The whole house was still asleep when Vishous entered the underground corridor not fully decided where exactly was his next stop. It could lead him anywhere, he didn´t care that much, so far it wasn´t too close to the Pit. During the night a lot of things actually happened in his head, few of them too real to just let go of him so easily. They were hunting him even now as he walked with his boots making almost no sound.
He wasn´t afraid… No
He just didn´t want to meet Butch at the moment or when he´ll wake up and realize that not kicking V´s ass yesterday was a huge mistake. He had his issues, but he wasn´t that kind of masochist, no hell…

There were few options what to do to avoid his cop, if not forever, maybe at least until their patrol tonight. Unexpectedly he liked the idea of starting a good morning argue with Manello much more than going to the gym or his small laboratory. They hadn´t quite ended the last one either thanks to Butch.
Here we go. Make the mood.
Forget. Forget. Forget.

Vishous stopped at the office door, but didn´t go in as he saw doctor Badass lying with his head on the desk and computer running some data he was surely working on till his brain realized he is a fucking human and decided to make him pass out for some time. Good choice. Maybe there are some useful cells in that head of his after all.
Vishous backed off despite many silly things, which were right now running through his mind and instead entered the next-door room with a patient who was about to become their new backup in a few days. What the hell are you planning dear mother?

The man´s eyes were shut and he didn´t seem to be awake, when V took his medic card and searched for information.
"Healing good…" he murmured under his nose, at the same time preparing a syringe with some painkillers and antibiotic. Next thing he pulled it into man´s IV without looking at his face, gaze locked on his arm instead. That was probably the reason, why he didn´t catch a moment as man´s eyes flicked open without a little recognition who was standing next to him and what was that person doing.
"Hey!" Vishous almost dropped the fucking thing as the man´s other hand landed on his with a deadly squeeze.
"It´s me. I´m giving you meds. Calm down."
They were looking at each other for a long time without any progress happening.
"Man, you have to let go of my hand. Now. Or you gonna lose yours."
After that statement, man finally blinked… little confused, his jaw tightening hard as he slowly removed his hand and laid it back on the bed.
"Sorry," he said with a harsh voice, then he coughed to clear it.
"No need to apologize, just don´t do it again. I´m not a very touchy type."

For the first time he took a better look at the man he saved. His hair was middle length ending a little above his shoulders and black just as V´s. He was built like any of the brothers with a face of glymera´s finest, but still something about him was different. Something very disturbing. Vishous couldn´t read his mind no matter how hard he tried and that was alone good enough to be aware of the person.
"What´s about the knife?"
Vishous nodded towards the small table with a glass of water and piece of really sad weapon on it.
"Is that the one you killed those lessers with?"
"Yes," answered the man looking at the same spot as V, "it helped me. I would be dead if it´s not that knife."
"You will need a better one in the streets."
"Yes, indeed."
"I can get you one," Vishous uttered the words amazed by finding a sudden solution of his Butch problem in something so simple. Get into workshop, get a bottle of vodka and his hands on something - that could keep his mind busy for some time.

He checked the man´s vitals and returned everything on its original place.
"If you´ll need something, you have to yell loud, your doc is snoozing on his desk."

OOO

Butch didn´t know why he expected that hangovers will be a lot of easier when you´re a vampire… They weren´t. He had woken up with an urgent feeling to cut off his arms, so he won´t get that drunk ever again or more likely his head. Still it seemed he had no fucking brain in it.
He knew pretty damn well how bets with Vishous always ended...
He suddenly froze in the place he stood remembering what exactly had happened last night. His fingers automatically touched his lips.
Fuck.
Vishous kissed him.
He kissed Vishous.
They were both kissing and if he remembered correctly, he liked it. Few seconds passed and he found himself lost in the memory.

He entered the bathroom to wash his face a little but ended up with a hot shower instead. He took his time, not really hurying anywhere not even to think about what happened. While being in there he didn´t feel any presence in the Pit and that calmed him down. But it last only a moment - until he got out and just in the time, when he started to feel sick. He was kneeling beside the toilet, when somewhere behind him he heard a small click of door opening and hard steps taken towards the bathroom. Despite that V didn´t go in respecting Butch´s privacy, he knew that he was there keeping an eye on him.
"Why aren´t you never like this?" asked Butch feeling a little bit better after he took some time only breathing and steadying himself. He didn´t feel akward. Not after puking and not after yestarday. He just couldn´t feel that way around Vishous.
"Like I said, it´s just about practicing."
He really said that… yesterday…
Butch stood up. Ok, now or never. And better now than never.
"Are we going to talk about it?" Of course, not on the fucking toilet.
Vishous wasn´t really looking at him as he ran with his fingers through his dark hair, but Butch´s eyes stayed focused on that small gesture unable to look away.
"We don´t have to. We can just…"
"What? Forget?"

Butch came a little closer, so V had to look at him or made a distance between them. He took the first option.
"Yes."
Ok, it wasn´t the truth he didn´t think at all in the shower. Actually he was thinking a lot before V had appeared even when he didn´t really want to and that meant he was in some way sure about things he was going to say, or at least so sure how can a straight man who kissed another man can feel. He took a deep breath.

"That´s the thing… I don´t know if I want to forget."
V was gazing at him so intensively that he could as well burn a hole in Butch´s head.
"I mean… I don´t know… I´ve never was in such situation. But there is one thing I´m sure about. Yesterday I wanted it to happen. It wasn´t just you."
V looked like he finally started to understand what was Butch trying to say so far. His hard face, which appeared every time he tried to cover his true emotions, was now filled with something cop couldn't quite analyze, but he liked the sight.

"I liked it. I know, I´m kinda confused right now, but we don´t have to act like nothing happened. Just take it slowly, ok? See, where it´ll come. I don´t know man, I´m so fucked up… I don´t really know… I don´t want to destroy our friendship or..."
"Butch," something in V´s voice sounded like he was on the edge with nerves, "you were drunk."
"So were you. Do you want to forget it? Because if you think it was a mistake, I won´t…"
"Hell, no."
Butch took another deep breath in.
"Ok. So there is no need to avoid each other or feel awkward or whatever… True?" Because he wasn´t. Till now.
"What about Marissa?"
Oh.

"Look, she left me. I doubt she will come back now, when she is finally happy with her new life. I think I´m over it. Is that enough?"
"Yes."

They were standing like this for some time without any words. For Butch it was like he said everything and nothing more was coming to his mind, but still turning away felt like bad idea for some reason. He accidentaly dropped his gaze to Vishous feet.
"What about the bag? Are you moving out?" he asked trying for a teasing tone - the one, which should have lightened an atmosphere between them, except one thing. It didn´t. Because as the question was out it felt like he hit the target.
"It is just some stuff I need for work. I thought you were still asleep, so I decided to make some good weapon for the new guy… He´ll need something in the streets anyway…"
Suddenly Butch remembered his own dagger on the nightstand. The most precious work he´s ever saw. He felt the urgent need to thank the brother once again for such a gift, but didn´t want to make him feel uncomfortable. He decided not to, but something close to relief could be seen on his face.
"Ok, don´t forget to show me, when you´re done."
V grabbed the bag with his gloved hand.
"Sure. You´re good?"
Butch gazed at him like idiot.
No, damn, I´m not good. I was never so confused in my life. You´re presence is overwhelming.
I need…
I don ´t know what I need.

And then suddenly he figured the secret meaning behind that question, which wasn´t so secret at all.
"Oh, yeah, I don´t think I´m going to puke any time soon, you´re completely free to do your thing."
V looked like he knew exactly what was going on in cop´s head using his mindreading skills or not, he just knew.
He smiled.
And it was that kind of smile telling don´t worry, we´ll figure this out, like we always do.

OOO

In the Underground Mannelo stood behind his desk looking for papers he carelessly dropped there last night, when the pair of small hands landed on his waist.
"Hello, doctor. I need an examination, I am feeling a little bit cold. Dou you think it is serious?"
Manello´s lips formed a smile before he turned around, embracing an intruder with his arms.
"I think it can be serious, if someone won´t take care of this problem immediately." Despite his obvious exhaustion he tried to sound like he is full of strength to play a little game with his woman. He hadn´t seen her much lately. Always at work with her on the other side helping in Safe Houses. He liked when she surprised him like this.
"I think it is getting better. You are really a professional."
"Well, I know few things."
Mannelo kissed her softly. Feeling her lips on his, her skin under his touch, it was all he needed to know what heaven looks like.
"Thank you," he uttered without thinking.
"For what?" she laughed.
"Don´t know… For being with me?"
Her eyes were shining so brightly, he had no chance to look away.
"Fool," was the only thing she said.

They were kissing again, slowly like tasting something they didn´t have for a long time. Finally when they broke apart, they both sat on the table talking about common things like brothers, work, food, evening plans… It took some time, all ending with Manny´s new patient. He couldn´t fight away the feeling that Payne looked upset for some reason, when Manny mentioned his fast healing progress.
"Yeah, today he was even able to walk by his own. Now the hard part begins… You know what is it like to keep any of those men in bed, when they once know they aren´t going to die any time soon."
He paused.
"What´s going on?"
Payne avoided his gaze, but couldn't escape his arms.
"What is it? Tell me," he asked.
"It is really nothing."
"No, come on. Trust me, ok?"
How could I not?
"You know I want to fight with brothers. They don´t need a stranger by their side. They need me."

Manello didn´t want to act all protectively as he soo often did, he tried to calm himself down first. Then talk. But they both knew his opinion on that matter.
"You know you are not in the state to fight… not yet," he added quickly when he saw a frown at her face. "Even if those attacks you have weren´t so bad, Wrath would not allow it, Vishous as well…"
"To hell with them," she cried out, "to hell with them all."
"Come on, you don´t mean this."
"I do." I do not.

Payne was frustrated and angry mostly on herself and her weakness. She wanted Manny to support her as her hellren, not protect her as a doctor. She got the point. But that didn´t mean she had to agree with it.
Her mother sent a warrior to help.
Her mother doesn´t do good deeds for free.
The dark thoughts made her look over Manny´s shoulder to an open door of the patient´s room.
Who the hell is that man?

OOO

Bloodletter was listening to a speaking doggen named Fritz, nodding time to time, when there was a sign requested whether he understood or not. He already knew every important information about the house, security and people living in the mansion. Doggen was patiently explaining whatever he wanted to know. And he asked. A lot. Then his doctor came in an usual hour to check up on him. But he wasn´t in the mood. They spoke a little words about his condition and progress and he got a free pass to move around the room and corridor.

This was a good change for once. He kept it slow as he was said. He went for a walk two times. While the second one he managed to get at the end of the corridor without feeling much pain in his chest. He paused there in front of the locked door, breathing in and out, relaxing and then turned back. Hell, he had had worse injuries than that...

Bloodletter thought he was alone maybe except the doctor in his office, mostly because there was always silence in his room. However he learned otherwise when he suddenly heard a noise in the distance – voices as he found out few minutes later. He stopped in front of the slightly open double door. Someone in was laughing.
"Hey, Butch, come on, kick him harder. You´re too soft!"
"V, watch your shoulder."
"Come on!"
The shouts echoed in the huge room clearly designed for exercising. No one seemed to notice a newcomer as they all were watching the fight on the ground. There was a small circle of vampires. From what he remember he could tell the man standing on the left - bare-headed with a scar visible on his face was Zsadist, the son of Ahgony. He was frowning and his eyes were dark as night. By his side stood Phury, his brother. His hair made Bloodletter think about words as beautiful and amazing, no way suitable for describing a hard built warrior.
Beside them there was Rhage son of Tohrture, the big blond statue, grinning and showing his white teeth. He was making quick gestures with his hands and the most shouting came from his own mouth.
"You punch like a girl, cop."
He heard a voice from the ball of limbs on the ground and immediately knew who it belonged to. It looked like a fight was made between his son and another vampire. They were vanishing and reappearing depending on the moving bodies around them. Hard sounds of punching, choking and kicking were filling the room with encouraging voices supporting sometimes Vishous another time the other vampire.
"V, you´re not giving yourself in completely," shouted vampire pinning Vishous on the ground with a knee.
"You want that cop?" came an answer, "well, here you are."

With a one quick perfect move Vishous threw the vampire off him and replaced himself in the same position only now sitting on the top of the vampire´s chest making him gasping for air like a drowning man. Somehow he managed to free his left hand and hit Vishous right in the face immediately after that. He gained some important seconds, while was his opponent recovering from the unexpected strike and it helped him to fully free himself from under the heavy body.
They were both standing on their feets only to end on the ground again a moment later. Vishous used a choke hold on the vampire´s neck and it seemed this would be the end of the fight. The man´s skin turned instantly pale. He was trying to use his hands firstly to push away an arm around his neck, but then realizing it was pointless trying to get hold of Vishous´s face. But he didn´t.
"It´s over Butch, give it up now," advised him a blond male.
"Give it up," joined Vishous not easing his hold.
"Butch, don´t be stubborn, come on… You know it´s over. You are still bett… Cop? Cop! V, stop! He´s out."
In the flash Vishous let go of man´s body laying his unconscious form carefully on the ground.
"Butch," he bended over him slapping his cheek softly, "wake up, buddy."
Bloodletter couldn´t see whether the man opened his eyes after hearing this or not, but he assumed he did, because of quiet teasing "idiot" escaping his son´s mouth.
"Did I win?" his strained voice started one round of laughs.
"Yes, cop. You did win your own way," spoke up the big hairy guy, "he wouldn´t get off of us if we passed out."
Bloodletter saw them again on the ground this time smiling and helping each other up. He didn´t quite noticed Zsadist making holes in his head with those dark fury eyes in meantime. And when he did, he saw there one simple question he couldn´t answer.
. . .HERE.