Hey everyone! Managed to crank out another little chapter, delving more into the conflict in this story...
I promise this will be M. Just a bit more, and we'll all make it to that point I swear. Kudos to the people who understand what TV series Gilbert is a huge fan of heehee
Chapter Three: Curse
Walking through the school halls with a look dead enough to make a cemetary look lively, Ivan pushed his way through the thronging masses of supernatural offspring, accidentally stepping on a naga's tail and shoving an indignant fairy aside as he tried to get through. It was Friday, and Fridays were always the worst.
Everyone made it a point to be even more loud and boisterous, eagerly shouting for their friends and making plans across the hall and running to get to all of the places they wanted to go. Everyone had a place to go, a thing to do, and a person to do all those things with.
It just served to remind Ivan of how tragically alone he truly was, how no one ever wanted to befriend a vamp just to hang out like all of the normal teenagers did. Was it too much to ask? A single friend for the sole benefit of having a friend to pass the days away with? Was it such a horrible thing he simply did not deserve…?
He shivered as his weak heart forced a sweet rush of blood to his cheeks, the color warming his face as he gently brought the shred of paper Alfred had given him. He rubbed the smooth surface slowly, the feeling exciting and intoxicating and calming all at once. He smoothed the paper gently, glad Alfred had scrawled the number in pen or else he would have smudged the code to happiness away…
Ivan shook his head, shuddering and banishing such treacherous thoughts from his mind, refusing in indulge in his newfound addiction. That fiendish beauty had hypnotized him, entranced him, made him nothing but a foolish toy! A shudder crawled up his spine as he shook his head again, crumpling the sheet of paper and hurriedly stuffing it into his pocket.
Oh, how he had tried so desperately to throw the tempting slip away! He had let it float innocently into the trash can in his home, but when he tried to walk away, he found himself drawn back to the bin and implored to remove the sole occupant. His body had moved on impulse, taking the paper back and cradling it like a cherished artifact in need of protection.
There was no way this was a spell.
This had to be a curse.
[-]
"Hey. Hey! I'm talking to you!" the obnoxious shouting persisted even as Ivan shouldered his way out into the bright sunlight, having to cover his eyes from the equally obnoxious light until his sensitive eyes recovered from the blinding flash.
And I am not speaking back, Ivan frowned as he tried to hustle away, that disgusting wolf pursuing him relentlessly. Eventually he grew tired of the demands for attention, whirling on his heel to confront the wolf.
What he did not expect was getting shoved roughly back against the school building. He grunted, shrugging and rolling his shoulder to offset the jolt of pain rippling from the area. "I'm talking to you, pal," that stupid wolf snarled, cutting off Ivan's growl before it could even leave his throat.
"And I really wish you weren't," Ivan hissed, shoving Gilbert back a few steps as he tried to carry on with his life. But again, Gilbert refused to leave him to his lonesome peace.
"Yeah well too bad," Gilbert prowled back up into Ivan's personal space, and even when their chest nearly touched, Ivan refused to be intimidated back a step. The wolf paused and then grabbed Ivan's scarf, yanking down on it. "Because I'm going to make you an offer you can't refuse."
Ivan almost wanted to laugh at the sheer stupidity of the fool. "Really?" he asked, rolling his eyes at the werewolf's reference. "What makes you so sure I will even consider any of your offers?"
"Because," Gilbert grinned, shoving Ivan against the wall again before rustling through his bag, pulling out an envelope. One of Ivan's slightly bushy eyebrows rose, a frown stretching his pale lips downwards. His jaw nearly hit the floor when he saw what was inside.
"You know, you should keep your ron-day vuuse a little more secret, bitch," the wolf sneered, slowly showing picture after picture of Alfred waiting on his doorstep, of him pulling Alfred into his house. "Don't want daddy seeing these, do you?"
"He-" Ivan breathed, eyes closing to block out this horrible nightmare. He opened them again, but no, the evidence still waving right under his nose. His feet stumbled backward before he could stop them, his hands coming up to snatch those vile images away, to shred and remembrance of Alfred ever smiling at him, seeing him, teasing him, touching him, everything. How dare that witch deceive him like this?! "He said he came alone…"
"Yeah, well," Gilbert blinked, as if not expecting Ivan to have said something like that. He yanked the criminalizing photographs away from Ivan's dumbly groping hands in the nick of time, smirking at the vampire. "Maybe you should think before you invite a fucking slut into your house."
A breathy pant exhaled from Ivan's lungs, his large frame shuddering as he hunched forward, a bizarre emotion filling his chest to it's breaking point, forced up his throat until he had to choke his fangs back to not let them appear. What was this rage? This blinding, black rage…? Why did an insult to that demon upset him so much? A shaking hand slowly came up to his mouth, the other clutching at his belly as he fought against this… this…
Bloodlust.
"Give them to me," he snarled, each word carefully and deliberately placed to minimize the air he wasted on speech. Gilbert's expression quirked as Ivan looked increasingly short of breath, his scarlet eyes regarding Ivan's shivering body coldly.
"As if," he huffed, hiding them away in his pocket as Ivan's knees bent weakly. He had half a mind to ask the nightcreature if he was alright, but he honestly didn't care too much about Ivan so he decided against it. "The only way these photos won't make it to the newspapers is if-"
"GIVE THEM TO ME!" Ivan practically screamed, his voice hoarse and dry and scratched as he tackled Gilbert, the wolf howling in surprise as the two hit the asphalt. They rolled and bumped a few feet as Ivan grabbed for Gilbert's throat, the wolf scratching for his eyes as they tussled.
"Get off!" Gilbert shouted, kicking and wriggling desperately as Ivan eventually pinned him down, the larger teenager using his size to his advantage. For a moment, Gilbert could only stare in horror as Ivan panted roughly over him, eyes feral and shoulders hunched threateningly. But Ivan refused to move, save to grip Gilbert's throat between bony pale hands and squeeze.
As Gilbert choked for air, Ivan marveled at how easily he summoned Gilbert's pulse to rise, the blood rushing so quickly just beyond his fingertips. His fangs slid out of his mouth before he could stop them, his body moving against his clouded judgment instinctually for that pulsating vein…
"NO!" Gilbert shrieked even as he strained fro air, scrambling weakly around himself with his arms as he thrashed underneath Ivan's heavy body. His hand connected with something, and right as Ivan bent to rip his throat open, he smashed the object over Ivan's head repeatedly until the vampire gave way.
Ivan's body sagged with a guttural noise, falling limply next to Gilbert as the wolf immediately rolled away, coughing painfully as he gulped in air. "What the fucking fuck…" he breathed in wonder, looking at the relatively small rock he had used to beat and knock the aggressive night creature out with. A little blood dribbled down from Ivan's temple as his fangs retreated back into his mouth, the vampire forcibly rolled onto his back when Gilbert wiggled completely out from under him.
Making a note to brag to Ludwig about the easy capture later, Gilbert stooped over Ivan and tried picking the unconscious vampire up, slinging Ivan's arm over his shoulder to drag him around more easily.
[-]
"Khhh," Ivan seethed out a strained breath, head throbbing in agony as he managed to open his eyes after what felt like years. His mind awash with pain and drowsiness, he couldn't even bring himself to try moving, save for curling his fingers to make sure they were still attached. He tried wetting his lips, finding them chapped and salty to taste.
Groaning weakly, he tried to rotate his sore neck, feeling choked and short of breath until…
"What-" he gasped, eyes bulging in horror when he struggled, finding something solid and tight around his neck, binding him to… "What the hell?!"
Ivan struggled, grabbing at what felt almost like a bicycle lock around his neck, pulling at it uselessly and only making his situation worse for himself. When yanking on the metal only choked him more he gave up, scrambling to attempt standing instead of sitting in hopes that the pole was low enough for him to slip out of.
Of course, the pole seemed to reach all the way to the ceiling.
"Well, look at that, bitch," an obnoxious voice spoke from behind him, and Ivan struggled to try shifting around to face that irritating animal. Gilbert laughed as he approached, smacking Ivan's cheek before the vampire could stop him. He redrew his hand quickly when Ivan snarled, just snickering at his captive. "Ya know, to be honest I didn't think that TV trick would work. But look! You're stuck now, bitch!"
"You will release me," Ivan warned, eyes dangerous with such a piercing glare that Ivan could hear Gilbert nervously gulp down his own saliva. But after a moment of watching the immobilized vampire, Gilbert simply howled with laughter, hunching over as he faced the source of his amusement.
"Nah, I got stuff I need ya for," he grinned, picking up an empty mason jar from a little table he had set up nearby, the top covered by an old rag with a rubber band keeping it in place. Ivan scowled, a shudder pinching in his shoulders before trembling down his spine, his weak heart pumping fresh blood through his body as his adrenaline rose. He tried backing up, the lock loosening only slightly around his neck as the pole dug uncomfortably into his back. "Open wide, bitch!"
"Nyet!" Ivan shouted, turning his head aside even as his sensitive skin caught against the lock. He pushed against Gilbert, a leg coming up to defend himself as best as he could. The wolf growled dangerously, obviously displeased that Ivan hadn't complied.
"Aw come on, I just need ya to gimme a little bite, right here," Gilbert sniggered, waving the clothed jar towards Ivan with the most devious grin. Ivan scowled, willing his fangs remain safely sheathed within their sockets. "It'll only take a sec, come on… I may even let you go afterwards."
"Nyet," Ivan hissed, and then stubbornly shut up, glowering at the annoying and perhaps just a little bit dangerous werewolf. Gilbert sighed, shaking his head with a mocking expression of false sadness smeared over his face as he slowly circled around Ivan.
"I really didn't want to do this, but you left me no choice, bitch," he cackled, and it took a moment too long for Ivan to realize Gilbert's intentions before the wolf gripped the flat side of the bicycle lock and jerked it back, thoroughly choking Ivan.
As the vampire sputtered and scrabbled for relief, Gilbert only laughed and pulled harder, waiting for Ivan's natural protective instincts to kick in. What limited air Ivan managed to swallow came out in choking gurgles as his knees buckled and his body screamed for another too-small breath.
Despite everything Ivan tried to do, he could feel his fangs poking out of their little slits, slowly exposing themselves even when Ivan's lingering fight tried to keep them safe inside. Gilbert seized his chance, jamming the lousy contraption roughly onto Ivan's fangs and partway into his mouth.
The vampire could feel something at the back of his fangs rupture, instantly identifying it as the fragile, tiny veins responsible for delivering venom into prey. Gilbert released the lock, Ivan's nose instantly flaring as he inhaled as much as he could, the jar forced in his obstructing the task. As the vampire sagged and was forced to leak his precious toxins into the jar, the cloth continued to rub against his fang, mostly destroying the virginal coating that covered his inexperienced fangs. He could feel his blood seeping onto the cloth, his vein torn and bleeding profusely as Gilbert refused to take the jar away, waiting until perhaps the whole bottom of the three inch diameter jar was covered in a glistening layer of venom.
"Thanks, bitch," the wolf sneered, ripping the jar away and perhaps on purpose making it clack and scrape against Ivan's bottom teeth when he removed it. Left unsupported and weakened, Ivan slid heavily against the pole, pooling at the bottom in a crumpled and distorted bile of bones and tissue. Gilbert laughed, kicking Ivan with his boot just for the fun of it as the vampire's venom-laced blood dribbled down his chin to splatter onto his shirt. "I'll run a few tests with this, and be back for more… If you need to go to the little monster's room, tough shit bitch, you deserved this."
Ivan couldn't even smudge away the spit Gilbert spat into his hair, defeated and vulnerable when the wolf left up a flight of stairs back to the rest of the world.
This most definitely was a curse.
uwu ahhhh whatever will happen to poor Ivan? please leave me a quick 1-5 rating to tell me how I did! Criticism and lots of feedback are positively correlated to more frequent and higher-quality chapters after all!
And for those of you wondering, I intend on updating Sunflower Man next, no I have not forgotten about that story uwu