When the battle came around, Sniper did his best to avoid the Spy. It was easier than expected. All of Sniper's senses were heightened, but that strange feel he'd always had for where the Spy was had faded. Sniper predicted it would slowly return as he started to starve again.

Not a single headshot. Spy was amazed. He hadn't had a single battle without one. It made him wonder if Sniper was avoiding him just as much as he was avoiding Sniper. Did the bushman feel guilty for the incident yesterday?

Spy's numbers were still at a record low and the humiliation round was over quickly, as he burned to death.

He continued to avoid his team. He'd missed two meals already though and his stomach growled unhappily at him. Spy was sure he could sneak into the kitchen for a sandwich without being noticed.

Unfortunately, Medic was there, and it seemed as though he was waiting for him.

"You're not looking well today," he remarked, faux-casually, watching Spy studiously ignore him while making the fastest sandwich he could throw together.

"I slept poorly," Spy grabbed a plate and practically bolted. There was no way he could explain this to anyone. Especially the morbidly curious doctor. Surely Sniper would be afraid of being found out by his Medic too. Unless that was his usual supply of blood. Or perhaps vampirism was the result of one of the RED Medic's experiments?

Or maybe all the REDs were secretly vampires.

Or maybe everyone on both teams apart from him.

There was just too much to think about.

Spy ate his sandwich but he still felt weak. He curled up on his bed fully dressed and fell into an uneasy sleep.

His dreams were nightmares at first, but they slowly became something more. At first he was pursued, Sniper with his large knife and blood on his face, Spy hiding and running, no traps or tricks or weapons left. But once caught, Sniper held him and pressed his lips to Spy's exposed neck and that sweet warmth fell over Spy again and he didn't want to escape it.

He woke feeling rather betrayed by his own subconscious.

Despite not getting the Spy once, Sniper had been on top form that day. He got a record number of kills thanks to his enhanced senses and reflexes. He felt a bit bad about it when even the usually obnoxious Scout grudgingly praised him for his kills after the match.

Sniper had been cheating, after all.

He sorted out his van and bedding problem after the battle and settled down that night to fresh, clean sheets and fluffy new pillows. His dreams when they came were all about hunting and stalking. To begin with he thought he was tracking an injured deer through the forest. Soon though he realised it was the BLU Spy he was following.

He caught sight of the BLU just as a wave of dread swept over him. The Spy spotted him too and staggered away, neck already bloody.

'Come back!' Sniper called. He tried to run after the Spy but found himself unable to move properly. He waded forward as though through a river, though there was nothing in his way.

'Don't go that way!' he shouted as the Spy fled. 'There's a feral! A feral! Come back!'

Maybe crawling would be quicker. He fell to his hands and knees, trying to follow after the BLU Spy. But it was too late. A distant scream filled the air.

Sniper awoke, sweating, memories of bloody teeth and snarling and wild, inhuman eyes running through his mind.

He flung himself out of bed and grabbed his shaving mirror. His own face stared back, startled and scruffy. But human. Well, as close as he could get these days.

Thursday passed agonizingly slow. Spy struggled through the battle, plagued by questions and still unsure how to process the ordeal. Medic continued to pester him and he took to having meals privately in his room.

On Friday, Spy grabbed a wire snare. He needed to get answers. Whether it worked today or not, he needed to do it. He had a good plan for it too. There was a particular sniper tower with a few missing steps thanks to a rocket. If he could get Sniper caught in the snare there, he'd end up upside down hanging by his ankle under the stairs and Spy could properly question him. Safely.

Battle started and Spy took off, attaching the wire snare on the step right before the jump. He made sure it was quite firmly attached to the stair railing. Finally, he shot out the light so that the snare wouldn't be seen.

It had been nearly a week since Sniper had bitten the Spy. Sniper was coping better than expected with the lack of blood, probably because of how much fresh human blood he'd had. All the same, he was approaching the stage where he was losing his ability to digest food properly. Once he couldn't eat, he'd deteriorate quickly. Engineer had fixed his van though. That meant Sniper could potentially try his luck in town. All the same, a little voice in the back of his head nagged at him, telling him he had everything he needed right here.

Sniper's sixth sense for the Spy's presence was starting to return. He could tell the Spy was nearby, though he couldn't pinpoint where exactly.

The Pyro stuck its monstrous masked head in at the sound of the shot and Spy froze, slowly backing up the stairs. It came further up to have a look at the broken light, then apparently satisfied, left.

Spy gave it a couple of minutes to make sure they absolutely were gone. With a sigh of relief, Spy started to head down the stairs. Just as he was stepping over his trap, the higher stair gave way and he fell, only to find himself dangling upside down from his own trap; the wire digging painfully into his skinny ankle.

It took everything Spy had not to scream in pain and frustration.

Sniper heard a noise like splintering and falling wood. Instantly suspicious, he went in search of the source. It sounded like it had come from the direction of the stairs but when Sniper got there everything seemed normal.

Except...

There'd only been two steps missing earlier, hadn't there? Sniper wondered what had caused the third to fall through. Probably someone climbing up it. Sniper glanced over his shoulder. He didn't fancy the idea of being stuck up here with the Spy. He'd brought his stuff with him when he went exploring. There was nothing left that he needed to go back for and risk a backstab over.

Carefully, using the support attached to the wall, Sniper navigated his way over the empty space.

Something caught his attention as he passed over the missing steps. Something blue.

Sniper flinched, expecting to be attacked. Then his mind registered what he was seeing.

The BLU Spy. Hanging upside down by one ankle. From a wire. One of his own traps, no doubt. His jacket was bunched up around his armpits, exposing the shirt underneath. His tie had fallen over his face, dangling a little way below his head.

In short, he looked ridiculous. Sniper started laughing and found that he couldn't stop.

Spy heard the Sniper coming down the stairs but there was nothing he could do. When the man started laughing he fought to pull himself up by the edge of the stairs far enough to get the pressure off the wire so he could unhook it. No such luck. He ended up swinging.

He'd basically wrapped himself up with a bow for a hungry vampire.

The Spy looked like a hooked fish flopping about. It was hilarious. It completely ruined the whole 'mysterious' vibe spies always went for.

Sniper made his way down the stairs to stand in front of the upside down Spy.

'Seriously, mate, how on earth did you manage this one?' he asked, grinning. 'Look at you, stuck like a rat in the trap. Your face is going all red, did you know that? Getting stuck in one of your own traps, now that is embarrassing. Or is it from all the blood rush–' Sniper stopped, the grin fading from his face until all that was left was an intense, predatory expression.

Real fear came through immediately. This was far beyond Spy's control and Sniper's expression made his blood run cold.

He needed to get out of here. Drawing his revolver, Spy knew the swinging wire meant his aim would be unsteady. He could shoot Sniper but then he'd still be trapped. He could shoot at the wire but it was unlikely he'd hit it and even if he did it might not break. That left himself. Spy had heard his teammates say they'd used it as an escape before. Scout had fallen off a roof and shot himself to respawn. It wasn't suicide, it was just respawning.

The Spy looked so funny upside down. But so vulnerable too. Thighs, groin, stomach, ribs, inner arms, throat. Everything would be so hard for him to defend and so easy for Sniper to stab with his kukri.

It was his throat Sniper was focused on though. It would be so easy to kneel next to him, bat away his arms, pull away the balaclava. So easy to bite him, to make him scream and beg and cry and-

Sniper shook his head to dislodge those thoughts. He was better than that.

He noticed the gun then and felt an instant thrill of fear. Then confusion. Then strangely, fear again.

'Oi, no, wait. You can get down without that!' He glanced around wildly. 'Just—just wait a second!'

He couldn't see what he was looking for. Sniper turned back to the Spy to find him with the gun levelled at the side of his own head. His eyes were wide, his mouth pinched. He looked more like someone who was about to be shot by an enemy than someone planning to shoot themselves.

Sniper snarled, the sound not quite human, and lunged for the gun, twisting the muzzle away from both of them.

The revolver went off and Spy fought to keep it, head pounding from being upside down for so long and having the gun go off so close to his ears. He shouted at Sniper, no words, just sound. Maybe a teammate would hear them. Maybe anyone would hear him. His heart was racing, everything was starting to spin-and not just because of the wire. He wasn't sure if he ought to be relieved or afraid.

Despite the Spy's struggles it was easy for Sniper to rip the gun from his hand at toss it away. It clattered against the wall under the stairs, out of the reach of both of them.

'I said to wait a bloody second!' Sniper said. He found himself on his knees next to the Spy, acutely aware of how close they were and how hungry he was. Sniper paused, his mouth watering.

With a grimace, he forced himself back to his feet. 'Now, don't go anywhere!' he said, not entirely sure himself if he was joking or not.

Sniper rounded the corner and headed over to some tarpaulin against one wall. He dragged it aside, revealing musty, rotten hay bales and an old crate. Perfect. He dragged the crate away from the wall and pushed it back over to the Spy. 'Right, how am I gonna do this...' he muttered to himself.

'Lift your head up,' Sniper said. If the Spy didn't, he was going to get a crate to the face.

Spy obediently lifted his head, seeing where this was going. Once the crate was under him he braced against it with his arms, hoping it would loosen the wire enough for him to slip out. The wire was stuck tight in his skin and he'd need Sniper's help. Again. He held as still as he could, even as he could feel the adrenaline pumping through him.

Why was Sniper helping him at all? Spy guessed it must be guilt.

'Hmm, okay,' Sniper said, looking up at the wire. 'I'm just gonna kind of twist to the left-no, my left your right. I want you facing towards the stairs.' Sniper stepped around the Spy so he was to the left of him and put his hands on the Spy's front and back.

Heat was radiating off the Spy through his shirt, warming Sniper's cold hands. He felt unexpectedly jealous of that heat. He was so tired of being too cold all the time. He just wanted to be warm again. The Spy could make him warm again. His grip tightened on the Spy, nails digging in.

For Spy, this was like getting help from a wild dog that might try to eat him. He couldn't afford to just hang here. If he was found by the Engineer it would be obvious he'd broken his promise and he couldn't allow that to happen. Sniper was his only option at this point.

He turned as instructed, his arms starting to shake with the effort of holding himself up. Sniper's fingernails were digging into his skin and he stifled a hiss.

Sniper blinked hard, forcing himself to help turn the Spy instead of standing there like an idiot, clutching at him with both hands.

Damn, Sniper felt hungry. He forced himself to think about how ridiculous the Spy would look, flailing around upside down while being bitten. It helped stop him from thinking about how much he wanted to bite the Spy. To feel the Spy's skin give way beneath his fangs. To taste his blood. To gulp it down. To-

No.

Stop it.

Sniper let go of the Spy and looked down at his hands. Short, blunt nails. Not claws. For a moment there, he'd worried.

'Right!' he said, all business now. 'Give me a second.'

He climbed up what remained of the bottom half of the stairs and reached through the gap to grab the Spy's free leg. Even his ankle felt warm through his socks, damn him.

'Hook your foot this over the step here,' he said, guiding the Spy's leg over to the last solid step below the gap. That way he could brace himself when Sniper released his other leg, rather than going crashing down onto the crate.

Spy's fear lessened when Sniper released him to climb up to the wire's anchor. He carefully hooked his foot where Sniper guided him, and re-braced his hands on the crate so he was less likely to break his neck when released.

Sniper felt cold, Spy realized. His hands had left cold spots on Spy's sides and he could feel him like ice against his ankle. Spy's head was pounding with blood. He just knew he'd have a terrible headache after this.

At least Sniper seemed focused on freeing him now. The pauses earlier made Spy think of a big cat licking its lips. It was uncomfortable to be prey. Men trying to shoot or kill him was nothing new, but eat him? That was a bit much, in his opinion.

Sniper leant over the gap to the Spy's trapped leg. It made him shake his head in vague amusement to think how the Spy had managed to get himself caught in his own snare. What an idiot.

He wasn't sure why he was doing this. Maybe in helping Spy, he could prove to at least one of them that he wasn't a monster.

The wire had dug in deep. Sniper felt around and found the loop that fed into the wire around the Spy's leg. He tugged at it until he wire began to slacken. It wasn't an easy job, but after a couple of minute of digging in his nails and pulling at it, he managed to loosen the snare enough to get it over the heel of the Spy's shoe.

'There you go,' he said a moment later. 'You're free now.'

Spy gasped in relief when the wire began to loosen. It had started to feel red hot and now all the blood rushed back where the wire had cut it off, sending pins and needles through his foot.

Letting his now free leg curl forwards towards the crate, Spy unhooked his shoe and let himself fall to his knees rather roughly. It stung a bit but he was glad to be right side up again. Tugging his mask back in order and straightening out his uniform, Spy felt marginally better, though his head still hurt and he imagined his face was still quite red. He massaged his ankle for a moment.

"Thank you."

Sniper was impressed the Spy had managed to get down himself without falling on his face. Sniper didn't think he would have been able to manage the same himself.

'Uh, no problem,' he said. Sniper was struck by two things then. One, that this was weird and awkward and that they hadn't actually said a word to each other since Sniper had, well, bitten the Spy. The other was that he desperately didn't want the Spy to leave. If he did, he took away all potential for Sniper to gain some relief from his hunger and thirst and perpetual cold temperature. Maybe that's why he'd reacted so quickly to the Spy trying to kill himself. Sniper just hadn't wanted to lose his meal ticket.

Hunger and frustration gripped Sniper as he forced himself to turn away. 'No more traps, okay?' He muttered without turning around, ignoring the elephant in the room. That being what had happened the other night. He bet the Spy thought about it even more than he did. And certainly the Spy would be the one with the most questions left unanswered.

What did he think had happened? Could he remember it all or did Sniper's venom have properties that caused memory loss? What did he think of Sniper? That he was some kind of blood-obsessed deviant, or some kind of monster? Sniper wasn't sure which would be worse.

He was just such an awkward man that Spy could hardly understand how this Sniper -professional, merciful, uncertain- could be the same hungry animal who had bitten him. Spy started to laugh.

Sure that he looked giddy from the head rush, Spy tried to keep a sober face. So far his information on vampires was rumour and speculation. Sniper was the only one who could know for sure what had really happened.

And he clearly had some control of himself, too. Otherwise he would have bitten his helpless enemy while he was trapped.

"We need to talk. Privately."