis would burn the world down for one of these smiles.
"Once you're turned, you will be able to take these off..." The mayor whispered, his finger moving to gently stroke the inside of Owen's palm. His fingers tightened involuntarily. "I can't wait to see you in your full beauty, dear..."
"Yeah... Beauty..." The lumberjack muttered.
Louis raised his eyebrows.
"What's the matter, dearest...?"
"I..." Owen looked down at his hand. His bandages were freshly washed and replaced, but some blood still seeped through them. Even with them on, he could still feel and see the damage the sickness has done to his body. The rough and uneven nature of his skin that could be felt under the fabric. How his fingers were disfigured and not exactly straight. Not to mention the joint pain that sometimes hit him, especially after a long day of chopping wood. Would Louis ' gift be able to heal that as well...? "I'll be honest, I look quite... Disgusting under these... No wonder the people of Oakhurst recoil when they see me..."
"They are fools, Owen," Louis whispered. The lumberjack couldn't help but snicker.
"Wow, such a nice mayor you are..."
"I'm entitled to my own opinion, sweetheart." The vampire smirked, pressing his fingers against Owen's palm. "How about we do a little... Trust exercise...?"
"Huh...? Louis, you know I trust you with my life..." Owen chuckled, taken aback by the strange proposition. "What else would you need from me...?"
"Relax, sweetie... I know you trust me. And I would put my life in your hands as well, Owen." Louis whispered, before repeating the little press into Owen's palm. "Can I prove that to you...?"
"You don't have to prove anything to me, but... Sure...?"
"Great..."
Slowly and with great reverence, Louis pulled his fingers over Owen's skinny, narrow arm. Once he found the tip of his bandage, he pulled it out, before beginning to unwrap it. The lumberjack shivered.
"Wait, what are you doing?-"
"It's alright, sweetie..." The mayor smiled playfully. "Let me just take a little peek, will you...?"
Without waiting for an answer, he returned to unwrapping the bandage. His eyes easily pierced through the thick darkness around them, and he could finally bear witness to Owen's body under all the wraps. Somehow, his thin frame appeared even smaller when stripped off bandages. His arm was, indeed, in late stages of his debilitating, unknown illness. His skin calloused, marbled and discolored, taking on a tint no human's body should be. Large, open blemishes scarred his body, especially close to joints and bones. His fingers were thin as sticks, knuckles poking out from underneath the scars and bruises. But, at the same time... That was the most perfect, most beautiful body part Louis had ever witnessed in his centuries long life. And he has witnessed a lot of those.
"Oh, sweetie..."
"Is it that bad...?" Owen chuckled nervously, before another cough hit him. Only once it went silent, he felt something unfamiliar on his skin. A soft, warm kiss, pressed straight in the middle of his palm.
"You're beautiful..." The vampire whispered, pulling the hand closer and guiding it to his cheek. He rubbed against it like a cat, causing the lumberjack to giggle.
"You cannot be serious right now..."
"Oh, but I am... Have you ever seen me joking, dearest?" The vampire smirked. His fingers gently traced the edges of Owen's scars, sending pleasurable thrills through his body. Owen could only hope that his companion wouldn't see just how red his face has become. Although, truth be told, with how well he could see in the darkness, the chances were low. He helped the lumberjack sit up, before repeating the kiss. "I'm being honest... You're like... A delicate, fragile flower..."
"I'm not delicate," The man scoffed, but with no real venom in his words. "Don't forget, I'm a lumberjack. I can wield an axe pretty well, don'tcha think?"
"Oh, I know, I know... I've seen you at work more often than you might imagine..."
"Yeah, I'm not- Wait, you have?" He chuckled at the confession. "I thought you were always so busy, you never had a chance to even leave your house?"
"I am a very busy man indeed, sweetie... But for you... For you, I'll always find time." The mayor smirked, before moving his kisses a bit lower, towards Owen's wrist. Then, his lips traveled further down, across the man's arm. At the same time, he traced Owen's scars with his fingers, giving them all the respect and love he possibly could. "Although, for a lumberjack, you really are scrawny... How can you even lift your axe...?"
"I have my ways," Owen whispered, although a bit of sadness entered his voice. "This job doesn't pay as well as you might expect... Usually I eat once a day, sometimes once every few days..."
"You poor thing..." Louis whispered, the light in his eyes dimming a little bit. Then, it flashed anew with even more affection and care. "I promise, once you're done turning, and you're in my care... I will never let you starve again."
"If I can get used to drinking blood, then sure..." Owen chuckled.
Louis ' offer from a few days earlier, when he told him of a way to cure his illness... He didn't even hesitate before agreeing. What downside could there possibly be? He was already shunned by society. His sickness, apparently incurable, was seen as something disgusting and dangerous. Even if he was to somehow get his health back, he would probably still be looked down upon due to all the scars and damage... But in return, he'd gain immense power, and a much prolonged life.
Some doctors he had seen already, all of which failed to help him, were surprised he even made it that far already. But he was only twenty five... He wanted to think he still had his whole life ahead of him. Well, now, he did. All thanks to Louis .
The vampire smirked, before turning back to kissing his friend all over his arm. One of his hands slid under the lumberjack's shirt, examining the damage on his skin around these parts. His unbeating heart sunk at the realization of just how sickly and withered Owen really was. He could easily count his ribs through his skin, not to mention the gaping wounds... He pulled back for a second when the gentle smile on the lumberjack's face was disturbed by a sudden wave of pain.
"Does it still hurt, sweetheart...?"
"Still...? It always hurts, Louis..." Owen whispered. "I wake up in pain, the last thing I feel before falling asleep is pain... This is just my life. Pain."
"How long have you been fighting this disease...?" He asked quietly. At the same time, he carefully pulled up his friend's shirt, to take a look at the blemishes on his stomach. Scabs covered his sides, places where he often saw Owen scratching himself.
"Since I can remember... At first, it was just itching... Then, rashes and changes in color... Then, wounds and numbness... It sucks when you need to use your arms to do your work, and you can wake up not even feeling them." Owen admitted with a bitter, sad smile. "I got used to that."
"No one should have to get used to that..."
"Well, I did."
Louis put his hand on Owen's cheek, stroking it carefully. The lumberjack immediately pressed his sunken cheek against the mayor's warm palm. His big, brown eyes were so full of trust and love... The lumberjack could never share these feelings with anyone in his life. For the longest time, he even believed that he would never be able to actually feel love and trust. And then, one day, he met Louis... Since then, he felt as if his heart had grown tenfold, and it wanted to jump out of his ribcage every time he visited the mayor. The day he learned the truth about the mayor's nature, it grew even more, in fact.
Then, carefully, the vampire leaned down and put a soft kiss at the edge of Owen's ribs. His breathing hitched as blood rushed to his face. No one has ever even touched him around these parts, let alone kiss him...
"You like this, sweetheart...? Or do you want me to stop?"
"Oh, uh, I mean, it's... It's whatever. But... You can continue," he added quickly, more timidly. Of course, he wanted this to continue... But he could at least pretend he wasn't smitten this easily.
"Very well..." Louis smirked, before pressing the kiss again. He pulled one of his claws over Owen's skin, just over his belly button. The vampire enjoyed just how surprised the sensation made him. He could already think of so many things they would do together once his transformation was complete... "You're so pretty... You know that, right...?"
"Am I...?"
"You have... The most beautiful, softest eyes I've ever seen..." The mayor giggled, moving his kissed up and down around the first spot. "And your smile... Oh, your smile, it's like the brightest ray of sunshine..."
"I thought vampires hate the sun...?"
Louis' smile faded. Of course, that amused him, but he liked feigning a bit of annoyance with his friend.
"This is what I get for trying to be poetic..."
"I'm sorry!" Owen gasped, before noticing the smile reappearing on his face. "Wait. You're pulling my leg."
"I am... My cute, sweetest boy..." Louis whispered. He put the tips of his fingers on the edge of a particularly nasty scar, covering one side of Owen's stomach, then began rubbing little circles around the edges. He could feel the tiniest traces of warmth in his body, probably due to the oncoming fever. Other than that, his skin was almost painfully cold. And with how narrow and skinny his frame was, he was probably freezing most of the time... Louis had to fix that, the sooner, the better. "You like it...?"
"Yeah, sure..." Owen gasped quietly, holding back just how much he enjoyed it. He did like it. Immensely. "You don't look... Put off by me..."
"I would never... You're the most beautiful thing in the world..."
The mayor slid his head under his shirt, peppering Owen's chest with kisses. He could feel his heart, just how hard it was beating in his small chest... He helped the lumberjack lay down on his back, to enjoy the full extent of this care. For several minutes, the only sound that disturbed the perfect silence was Owen's heavy breathing.
To say he was unused to this would be an understatement. Of course, his illness prevented him from ever pursuing any sort of relationship - friendly, romantic, physical... And the disgust that he awoke in the people of Oakhurst made him feel like a disgusting monster that would never deserve any of that. He would never deserve happiness. But now... He was with someone. And he was happy. Even if that person was not human... No, it didn't matter. In his whole life, no human has ever treated him ever half as good as this one monster did. Maybe the roles should be reversed...?
"Pretty boy..." Louis smirked, his kisses travelling all the way up to Owen's collarbone. "Are you ready...?"
The lumberjack's heart soared at the question.
"Now...? Don't you want to do this back at home...?"
"I don't want to risk it, sweetheart. I worry people might think something's wrong... And fear drives people to the worst of places."
"So... You're just gonna leave me here...?"
"What? No, no, of course not..." Louis snickered. He opened his fangs, the tips grazing against Owen's skin. His breathing hitched. "I'll stay with you. I won't leave you for even a moment, I promise. And once you're awake again... We'll go back home."
A wave of warmness crossed Owen's body. Home... Louis meant his house, right? That meant it would be his home as well from now on, right...? That sounded so incredibly exciting... Finally, he would have a place to call home, and someone actually wanting him there. He could leave behind his small, dilapidated hut on the outskirts of Oakhurst... And the mill would probably not get finished anytime soon. But that was a price he was willing to pay.
"That... That sounds good. I'm ready."
"Good..."
Louis took a comfortable position, putting Owen's head on his lap. His bright, red eyes were full to the brim with love and care, to the point where it overwhelmed Owen a little bit. He was unused to this... Well, now he had an eternity to learn to love it. The lumberjack took a deep breath, then closed his eyes.
And then, it happened.
A small, piercing pain through his neck. It was a bit similar to the needles some doctors used on him.
Quiet, slurping sound right next to his ear.
His fingers started tingling, his head began to spin.
But at the same time, Louis kept reassuringly rubbing his side.
He was fine... He would be fine.
"Louis ...?"
"It's okay, Owen. Go to sleep. I'm right here."
The lumberjack could not fight the strange feeling for much longer. Slowly, very slowly, his body began going numb, and hot at the same time. He wanted to see this through... But he couldn't. Instead, he let out his breath, and succumbed to sleep.
Three days passed faster than the blink of an eye.
The whole time, Owen stayed unmoving, deep in slumber, while his head was firmly placed on Louis ' lap. His breathing eventually died down, his heart stopped - and yet, he remained warm, with only his eyelids and fingers twitching every now and then. The mayor of Oakhurst has not moved either, his eyes slowly shifting between the horizon and the face of his sleeping beloved. Even the sun and hunger were not enough to make him leave his post. He stayed right there, stroking Owen's hair, squeezing his hands, making sure he would be alright. He stayed right there.
And then, Owen woke up.
His big, brown eyes were a bit teary when they first opened up. The world around was way too bright, even though the sun was setting. His body felt numb and strange, his jaw hurt, his stomach churned with unfathomable hunger, but... He made it. He was no longer alive, but ironically, he had never felt more alive.
"Louis...?"
"Good evening, fledgling..." The vampire smiled. "How are you feeling?"
"Hungry..."
The mayor snickered at the answer.
"Should've expected that... Come on, sweetie. Let's go home. I have plenty of food for us there..."
Carefully, he helped Owen up. The newly turned vampire flinched, pulling his shawl tightly over himself. His legs were shaking and his head was still spinning, and yet... Feeling Louis' hand holding his own made it all better. He was finally coming home... Owen put on a small, soft smile, as he looked up at the vampire. The pride and love in his eyes... The fledgling corrected himself in his head.
No. He already was home.