Thank you everyone who is following this, especially to those who reviewed. If I have gushed a few replies forgive me. I LOVE YOU ALL! I know spelling and grammar leave much to be desired, I don't check through as much as I should. My apologises, please bare with it for my beta reader has disappeared, Ivan's doing probably.
I'm back from Scotland, wonderful place. My accent however gave me away, in the pubs, on the train...restaurants. A tad too English XD
Enough of me, on with the story!
Song: Skyfall
Artist: Adele
Let the sky fall, when it crumbles
We will stand tall
Face it all together
At skyfall
Like many a common folk Arthur was used to waking up alone. Opening his eyes, yawning and accommodating stiff limbs with a large stretch. However this time was different, something was off. In the void of his dreams a thought nagged, a sweet sensation that was unfamiliar. Pulled from darkness Arthur focused, brilliant green eyes blinking to clear the blur. Cool lips pressed gently to his own.
Sitting back on the bed Alfred smiled warmly, "good evening eyebrows."
Sitting up slowly the Briton struggled to wake properly, the insult only half registering. Alfred sat there, fine and fit as always, fixing his jacket about himself before smilingly knowingly. Arthur watched, momentarily mesmerized by the simple act. Titling his head he groggily observed a simple thought, "you're dressed..."
Leaning across Alfred pressed a kiss to Arthur's ear, smirking with a whisper. "Yes, but you're not."
Stiffening a jolt Arthur recoiled, staring comically at the American before checking himself, sheets pooling at his waist, no clothes present.
"Oh God."
"Now Arthur don't go freaking out. You remember last night..."
"Oh my God!"
"Look," grabbing Arthur's hands Alfred drew full focus, "I know you are the type to get embarrassed, deny everything and probably go on a rampage but just listen. Everything is fine, just try and be honest and relax." Stroking blond bangs the vampire stood, "I'll go get you a glass of water, just stay here."
Watching Alfred leave the room Arthur threw his head into his hands, peering through his fine fingers he looked himself over. Pink and blues, little bruises left by the vampires kisses. The slight ache lower down, there was no doubt, it happened.
Alfred had been at the door, glass in hand, watching, his expression unreadable. "I won't come near you...if you don't want me to." Arthur watched mutely as the immortal fell into open turmoil. "But after last night...I kinda assumed... do you regret last night...with me then?"
"Last night," Arthur whispered tensely, his blush literally burning him. A scowl marking his nervous features, "stupid, of course I don't regret it. I'm just- it's not...can I have that glass of water?" Making a quick gesture to the glass then himself Arthur waited, Alfred nodding and making his way over. Standing at the bedside and offering the condensing glass with a downcast attitude.
"Of for heavens sake!" Taking the glass Arthur sat it on the side table, snatching the immortals hand and pulling him down to sit. "I'm just embarrassed Jones! Take the bloody hint already."
"Embarrassed?"
"Yes, it just feels weird and..."
Alfred smiled, purring, "annnd?"
"Uncomfortable," Arthur finished lamely, staring off to his side, still red.
The vampire let loose a laugh, "you're sore!"
"Shut up and get out, I'm not dressed."
Tugging down the sheets down with ease Alfred moved closer, "it's nothing I haven't already seen."
Clinging to them in horror Arthur shrieked, "stop that! It's uncivilised!"
Flopping over Alfred fell onto Arthur, laughing heartily as the vampire hunter fell also. Back to the sheets, once again lying in bed. Cuddling Arthur Alfred grinned, "I'm so happy I could die!"
"You are dead, now get off."
...
An half hour later Alfred had coxed Arthur out of the castle. They were currently walking along a long dirt road, darkness ever present in the surrounding terrain of fields and markers.
"I don't believe you, I was drunk!"
"Such a lie! You said yourself you were fine," Alfred countered, staring sourly back at his ungrateful lover. "I wasn't taking advantage so don't start accusing me of any of that shit."
"Vampire trickery," Arthur muttered bitterly, casting a nasty scowl the Americans way. "And quit being so bloody pleased with yourself!"
"Arthur please don't tell me the only time you are honest and sweet in when we have sex because I think we should go again right now if that's the case."
"Oh belt up would you," dragging his boots slower Arthur made the effort to look up once more. "I just can't believe it."
"It was good though right?" Alfred asked pointedly, an edge of concern creeping in, "I mean like you were enjoying it and everything last night. I mean you defiantly liked the part where-"
"Alfred!"
"What?"
"For the love of God stop talking about it! And don't bloody well recite it like that either."
Rolling his aqua eyes Alfred shook his head traumatically, "if anyone should be embarrassed it's me. I slept with you a vampire hunter. Do you have any idea how wrong that is?"
"Yes and you said you didn't care."
"I don't."
"Then what are you going on about it for?"
"You like to argue, I was giving you some fresh material."
"That's it we are done," pointing out straight ahead of himself Arthur continued. "You head on that way, I'm going this way." Throwing his hands up he gestured with his thumb backwards, "away from you!"
Standing perfectly still like a watchful saint Alfred stared, his face registering only a hint of expression. "I won't talk about it any more if it bothers you that much."
Arthur hesitated, his lips drawing thin.
"Just understand," Alfred frowned, "that sometimes you are hard to talk to, the way you are reacting...I'm not convinced it's all embarrassment. What I mean is...you make it sound like you regret it." Holding a serious look the vampire shrugged freely, "I don't like that."
Struggling Arthur jerked his limbs in a useless gesture, finally folding his arms with a sigh. "Sorry."
Smiling brightly Alfred cast his leather clad hand out, "Right, so holding my hand is no big deal?"
Taking it Arthur looked to the road ahead, ignoring the fanged grinning face meters away. "Where is this place anyway? Looks just like endless fields."
Laughing Alfred pulled Arthur into a paced walk, "patience is a virtue!"
"I fear subtly is lost upon you."
"You shouldn't worry about it so much," Alfred mused as he added and extra kick to his step. "Being shy I mean, it's fine, everyone is at first. I wasn't so shy though. Back when I was human and living on the farm I was fooling around with the pretty village girls before I was sixteen."
"Goodie for you," Arthur countered drily. "Pretty village girls? Did you love them? How many experiences did you indulge in exactly?"
"I really can't remember," the American shrugged, "most of them I guess. It wasn't love, we were just kids having fun. They were pretty and I was young, it was enough."
Arthur laughed, "so you're a tart!"
"Was, past content but not a tart I just got around a bit."
"Which would make you a tart, " Arthur finished proudly. Feeling the victory was indeed his.
"Oh whatever! It was a great life! Living and breathing, taking naps in the sun, golden wheat fields as far as the eye could see."
Arthur paused, taking a long quiet breath, his hand going limp, "Alfred...can I ask...how exactly did you die? What went so horribly wrong?"
The vampire smiled, clicking his tongue, "a mistake on my part, back then I figured there was nothing to fear. That no one could beat me in anything, well that assumption sure turned out wrong." Laughing again, Alfred tugged Arthur into an easy pace again, feeling warm fingers tighten around his. "Do you really want to know? I mean it's not important and as you probably can guess it's not exactly the nicest of 'what happened to me' stories."
"I know that, it's just hard to imagine you as you were then and as you are now. It seems as though you were entirely happy as a human, so young..."
Loosening his grip Alfred instead threw his arm around the vampire hunter, "now I am young forever Arthur! Don't dwell on that stuff if it's going to keep that sour look on your face."
"So you won't tell me then?"
"Oh jeez," face falling into a slight frown Alfred looked ahead into the darkness. "Fine, you want to know...so lets see..I think I had fallen asleep, yeah that was it! About a mile from the farm and home, I woke up around sunset. I was in no hurry, in the middle of nowhere...lazily I made my way back, stopping now and then to observe the stars." He paused glancing warmly at Arthur, "you know how I like stars, anyway I remember getting this odd feeling, like maybe I was being watched. I'd felt it before, very rarely understand but it was stronger, the sensation, I was so sure. I did a whole heroic speech about how lame it was to prank a guy like that but nothing happened for ages so I went on, hurrying in my own doubt. It was way creepy! And then it happened, I reached up to climb over the gate and bam!" smacking his hands together Alfred's eyes glowed, Arthur jumping at the sudden action. "Next thing I knew I was in agony on the floor, being crushed it seemed, something ripping violently at my neck."
Finding Arthur's wide eyes Alfred softened his tone, "I thought it was an animal or something, something not human anyway, not that I was doing much thinking..." glancing away again he continued slowly, "I'm not gonna lie, it hurt, it hurt like nothing has ever hurt me. He was cruel, I could hardly tell at the time but my bones were broken, the more I struggled the more he thrived, finally things went dark, it was a relief actually...hurt to breath, it hurt to be." Sighing Alfred's eyes glazed over, almost reliving the moment, "I didn't die...I don't really remember how it happened, in my state of half death he must have forced the blood beyond my lips, I never accepted it willingly in my mind, I know that much."
Seeing the imploring look Arthur gave him Alfred smiled slightly, brushing the back of his hand affectionately down a familiar face. "From that night on and every night since I've been a vampire. Arthur...it's okay, you don't have to grieve for me, I did enough of that already."
"I hate him,"
"What?"
Lowering his head further Arthur shook his head, " I said I hate him. The one who made you...what an awful creature."
"Yea he's such a bastard!"
"How can you joke?" Arthur hissed, pulling his hand away and clenching it. "It's not funny Alfred, what happened to you is not at all funny!"
Sympathising Alfred leant down, trying to see a flushed face, "I never said it was. Why are you so angry?"
"I can't stand the thought of someone doing that to you," Arthur muttered, stepping back silently. "To die in such a way, that it really happened to you. God it's monstrous!"
Placing a cool kiss to butter blonde bangs Alfred mused, "God's got nothing to do with it."
"But-"
"Nope," placing his hand over warm lips Alfred smiled apolitically, "no more of that! Lets not waste the night on it. Look around us, recognise it?"
Arthur took a stumble as his mind raced, glancing about he looked back to the immortal. "It's my home town."
"Yes is is!" Alfred replied, instant glee lighting up his handsome features. "I checked it out earlier, when you were still asleep I mean. It's totally safe so for tonight, it can be ours."
He could too easily imagine the young blonde with feverish life and love inside him. Running through the valleys laughing, living a simple yet happy life, bathing in the sun. The sun that would have suited those beautiful sky blue eyes perfectly.
Instead the nineteen year old stood firm and haunting in the moonlight, forever the ageless one. The vampire with dusty, wild blonde hair, the sculptured pale face and the strong, alluring and accented voice matched with that inevitable presence of the dammed. The very same vampire who tore away Arthur's routine, who shouted love and smiled in blood. And his eyes, those amazing eyes, ones that promised the impossible, the adventure and mischievous endeavour, ones that could reflect the entire worlds sorrow within a flash.
The American vampire, Alfred F Jones.
"Is this supposed to be a nice trip down memory lane then?" Arthur muttered dryly, his eyes moving over the shadows and areas of familiarity.
"No, not really. I just thought after all this time that you'd enjoy coming back."
Not bothering to challenge the immortal blonde Arthur nodded in silence, it was nice to be back. "It's been so long...I had resined my self to never seeing it again."
"I'm sorry."
"Ah no," squeezing Alfred's hand Arthur shook his head, "I didn't mean to say it like that exactly...it's not important now." Letting off a quiet laugh he shrugged, "it was forever ago I chased you down this very street swearing my lungs out."
"Good times," Alfred joked, his fangs showing in his widening smile. "I watched you here, said things to make you mad. But-" looking up to the darkened steeple in the distance he continued, "it was at the church, when I first held you properly in my arms."
Following Alfred's gaze Arthur took a slow breath, remembering, "I didn't find it all that romantic actually."
"I knew, I never cared," Alfred chuckled, "you were my bitter-sweet Valentine Arthur. Mine and mine alone, willing or unwilling. I'd decided."
"I never knew that and that's insane," Arthur conjected sternly, frowning at the infectious smile on fine lips. "If I knew that at the time I would have defiantly cursed your immortal soul."
Rolling his fantastic eyes Alfred pulled Arthur along the road, again finding it funny. "Such things you say!"
...
"My house..." Arthur stood at his front gate, deadly still and horrified. "What the fuck happened to my garden!?"
"Ahhh well...I could explain but trust me it'd totally ruin the night. I'll tell you about it later and only then."
His green eyes narrowed Arthur tried to read any weakness, not finding it he resined himself. "Fine, if the insides worse you better tell me now though."
"I haven't been inside since...well you know."
Staring placidly Arthur moved along the path, silently muttering about his precious garden.
Alfred watched with a smile as Arthur wondered about his neglected garden muttering about careless vampires. The town seemed quiet, it was safe. Despite not being quite as perceptive as Kiku Alfred had made extra effort to check the entire town before allowing Arthur near it.
"Alfred, I'm going inside now."
Snapping back to reality the American nodded mutely, watching Arthur pass the threshold into the darkness.
Sighing he scuffed the dirt. "Well come on then, come inside already. You are acting like a child."
Alfred bounded up to the door, "seriously you'll let me inside?"
Lighting the house lamps Arthur called through, "that's usually what an invite means, yes."
Smiling Alfred laughed, moving across the door with a calm appreciation. Last time he never savoured it. Last time he wasn't invited willingly.
"Bloody hell, the place is is mess!" acknowledging Alfred's presence Arthur sidestepped overturned furniture. "Was the fight really that bad? I can't recall...it happened so fast."
Looking about at the living room Alfred felt a twinge of guilt, his own memory very vividly replaying the scenes of that night. "It started in the hallway, you were waiting for me. I came at you and we ended up in here. You got in a few good moves. I grabbed you, threw you across and out of the room to the stairs. You lost your weapons when you hit the wall. I kicked them away. You ran upstairs, before you got your weapons I got you."
Smiling slightly Alfred knelt and picked up a fallen book. It's spine torn and bent. "Sorry."
"That's quite a story, probably a good thing I don't remember so well." Taking steps towards the vampire Arthur took the book offered, running his hand over it affectionately. "It's in the past. It's different now. Though I have to clean this up. Get a few things like clothes and books."
"I'll help since ya know it was kinda my fault. And I don't mind carrying you and a ton of books back. I'm super strong and I owe you, whatever you want."
...
They had been cleaning for hours or as Alfred had put it 'for freaking ever.' Arthur finally slightly satisfied with it all, he headed up stairs lastly, figuring it would be the least catastrophic.
"Oh!" Alfred exclaimed, pointing excitedly, "that's your bed!"
Not understanding the excitement Arthur answered, "yes, it is. Fascinating isn't it?"
"You bet!"
Before he knew it Alfred had dived upon his bed like prey, messing up the sheets by rolling around like a man utterly possessed.
"What on earth do you think you're doing?"
Stopping his rolling Alfred sat up on his elbows, smiling subtly, "I've always wanted to be on this bed! I fantasied about it some nights when I watched you sleeping. I used to think 'if only I could lie next to him, wouldn't he be surprised.' Course at that time I had a more violent feeling towards you, if I had managed it I would have probably jumped you, had my way, fed from you and killed you slowly for fun."
Choosing his words Arthur felt his lips fall into a thin frown, "you know sometimes it is better not to say your entire thought process out loud. How you can even say that with such a stupid smile on your face. Honestly, what would you think if you were me and I was you?"
"I'd think damn there's a sexy ass vampire on my bed, I hope he has his way with me right now. If I'm totally lucky."
Emerald eyes narrowing Arthur drawled, "exactly the response I was hoping to hear, you sensitivity astounds me Alfred."
"Oh come on," Alfred whined, "like you've never had an indecent thought about a vampire."
"It's rather hard when fighting for ones life," Arthur joked, letting seriousness slip out of his tone. "Besides it didn't matter if you and Francis were attractive like most vampires, you both deeply pissed me off. And when I received your combined little love notes I was sure you both were the most ridiculous idiots I'd ever had the misfortune to run into. Spying on me though, that was flat out disturbing."
"No it's not, it's just something we do when we are interested in someone."
"So stalking is romantic intention to vampires?" Arthur questioned genially finding it possible.
"Kinda, depends. For example sometimes we find someone of interest, follow them, get to know them from afar. And when we know them and love them then we take their life. It's very satisfying sometimes."
Sitting on his own bed carefully Arthur frowned, "aside from the horror factor in that...isn't loving someone a bit too intimate? I mean why would you want to get to know someone you were going to kill? Don't you change your mind? Feel proper love?"
"It happens," Alfred shrugged, sitting up cross legged. "It happened with you," he added with a smile. "But you were different to begin with. I used to follow the bad ones, I loved how cruel and greedy they were. Those killings got me quite the reputation."
"So I've heard," Arthur sighed, staring seriously into aqua eyes. "I cannot believe everyone you killed deserved it..."
"Of course not," Alfred admitted, "I'm not claiming to be good Arthur, I am a vampire. I don't have a human conscience as you do but I was always instinctively drawn to the evil ones. Isn't that sort of the same with you?"
A little taken back Arthur looked down, smoothing out creases on his simple cotton sheets. "I suppose so, I don't recall ever meeting a decent vampire before all this. I had no idea ones existed like Feliciano Vargas. All the ones who wandered here were flippant and cruel, scavengers without any spark of humanity. None stopped to have a decent conversation with me, just the usual snarl and frenzied attack. Then you and Francis came along and changed all that."
Liking the smile Arthur revealed Alfred grinned, tugging the Briton down to lie on his chest. "I could just stay like this forever," Alfred admitted freely, gazing lazily about at the bedroom in the moonlight. He hadn't given Arthur time to light anything up. "I like your stuff, it's cool."
"Really? You think so?" Arthur questioned with surprise, "I'd have assumed you'd think my worldly possessions boring."
"Na, no way," pointing with his free hand the vampire gestured wildly, "that round thing is epic."
Arthur laughed, glancing up already knowing what object was being referred to. "That's a globe of the world Alfred."
"You mean the worlds not flat?" Alfred joked, "I knew what is was...just couldn't remember the name."
"Suuuuuuure."
"I'm serious," Alfred pouted slightly, "and anyway I've been to most of the places on it."
"I could be jealous," Arthur smiled coyly, "must be fascinating, getting to see it all like that."
"Yeah, I suppose, one day I can show you. Places of old that you'd love, undiscovered trails and treasures. With me you could visit the deepest jungles or stand upon the highest misty mountains."
"Sounds lovely," Arthur admitted quietly, "but for now, just for now I mean..why don't you stay here with me? Live here..."
"Can't."
"You don't want to leave the others?"
"It's not really that, it's just not safe. Not whilst Ivan is around and he's always around."
Humming Arthur settled himself better, "you never tell me about him indepth, he's that dreadful I take it?"
Alfred sighed, feeling himself sink inwardly, "yes, he is."
"Then if we defeat him, slay him everyone will be free?"
Moving slightly Alfred stared down at Arthur, "don't say that, do you think I haven't tried? It's not an easy task."
"I'm just asking, "Arthur continued calmly, "just answer honestly. If Ivan was gone would you all stop searching for the descendants?"
"Yes, we do it to counter him. Most don't even believe it any more than silly legend."
"Would you calm down and behave? Stay with me somewhere, content with that."
"Yes, of course I would."
"Okay then, it's settled. I'll get rid of Ivan, once and for all. For my sake and yours." Arthur smiled as he felt Alfred tense, his smooth face paling more, a gasp slipping past his lips. "That's impossible."
"Nothings impossible exactly Alfred, anyway...it's a promise. My promise to you. I'll find a way...I am a vampire hunter after all. I've done it before. I'll just have to prepare for it." Pulling the Briton closer Alfred stared up widely at the ceiling, "you know I'm going to protest this later on right?"
"I know" Arthur muttered disinterestedly, letting his mind relax and eyes slip shut. "Let's just stay like this, just a bit longer."
"If something happened to you-"
"Shh, the moment Jones." Smiling softly Arthur leant up with conducted confidence, pressing his lips to cool ones. "Let me have this moment." Green eyes twinkling Arthur smiled whimsically, "I think it's high time I went on the hunt again."
It's my birthday today! Reviews? :3
