Not A Secret.
Simon tried to stay out of everyone's way when he first became a vampire. Raphael, the leader, invited him with open arms and sometimes berated him for talking too much while nervously trying to avoid him. There were whispers, mocking voices, and then direct voices that cascaded toward Simon that made him uncomfortable without the vampire leader close enough for him to feel safe.
The first few times he felt disgusted he needed someone to save him. Not until one of the vampires, Gregory shoved him in the shoulder, hard enough for him to stumble forward and the other vampires to laugh at his expense.
Simon gritted his teeth and tried shaking off his annoyance. Except Gregory wasn't finished with him, not in the least.
"Always so damn clumsy, does baby need help?" Gregory shoved him a little bit harder and knocked the breath from Simon's lungs when he slammed into the wall. A groan left him and when he turned his gaze to the smirking Gregory, he didn't bother trying to hold back, to ignore the way his skin flushed from the bruises healing at a rapid pace as he ran and shoved Gregory off his feet.
They both landed on the ground, a ripple of laughter and howls echoed around them as Simon pound his fist into Gregory's face until blood began to coat his knuckles. Gregory managed to grab his wrist, spinning them around and smacking Simon on to the floor. He straddled his hips and Simon caught a flicker of a malicious grin spreading across his face until he felt pain blossom at the corner of his jaw.
It was only then that the sounds around him were thinning out and that Gregory's strength was stronger than him, his punches were definitely going to bruise for awhile, and when he felt the sticky warm blood and the blotches flickering in his vision. He was going to pass out because of Gregory.
"Get off of him," the voice was spoken in a harsh, emotionless tone that all the sound around Simon silenced out. He felt Gregory slowly rise and words that sounded like excuses escape him, only for Simon to hear whoever was standing over him, cracking Gregory in the face.
It was a bit surreal when he was lifted up onto his feet and turned around, his body falling forward only to be caught, several words in spanish made him realize that the person who caught him was Raphael.
Simon closed his eyes tightly and tried to concentrate, but Raphael was dragging him off down the hallway until they were in the kitchen where Raphael sat him down on a stool.
"You just had to start a fight," Raphael says under his breath.
"Wasn't my fault.." Simon says, shaking his head and touching his lip where he could feel a slight sting, only to blink a few times at blood on his fingertips. He hadn't drank blood in awhile, not since Gregory got him in another fight for no reason that took away his privilege.
He hadn't thought about it until now. Red, sticky, delicious blood. He was about to bring it to his awaiting tongue when Raphael grabbed his wrist and pulled it away from him. He was glaring, annoyed as he shoved a blood bag into Simon's hands.
"Drink up."
Simon nodded, ripping it open and downing the contents. It was practically hypnotizing, a luxury he hadn't ever thought he'd taste and he wanted more. When he finished, he dropped it and looked past Raphael's head to where the rest of the blood bags were. He was about to get off the stool, only to be pushed back.
"Quit looking at them, you're only getting one for fighting," Raphael said.
Simon glared. "What are you, my mother?"
Raphael glared back. "I'm your leader and you and Gregory should follow the rules." Raphael soaks a cloth and begins cleaning Simon's blood off and Gregory's that had dropped on him while Gregory beat him.
"What was it this time?" Raphael asked.
Simon shrugged, touching his split lip and finding no blood this time. "He was just being an asshole and wanted to beat on the new vampire, that's all." Simon thought of Gregory's comment, "He called me a baby."
"Baby?"
Simon nods. "It's what he called me."
"New vampire," Raphael murmurs, wiping away more blood from the side of Simon's forehead.
"Is there something wrong with me?" The question seems to have bothered Raphael from the way he stopped, his brows pushed together as if trying to assess the answer.
"There's nothing wrong with you," Raphael replied, dropping the blood soaked cloth into the sink.
Simon looked down at himself and sighed. "There must be if they hate me."
Raphael turned his head to the side and looked at a spot of blood in Simon's hair. "They don't hate you, they're adjusting. Seems your wounds have healed completely, the bruises will linger for the next few hours, so you can take a shower, wash out the blood. I'll reprimand Gregory while you're at."
Simon nodded and slipped off the stool. After he left, Raphael washed his hands and headed off down the hall and found Gregory in his bedroom. For the next several minutes, he had a pleasant talk with Gregory and demoted him to a guard post around the hotel.
Simon later overheard Raphael talking with several of the vampires, he pressed his back against the wall and closed his eyes, twining his fingers together. He didn't want to make trouble with anyone, especially not Raphael. When the conversations ended, several of them muttering something about 'Raphael's special baby', in which Simon shuddered by what they insinuated and left the hall.
Several hours later, Simon emerged from his room, the bruises he got from Gregory were fading into blotchy yellow patches, but other than, it was alright. He spiked his hair up and was ready to head out for the night, possibly visit Clary.
Except before he could, he found himself standing in front of Gregory outside, the man was crossing his arms and sneering at him.
"You must be enjoying this," he said.
Simon wrinkled his nose, the cool air didn't do anything for the fear crawling over his skin. "I'm not enjoying anything."
Gregory shook his head and before Simon knew it, he was in front of him, shoving him hard across the pavement. When he landed, he groaned at a sharp burn and knew his clothes had torn at the impact.
"Since you've arrived, you have been nothing but Raphael's special vampire. He only seems to care about your damn wellbeing and ignores everyone else," Gregory growled, kicking Simon in the stomach.
Simon groaned, he knew a few of his ribs snapped and wondered when they'd heal. "Raphael cares. Damn it. The clan is the only thing he cares about, not just me."
Gregory reached down, dragging him to his feet and slamming him against the wall. "Don't make me laugh. He only cares about you, the clan is second best, while the rest of us are practically disposable."
"Is that how you feel?" Gregory stiffened and Simon squirmed in his grasp when he felt Gregory loosen his grip.
Gregory turned the second Simon scrambled away and his teeth gritted at the sight of Raphael.
Simon saw what Gregory always seemed to see whenever he looked at Raphael. Not a frightening leader, but someone who was sensitive and crafty, someone Simon knew he'd come across many times and was pushed over the edge by. What the vampire didn't know is that Raphael showed a different side and maybe that's what Gregory noticed when he saw Raphael with Simon.
This other part, words did not speak for what Raphael shown on his face. A young teenager, aged in time and completely vulnerable.
Simon sucked in a sliver of air and caught Raphael's attention.
"Go to my room, we'll speak there."
Simon did not disobey, he went without a word and left Raphael to speak with Gregory. Simon wondered if Raphael showed him the truth of his vulnerabilities. He was curious but he did not turn back, instead he slipped into Raphael's room and wandered over to the bed where he sat down.
He knew for sure Raphael was going to have a talk with him as well. So when half an hour past and Simon was getting a bit familiar with Raphael's bed; throwing his socks and jacket on the floor, ignoring the rip in his shirt.
Raphael walked in the second Simon rolled himself into a blanket burrito.
"What are you doing?"
Simon tried pushing him into a sitting position, but decided to lay on the bed and accept failure. "Waiting for you."
"On my bed, with my blankets?"
"Did you expect anything different?" Simon asked.
A soft sigh came from the other end of the room, followed by the sounds of the hangars on the clothes rack being moved around.
"Are you joining me?" Simon asked.
"Not exactly. I need to talk to you about Gregory."
Simon frowned and hoped Raphael could keep whatever they spoke about to himself. Knowing he wasn't going to get that, he rolled himself out of the blanket burrito and sat up.
"Oh."
Raphael had removed his jacket and was now just wearing a black shirt and baggy blue jeans. "Apparently I give you special treatment."
Simon shrugged, smiling to himself instead at Raphael's gloomy frown. "Not my fault."
"Gregory thinks otherwise."
"Did you ever think maybe he's just jealous?" Simon clenched his teeth, he avoided Raphael's gaze when he said this and decided not to look at him, knowing Raphael was smiling at what he just said.
"It came to mind," Raphael said, getting closer to Simon. "But I realized that they were right and I clarified that I won't be giving you any type of special treatment. You'll be getting the same punishments, but since this wasn't your fault on both accounts, you'll only get a warning."
Simon finally looked up at Raphael, brow raised. "You're not serious about that, right?"
Raphael snickered and leaned down, "I am."
Simon pouted and reached for Raphael's hands, in which Raphael was pulled on top of him. "It wasn't my fault that Gregory had some type of notion on why you always protected me. I blame you for making it too obvious."
Raphael rolled his eyes. "You make it too easy. You practically have a target on your back." He crawled off of Simon and grabbed the blankets.
"Like I said," Simon said, crawling after Raphael, grabbing his shoulder and pulling him back, only to press a chaste kiss on Raphael's lips and smiling. "Those guys are trying to make us come out."
"It's not a secret."
"They don't know that," Simon retorted.
Raphael shoved him back and began unbuckling his jeans. "Are you going out?"
Simon looked up, watching Raphael fumble with his belt. "Do you want me too? You look like you need help undressing."
Raphael glared at him. "You can leave if you want."
Simon leaned up onto his elbows. "I'll stay. No one out there I need anyway."
Raphael raised his brow, but instead of saying something snarky about a redhead shadow hunter, he leaned down and kissed Simon.
.
.
fin.
notes: I don't really know where this went, but oh wells. :D Another Saphael fic, yay. lol. Practically fluff, nothing more. I didn't want to add too much anyway.
Reviews are appreciated. No flames or bashing please.