Chapter 3

Robbie tumbled out of the tunnel awkwardly, landing on his face before picking himself up and dusting off with a sheepish grin. He went over to his workbench, dumping miscellaneous gadgets off the accompanying chair before dragging it over towards his armchair. Then he turned his head, watching for Jives to appear.

There wasn't a sound from the boy as he slid down the chute, but it wasn't from bravery; keeping his arms held close to his chest and his jaw clenched as the tube dropped more steeply than he expected, he didn't dare scream for fear of puking. When he finally shot out the bottom, he landed with a hard thunk on his backside, skidding for a few more feet as his bag clunked behind him. Finally coming to a rest, Jives just lay stiffly for a moment as his stomach settled before letting out a low groan.

Robbie chuckled, moving over and offering a hand to help the skinny teen to his feet. "Sorry. I forgot to warn you about that. Never had a visitor before, so there's never been a need."

He gulped, nodding weakly and slitting one eye open before grabbing a hold of Robbie's hand. "…th-thanks," he stammered thickly before rising to wobbly feet.

Nodding in reply, Robbie took a seat in his armchair, gesturing for the boy to take the other chair. Musing in silence, he tapped one hand absentmindedly on the fuzzy, orange arm while Jives staggered over to the offered seat, dumping his bag on the floor and sitting down with a sigh of relief. Leaning into the padded back of his armchair, Robbie seemed to have settled some sort of internal argument. "How far are you willing to go with this…favor of your? I ask only because I won't push you to go further than you feel… comfortable." His face twisted briefly into a pained expression, a flicker and no more.

Jives raised an eyebrow, looking a bit offended. "What, you thinkin' I'm gonna back out on you? I told you, man I owe you for this." One hand had moved down without thinking, touching the remote concealed in his front pocket. "I mean, I ain't gonna be killing anybody or anything… right?" he asked nervously, licking his lips and glancing over at the older man.

Laughing outright at the suggestion, Robbie waved one hand in dismissal. "No, nothing like that. It's more… when I caught you skulking about my billboards, I was just about to go hunting. It's getting too early in the morning now for me to make it all the way out to the field livestock pens and back without there being a chance of being observed or caught." Watching him carefully, his restlessly tapping hand suddenly stopped, clenching in the fur. "You get a chance to humiliate Pigtails, and I'm…well……hungry," he said quietly, looking slightly embarrassed.

Jives regarded him with a blank, uncomprehending stare. "You want me to… go get you some hamburgers? It'd prob'ly be quicker…" Rubbing at the back of his neck, he wondered what stores would even be open this late. And why's he going around hunting and dressing animals for dinner if he's so starved, man? "…or some bacon?"

Robbie blinked, turning to regard him with a frown. "…are you that daft?" he asked. "What did I just tell you in the alleyway?" He leaned forward in spite of himself, his height no less intimidating when he sat. "Both of Tricksie's little rumors were correct. As in two." He pushed two fingers forward, accenting the number.

His eyes widening as Robbie leaned forward, his mind reeled, anxiously trying to put together what Robbie was getting at and why hunting livestock would have anything to do with Trixie. "I…uh…um…huh?"

Robbie rubbed a hand across his face, obviously exasperated at the teen's slowness. "What did you tell me Trixie had said? The rumors that all the kids had started to believe?"

Fidgeting, Jives processed this in silence for a few second. When he finally looked up, the puzzled frown was still in place. "…that you're gay?" he queried, shrugging. "So? Who cares if you're que-…." Trailing off as his eyes widened, he almost squeaked, weakly making a bunch of illustrative, vaguely dirty gestures. "Waita minute, you d-don't want me to… t-to…"

A disgusted look raged across the other man's face. "No," he answered in a half-growl, shivering and looking away. "I'd never wish that sort of thing forced on another. I was talking about the other idea her juvenile mind had come up with."

Jives sighed in relief before he realized the man had prodded him for another answer. Processing for a few more seconds, he gave Robbie an incredulous look. "Wait…vampire? Like, as in, vhant to suck yor bhlood kinda vampire?" he asked, sticking his upper teeth over his lower lip and giving a half-hearted accent while hunching over and making creepy-grabby motions with his hands. "No way, man… aren't they suppose to, like, live in bogs and old castles and stuff…"

"…why would I want to live in a place like that? Wet," he muttered, lip curling slightly at the thought. "Contrary to what you hear, most of us live in cities. We're just very careful that nobody catches onto us. Or as few as possible."

Jives watched him steadily, waiting for him to start laughing and cue him in to the joke. "…….wait, you're serious? But what about living in coffins and all that stuff? And how d'you get food if the stores are…all…oh…"

Robbie smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring, disarming manner as the boy's eyes went wide. "That's why the cows. And no, I don't need to live in a coffin, though I do need to be careful how long I'm out in the sun." He shrugged bonelessly. "I could explain it all to you, sometime. Like I said before… nobody'd believe you if you told them."

Jives stared off into the distance as he tried to absorb it all. "I'm not sure I believe it, man. I mean, not that I think you're lyin' to me or nothin'," he added quickly, hands flying up in defense. "I mean… I always thought vampires were supposed to be, like, bog witches or Dracula or barrow wights or stuff like that. But you're, like… cool. I mean… ain't no way…" He glanced back over at him. "…really?"

Robbie returned the look with a flat, blatent stare. "Really," he rumbled. "Not everything is like the movies. I'm not some sort of saint or anything, but I'm a bit more complex than those silly children think I am. I don't sit down here, cackling madly and thinking up ways to endlessly torment them." He quirked a half-smile for a moment before he looked Jives over, his expression serious. "I'm not completely without morals, either. I will never make you do anything you don't wish to do." Sighing, he rested his head on one hand, expecting the boy to take the opening and back out on his offer. "If you want to leave and forget about all this, you can."

Jives sat back in the chair, considering everything and feeling slightly guilty for judging Robbie. The man had been nicer to him than anyone had in a long time… and it wasn't as though he had just jumped on him and started feeding. He's even giving me a choice, man. I don't know anyone who gives a choice to people they have it out for… Slowly shaking his head, he looked back up at Robbie and nodded. "No, it's… cool, man. Sorry I got all jumpy on ya. I've got your back, man. Seriously."

"…you're certain?" he asked once more, rising slowly from his armchair only to slide to his knees in front of the boy, putting them at eye-level.

Jives' expression was wrought with nervousness, his leg twitching with the tension, but he gulped and took a deep breath before nodding. "Yeah. I mean, you must not hafta kill me, if you're askin', right…?"

He smiled, looking oddly shy. "Of course not. Kindred rarely need that much blood, and most have a code of honor in place regarding that, anyways." He leaned forwards and slightly to one side, pausing inches away from the side of the boy's face, trying his best not to spook him. "It doesn't even hurt. Quite the opposite, really… but you'll have to trust me."

Jives tilted his head slightly, a million different thoughts about everything he'd ever heard or seen about undead racing through his head as he tried to ignore the pounding of his heart. Uh, man… He says trust him… not always like the movies… he's gonna bite me! Holding his breath, he trembled faintly just at having Robbie this close. He's not warm! I shoulda realized… "O-o-okay," he finally whispered before he had a chance to chicken out, clenching his hands into fists and trying to relax.

Robbie gazed at him intently, nodding ever so slightly. He reached up with one hand, gently cupping the boy's chin and tilting his head just so, baring a tempting expanse of neck. Gray eyes flickered over, making sure the boy was still certain before he slowly leaned forward, closing the gap and his lips across a vein like the lightest of kisses. Something harder than flesh scraped across the skin, and there was a slight prick of pain before everything flooded into mutual ecstasy and the kiss deepened. Jives gasped at the sting before the sound was swallowed up by the feelings that rushed through afterwards, his heart racing. His face flushed as he realized the full expanse of the reaction he was having, but he just didn't want to fight it. The teen gave in to the rush of sensations with a faint moan, his eyes closing and his fingers digging into the orange fur of Robbie's chair.

It was over all too soon, the feeling fading from a rush to a warm afterglow as Robbie began running his tongue over the marks in soft, smooth strokes. When he was done and the puncture wounds were sufficiently sealed and faded he leaned back, looking considerably more flushed and alive than the boy had seen him before. Jives, in turn, leaned back with a long exhaled breath, eyes still closed. He lowered his head and looked at Robbie with a mix of surprise, relief, longing, laughter, and shyness all at once. He gave a short, nervous laugh, still flushed and feeling lightheaded. "…w-wow…" Shifting as he realized just how much his body had reacted to the bite, he chuckled sheepishly, pulling his hoodie a bit lower and going even redder. "…s-sorry…"

"….what?" Robbie asked, looking more than a little distracted, one hand raised to his lips and a dreamlike expression writ across his features. He seemed to waver on his knees, finally giving way and sliding all the way down to the floor. "…what have you been eating? You tasted like… liquid candy," he murmured, voice dropping off to a whisper.

Jives blinked in surprise and pushed himself forward in the chair, reaching out a hand to the man's shoulder. "I just had some ice cream before I left the house… Rocky Road, with hot fudge and a brownie. Is that bad?" he asked, looking at Robbie in concern.

The vampire returned the worried gaze with a look full of longing. "Bad? No. That was glorious," he almost purred, a gleeful smile on his face. His face tilted up to look at Jives for once, combining with his smile to make him seem almost like an overgrown child. "Thank you…"

It took Jives a moment to realize that Robbie was feeling the same way he did. A broad smile flooded back to his face and he relaxed in his chair again, his eyes still on Robbie. " 'Glorious', huh… yeah, man, that was 'glorious'," he laughed. "Holy crap, man… is it always like that?"

Robbie chuckled in return, leaning back on his arms and returning the smile. "From what I can remember, yes. Though I don't remember it being quite that intense, not since it was me doing the feeding…" His expression sobered quickly after that, and he struggled back to his feet. "Which reminds me. Get extra protein in your diet over the next few days. It will help speed up the regeneration of lost blood and make things easier on your body." He smiled once again, though it was laced through with another emotion. "I didn't take very much, at any rate. You didn't seem like you had energy to spare in the first place."

Jives nodded after a moment, his smile dropping just a little bit. "I'm okay. I get a little tired, but it's not serious or nothing. I can do protein, though… sure thing." He looked up at Robbie curiously. "Do you need to eat like… normal people? I mean, three square meals? Or can you, like, skip meals and stuff?"

Robbie shook his head in reply. "I'm… unique in a way, I guess. I'm able to actually eat food if I want to… but it never goes anywhere." He colored slightly, looking down at his feet. "That's why I never bother eating anything except what I really love. If I don't enjoy it, it's not worth the bother of purging it later."

Jives blushed and mirrored Robbie's movements in the chair. "…and I guess the cows ain't getting' much chocolate, huh?" He absently rubbed at the back of his neck, gradually realizing that he didn't feel any marks. Feeling around carefully to see if he'd just missed them, an impressed half-smile played across his lips as he felt only smooth skin.

Robbie smirked. "One of the fun bits about vampire physiology. You can seal things up without a trace at the end," he chuckled. "You didn't think I was going to leave you looking suspiciously like someone's chew toy, did you?"

Jives only shrugged, still wearing his bemused grin. "How'm I supposed to know, man? Before now, I always thought vampires lived in swamps and coffins… That is awesome, though. How'd ya do that, man?"

He shrugged. "As far as I know, it's enzymes in the saliva. Works pretty well on both ends; fewer problems for the donor, and it's easier to stay hidden if there's no evidence." He crossed his arms again, looking down at the teen. "You're certain you're alright? It was a bit much to ask for in return for an altered scooter, I'm aware."

"I'm cool, Robbie. Never better. Whoa…" he mumbled, legs wavering and vision blacking as he stood up too fast. "No, man, this is… it ain't too much. You're actually letting me paint, and you rigged up some incredible stuff on that brat's scooter and gave me the remote instead of tripping it off yourself. You din't have to do any of that. It's the least I can do, man."

Robbie let the statement go without contest despite the fact his expression said otherwise, shrugging. "I know the feeling of an unappreciated artist. I also know what it's like to thirst for revenge and have no way of getting. I'm merely… doing what I wish would have been done for me, in a sense." He gave the boy a half-smile. "Not that I need to explain why when I suddenly feel generous. Just enjoy it." Eyes cool and serious once more, he suddenly went still, fixing Jives with a grim look. "Despite the fact that chances are high no one would ever believe you, even if you did tell them about this… I'd still prefer that you use a bit of caution and common sense. Unlife is difficult enough without further complications."

Jives nodded, fidgeting a bit under that gaze. "Not a word, man. I promise. Besides, why would I wanna rat you out?"

He shrugged again. "I wouldn't know. It's just… worrying to think about. Especially when I wonder if Tomboy just got lucky when making up dirt on the spot… or whether I've gotten careless."

"Oh." Jives frowned, pulling on the edge of his beanie. "Well, the way she was talkin' and stuff, I don't think she knows. She wasn't saying nothing about bites or things like that. She was, like, just making stupid jokes to scare Ziggy, tellin' him that you were gonna suck out his soul and stuff."

Robbie actually smirked at that. "Well, that's a relief. He glanced up distractedly at a mess of whirring cogs and metal wants that served as his clock. "…won't your parents worry if you aren't in the house by dawn?"

Jives just shrugged. "They ain't home. They're almost never home. Mom's always off in Tokyo, and Dad's in Cairo working on some new exhibit or another."

"Ah…" he trailed off, setting back down in his favorite chair. "Do you mind it? Being left alone, I mean."

"It kinda sucks sometimes… gets lonely and stuff. But then, I can take naps whenever and stay up as late as I want without anyone yelling at me, so it's kinda cool."

Robbie actually giggled at that before he could stop himself, his voice higher pitched and tinged with an odd, echoing effect again. He coughed and glared at Jives with one eyebrow raised, as if daring him to make some negative comment.

The teen raised both eyebrows and shrugged. "At least I can do my own laundry and cook and stuff. Most people are really surprised when they find out I can survive on my own." His eyes lost focus as an old memory tickled the back of his mind. "Although… most of 'em think I'm a stoner, too… Oh. Aw, man! No wonder he thought I was gonna set the house on fire…" he groaned, pulling his beanie over his eyes for a few moments in humiliation at the thought.

Robbie tilted his head quizzically. "What's wrong?" he asked, leaning forward to peer at his guest.

"Th' last time Obtuse was buggin' me… Well, he's never arrested me or nothin'. You know how he's so fond of giving those moral speeches about 'truth and justice' and all that, and he just goes on and on and on? I figured out that if you just sit through them, he doesn't do nothing. He thinks you've learned your lesson, pats you on the head, and sends you on your way. Anyways, last time he was talkin' to me, he stopped and started asking me if I was getting enough to eat, if I had money for groceries while my folks were gone… and then he started asking if I had a fire extinguisher and if the Fire Department was on the speed dial! What the hell, man? Just cuz I'm 17, I can't know how to cook?" he grumbled. "Jeez,now I see what Obtuse was getting at. Man, that's just…rude."

Robbie grinned. "Honestly, most males nowadays don't bother to learn until they get married. And sometimes not even then. People have it easy now, frozen this and that. Cardboard meals in cardboard boxes." He gave Jives a skeptical look. "Just what do you cook for yourself, anyways?"

He grinned sheepishly. "Well, I do make a pretty mean choco-butterscotch-vanilla chip brownie. Pretty good at making old-fashioned fudge, too. And red velvet cake, and cocoa soup… I mean, I can make pasta and barbeque and all that other stuff, but…" His smile grew impish around the corners. "Who's gonna tell me no when there ain't nobody there?"

A slow smile slid onto Robbie's face, leaving him grinning like an idiot. "I like the way you think, kid." Looking at the clock again, he grimaced. "Unfortunately, we're running short on time. Having someone observe you leaving would cause questions, so…" he paused, drumming fingers along the arm of the chair. "You either have to leave now, or stay quite a bit longer than you'd probably like. That's if no one goes looking for you," he added, frowning in thought.

Jives couldn't help yawning a little bit. "I gotcha. Naw, it's cool. It's summer vacation, so there's no school to worry about. I'd be at home sleeping all day anyways," he laughed, then looked questioningly over at Robbie. "I mean, is it okay with you? I don't wanna be intruding or anything."

Robbie flushed, obviously not expecting the boy to opt for the second choice. Drawing one hand through his hair, he gathered his thoughts. "That's… fine. Just… give me a few minutes to clear some things and find space for you. I don't exactly have things set up for visitors because I never expected to ever have any." Springing to his feet, he rushed over to the door just to the right and behind the catwalk, entering and beginning to dig through the junk inside. After a few minutes and a small amount of muffled cursing, he returned, throwing a violently purple down blanket to Jives. He jerked a finger in the direction of the door. "That's the best I can do under such short notice. Hopefully it'll be enough."

Jives looked up at him through half-lidded eyes. "Thanks, Robbie. Are you… sure? I just live next to the Sports Complex, right across from…. Oooh." He winced. "Pixel's house. Yeah, nevermind. Thanks. I appreciate it, Robbie." He unrolled the blanket, pulling it up across his chest, ready to fall asleep on the spot.

Robbie blinked I surprise, worry and fear filtering into his expression for a moment. Gods, not out here, not running loose! He could do anything before I'd wake up! "…I'm not going to make you sleep in the chair. I found a mattress in the storeroom. There," he pointed once again.

"…oh!" Jives nodded sleepily and got to his feet, walking over to the doorway. He paused as he reached it and turned. "Thanks. 'preciate it."

Robbie snorted, waving him off. "Just go. If you keep standing there, you can't blame me when you fall over on your face." Watching the boy enter the cluttered storeroom, listening intently to the small noises as he flopped onto the mattress and his vitals slowed as sleep claimed him, Robbie crept silently over. Taking a key out of a pocket, he closed and locked the storeroom, shivering and rubbing his arms as if he had a chill. Safe now, yes? Safe… Returning to the armchair, he leaned back, stretching out and closing his eyes. Almost instantly, he was asleep.

A/N - Again, just a warning to viewers that eventually content will surpass limit and the story's continuations will ONLY be available on its website. Things will also make more sense when viewed in the right (color) format, as chapters are on the website. I don't want to reveal yet why color is used, why it's so important, or what it signifies - that'd be giving the game away. XD

Please go to tasteofmadness dot 987mb dot com.