Title: One week
Warnings: Contains slash, mentions of death, and foul language later on.
Summary: Rudolph wishes for one week as a human, to try and show Tony how he feels about him.
Notes: PLEASE try to view Tony as you would see him, not as he is in the movie, because it just makes this sort of story hard.
Also, this is a mixture of the books and the Movie (mostly just movie appearances).
Prologue
Rudolph sat in a tree, his feet swinging below him, and a book propped open on his knees. He wanted to go see Tony, but his friend was at some party with his family, and Rudolph was left feeling lonely. He sighed, looking up from his book. It had only taken a few days for him to start growing feelings for the other. For some reason, that time that they'd danced at that vampire ball came to mind, and he chuckled to him.
Tony had really been a dream…
Sighing again, he shut his book. Just as he was about to look down, he saw it. A small movement. He tilted his head upwards more, and saw the shooting star. Biting his lip, he shut his eyes.
'If only I had a week to show Tony how much I care about him…'
When he opened his eyes, the star was gone, and he was left to his thoughts again. He had little hope that his wish would come true, so he decided it was better if he didn't dwell on it. Dropping down from the branch, he landed on the ground, and made his way back to the family tomb.
---
That next morning, he stretched in his coffin, groaning and feeling his back pop back into place. Frowning, he sat up, pushing his lid open. He was hit with dull, natural light, and on impulse screamed and tried to cover himself. But then he noticed that the sunlight was doing…nothing. Nothing at all. It didn't burn.
Cautiously, he got out of his coffin, afraid that the moment his foot touched the ground, it would start burning him again. But it didn't, so he swung his other leg out and stood up, shaking a little. This…this couldn't be real…Slowly, he moved towards the door to the tomb, lifting a hand to push it open. He froze. His hand, it…it was healthy looking. A nice peachy color, not pale, and clammy, and dirty. He started shaking worse, now starting to get hopeful.
Hurriedly, he flung the door open, and was hit with the late morning sunlight in all it's intensity. What…what was this? He was…warm. He shook his head, hoping to anyone who would listen that this was real. When he pinched himself, he found that it hurt, and that he didn't suddenly wake up in his coffin.
"It's real. I'm…I'm human!"
He laughed and threw his arms out, taking in the rays and spinning where he stood, his feet crunching on dead leaves. The birds were fluttering around the balding trees and a butterfly floated passed. Rudolph, lost in his state of bliss, let down his guard and allowed an act of childishness, chasing after the fluttering, yellow insect.
"I'm alive! Oh God," he stopped, laughing again and bending down, his hands on his knees, "God…this is wonderful…"
It took him a long moment, but it came to mind that his wish had come true. As unlikely and improbable as it was, it had come true. He was human again! He had to go see Tony. Straightening up, he hurried out of the cemetery, running almost all the way to Tony's home. He'd forgotten how much more stamina vampires had.
By the time he was at Tony's door, he could barely breath. And he loved it! He couldn't remember feeling so good. So normal. He knocked three times, leaning heavily against the doorframe. When it opened, he was met by Tony's mother, and her grinned.
"Hi…is…is Tony home?"
"Yes, one second. Tony!"
Rudolph listened as Tony thundered down the stairs, and his grin widened. The woman disappeared back into her house, and in her place was a confused looking blond.
"Uh…"
"It's me Tony! I'm alive!"
There was a long moment of silence, then Tony's eyes widened and he stepped outside, shutting the door behind him, "Rudolph?!"
Rudolph nodded enthusiastically, holding his arms out, panting and keeping the wide grin on his face. Tony look bewildered, then confused again, then his face almost cracked in two from the smile. But Rudolph saw the disappointed look in his eye, and his face fell.
"Tony…?"
"It's great, Rudolph! What about your family, are they--?"
"No…no, it's just me. You see, last night, I--"
"One second, come in," Tony grabbed his wrist and, opening the door again, pulled him into the house, "Let's go up to my room."
Rudolph didn't really have much chance to protest as he was tugged upstairs. Tony didn't seem to hear his stutters and exclamations. Rudolph decided to just fall silent, after Tony shot him a look that he didn't quite like. Once in the bedroom, he was shoved onto the bed, with Tony's hands firmly on his shoulders. He winced as the other glared at him.
"You're so selfish."
"…What?"
"How could you become human again without your family?"
"But Tony, I--"
"You LEFT them like that, Rudolph."
"I--"
"How could you?"
"But it's only for a week!"
Tony blinked, pulling back and moving his hands away, frowning still, but at least he was listening.
Rudolph cleared his throat straightening up, "Last night, there was this shooting star. And I made a wish that for one week, I'd be a human, so I could…" He faltered there, as he remembered something someone had said to him, some time ago. Something about using subtlety to win someone over. He should be subtle…
"So you could-? Go on."
"So I could spend more time with you. Y'know, do whatever it is friends do now."
At this Tony blinked, and a light smile flickered onto his face as he sat down, "You just wanted to hang out."
"Well…not figuratively, I don't think I can do that anymore."
Tony laughed, shaking his head, "No, that's just another way to say spend time together."
"Oh…this new lingo is going to take me awhile."
Tony laughed again, then stood up, "C'mon, I want to introduce you to my parents."
R&R