(A/n: Please enjoy)
Chapter 41: Refusal, Defiance, and Repercussions
That night, Kyle is unable to fall asleep. Smiling from the leftover elation that lingered in his body as he stares up at the darkened ceiling from his bed. If it weren't for Luke, Kyle would still be questioning the special moment he and Tweek shared from what felt like moments ago, having his inner twin remind him over and over again that their relationship is finally official. That he didn't dream it all.
"Do you plan on staying up until sunrise?"
Kyle's smile falters faintly at Luke's query. "Not really, but I can't sleep."
Luke shakes his head, smiling a little in amusement. "I don't know whether to be proud, jealous or both at the fact that you're experiencing your first taste of true love."
The darkness subdues the rise of Kyle's deep colored blush. "Well how else am I supposed to react?"
"Hmm well if I were you, I'd-"
"I don't even wanna know dude," Kyle shudders.
Luke eagerly wants his asshole twin to see his emerging offended scowl. "What the hell do you take me for? Some kind of pervert?"
"Well considering what you did to Tweek on his second day here, yes. Yes I do."
Luke goes quiet for some seconds, he can't believe he still remembered that. "I already apologized for that-"
"Which I still haven't forgiven you for," Kyle narrows his eyes, suppressing his anger. "You went way too far, and you have yet to apologize to Tweek."
"...Yes I know," Luke sighs guiltily. "It's just hard to find the appropriate time to talk to him..But it was better me than you...you would've done far worse if I hadn't of intervened."
Kyle hardens his glare, looking equally defensive and curious. "How so?"
Luke shakes his head again, finding it best not to rile Kyle up any further than this. "Look it doesn't matter anymore, it's all in the past and Tweeky is fine now. Besides, you need to get some-"
Kyle knits his eyebrows together at Luke's abrupt pause. "What is it?"
The other redhead is silent nearly a minute longer, his voice small and constrained when he speaks again. "It's nothing, just go to sleep already."
Kyle deepens his frown, his brother's tone beginning to worry him. "No something is obviously-" He stops his thought short upon hearing a shuffling sound, seemingly coming from the other side of the room. He sits up, his narrowed eyes locking on to Tweek's bed, and seeing said blonde squirming slightly underneath the sheets. "Is he having a nightmare?" Kyle is ready to get out of his own bed when-
"Don't."
With one hand clutching the hem of his covers, Kyle slowly begins to apply more pressure into his grip. "Luke, what is it you're not telling me?" Luke's silence practically tells him that it is something not good. "Oi-"
"Lay back down or you'll wake Kenny. I'll handle it."
"Handle what?!" Kyle grits his teeth irritably when he doesn't get a response. He truly hates it when Luke suddenly becomes abnormally secretive, he's starting to think he no longer knows his own brother anymore. With a soft and angered sigh, Kyle reduces his hold on his sheets and helplessly watches Tweek's faintly trembling hunched over figure across from him. Kyle presses his lips together, he doesn't understand why Luke won't let him be by Tweek's side, especially now since they're..boyfriends. Feeling heat rising within his cheeks, Kyle quickly clears his head by shaking it. Now isn't the time to be getting distracted, the fact that they are together is slowly but surely starting to register inside his mind now.
Kyle feels his face morphing into a hurt frown. "Luke, why don't you ever tell me anything? Am..I not trustworthy enough to you...?"
"You are Kyle, but now it's your turn to trust me."
Kyle blinks in shock, not expecting a reply from his twin that sounded so distant. Echoing like he was fading out of his conscious. Kyle lightly bites down on his bottom lip, whatever Luke is going to do Kyle just hopes he handles it well. That he doesn't make him feel regrettable about his decision in the end. "Fine, but you better fill me in on what's going on when you're done."
He is once again left without an answer - this sudden development making it impossible for him to sleep now. Unaware that a supposed sleeping blonde is currently wide awake.
"...Did I..hear you correctly? Repeat what you just said. One more time."
A buckling wave of fear comes crashing down on Tweek, but he keeps himself standing on his shaky legs using sheer will. In fact, his whole body is shivering with goosebumps although the massive snowfield has no chilly temperature. The entire place seems darker than usual, feeling more gloomy than tranquil. It took this eerie turn the moment Tweek voiced the words he's about to say again just a minute ago.
With a shuddering breath, he balls his hands into fists, glaring nervously into Shadow's gaping hole of a hood. "I-I said..I won't do it..."
There is absolute silence shortly afterwards. The longer it stretches on, the more menacing it becomes. Tweek can feel whatever little determination he had left draining rapidly in one go, fearing the worst possibilities. Just what is Shadow going to do, kill him? Or torture him in some inhumane way Tweek doesn't even want to begin to imagine? Even though Tweek is terror-stricken, he somehow manages to preserve from looking away as he takes a timid step back.
"W-Would really love it if I could wake up now..." He thinks, swallowing a nervous lump in his throat.
After what feels like decades, Shadow finally says something. "Hmm, I predicted as much. However it's still quite unexpected," he says, his tone low and calm. The atmosphere hasn't changed not one bit, instead it seems to have gotten even more darker, though Tweek can't tell due to him having an intent gaze on the dark male.
Blue-green eyes blink, mild confusion blending in with the uneasiness on Tweek's face. "W-what do you mean?"
Shadow sighs, shaking his head in disappointment. "I had a hunch you would want to back out of this, but I thought I had given you enough of a confidence boost that would help you bear with it until you completed the task. I actually had some hope in you Tweek, believe it or not I really did. That was very foolish of me, for giving you the benefit of the doubt."
Tweek appears greatly confounded. To think, a nonhuman being was the first to ever have so much faith in him. Well had so much faith in him. He can't even remember his own parents believing in him that much. But he quickly shakes his head before the guilt starts settling in, he shouldn't care how displeased this guy is in him. For one, he's already made his life shittier after being turned since their first encounter, spouting nonsense that he should accept who he was like it was the easiest thing to do and that he was changed for a reason. Those were nothing but empty words that were far from comforting.
Curling his hands into fists once again, Tweek glares into Shadow's hood, catching the male off guard thanks to the brief flinch of his shoulders. His blue-green eyes harbor a mixture of emotions in them, perturbation not being among them. He is no longer scared of this man, not with anger being the key emotion fueling his body with courage.
"Well sorry for being turned into a freak against my will." Is all the teen says, his tone composed although laced with resentment.
It is soundless around the two once again, that is until Shadow forces himself out of his shocked state with a stifled laugh. Soon, he's laughing outright, his laughter resonating awkwardly throughout the whole landscape. Tweek gets the feeling that this bastard is mocking him, taking his genuine exasperated attitude lightly. Which pisses him off further. However before he can say anything, Shadow calms down by clearing his throat.
"My my Tweek, I didn't know you had this kind of spunk in you." Suddenly his demeanor changes, Tweek knowing this feeling all too well now. "Are you sure you don't want to reconsider?" He asks, sounding ominously calm.
Tweek clenches his fists, trying not appear daunted by the returning minacious aura emitting from Shadow. "I said I won't do it and I meant it. So are you gonna leave me alone now?" He tried not to sound too optimistic in his last statement.
Shadow chuckles darkly. "How funny, I just recalled you saying that you weren't insane enough to come up with a meager punishment plan for the vampire hunter..yet it seems you are indeed so since you're bold enough to defy me."
Tweek doesn't have not even one second to react before he feels a cold hand harshly clasp at his throat. He chokes, shutting his eyes tightly, his feet slowly being lifted from off the ground. He starts to panic, intensifying at an alarming rate...until he realizes...that this is all just a dream. Even if Shadow kills him here, he'll just wake up from this horrid experience unscathed, because this isn't real.
"Tsk tsk tsk." Shadow shakes his head. "Do you really think that dying in a mere dream won't effect you in real life?" He chuckles comically, witnessing the little spark of hope leaving the boy just as quickly as it had appeared. "Seeing as how you no longer wish to cooperate, I have no more use for you, and my identity must remain a secret after all." Leisurely, his fingers start to dig into Tweek's slim neck. The blonde clamps his teeth together, using his hands to try and pry the man's own away. Unfortunately to no avail. He has an iron-like grip around his neck. Even though Shadow seems to not be in any sort of a rush, it is already impossible for air to enter Tweek's lungs. "Don't worry, I don't plan on having you suffer from the lack of oxygen since vampires can't die from that, and I don't have all the time in the world to stay here either. I'll simply snap your neck to end your misery." Tweek coughs when Shadow strengthens his grip, his arms dropping down to his sides as a thin trail of blood slides down the side of his chin.
This is it, his time to die has come...But he's not ready. He's still in the process of accepting his new supernatural lifestyle, but as long as Kyle stays by his side he feels he'll come to accept it fairly quickly. Tears begin to sting the corners of Tweek's clenched shut eyes...-
"Sorry to interrupt, but I can't let you do that." Footsteps barely crunching snow soon follow after the unknown individual's voice. A gentle breeze travels through the air for a few moments.
Tweek feels Shadow pause amid his squeezing, the heavy pressure lessening gingerly. He doesn't hesitate to inhale as much air as he can, gasping and coughing in the process.
Although the frown of annoyance isn't seen at all on Shadow's face, it can be interpreted based on how he turns his head to look at the intruder. Then he lets out a low 'hmm'. "State your reason for being here, Luke."
Hearing the familiar name brings forth a surprised reaction out of Tweek, though it was weak. "L-Luke?! What-h-how..." His mind can't decide on which question to form first, Luke's presence here is truly flabbergasting.
The long haired redhead stops. He's wearing a dark red buttoned up long sleeved dress shirt that's tucked neatly into his black pants with a steel grey colored belt, and on his feet are black dress shoes. He bows respectfully at Shadow, his back and arms straight. "I've come here to stop you from killing Tweek. Whatever it was that he'd done to upset you, please forgive him Master Ingrum."
Tweek hadn't even gotten over his initial shock when Luke said some more shocking things, but he also feels faintly alleviated by his words. How did Luke know that he was in danger, he wonders. And learning Shadow's real name on top of that - it was just two nights ago that he'd finally gotten something to refer the man as. Only for it to be fake. But Tweek thinks that the name Shadow suits him better, thanks to his all dark apparel.
Ingrum cocks his head to the side slightly. "Oh is that so? How did you know I was going to kill him, hmm?" Tweek suddenly lets out a startled grunt the moment he feels pressure returning around his throat, this time twice as stronger than previously.
Luke's posture tenses. "I'm sorry..." Is all he says.
"Ha ha ha! You sneaky little bastard, you've been spying on us," Ingrum laughs, amused. "Well, your trip here was pointless anyway. I'm going to kill this brat no matter how much you beg. Then I'll deal with you for snooping around where your nose doesn't belong."
Snapping his head upward while gritting his teeth nervously, Luke sprints full speed at the man, crashing roughly into him that's forceful enough to make him unhand Tweek. The blonde lands on the ground on his side, hovering a hand towards his sore neck whilst coughing and gasping for air once again. Once his breathing is regulated, he groans and finally opens his eyes, halfway though and tries to locate Luke and Ingrum through his thin, blurry vision. He sees them at approximately six meters away from him, and they have a three meter gap in between them.
"Well well well, tonight is just full of surprises. First was Tweek's fearless disobedience, and now your sudden compassion towards someone that isn't your brother," Ingrum laughs with mirth. The total opposite of what Luke found of this predicament. "I wouldn't think you'd acquire such feelings for an 'unwanted pet'."
Luke winces. "Shit, I forgot I called Tweeky that...," he thinks to himself, narrowing his crimson colored eyes anxiously as a bead of sweat slowly slithers down the side of his temple. He musters up a small smile. "I'm only doing this for Kyle," he looks over at Tweek, whose eyes widen when they lock onto each other. "If I let you kill him, Kyle would be really heartbroken." He looks back at Ingrum, his smile disappearing as he forms his hands into fists. "I can't let another person he cares about die..." He clenches his fists firmly. "Not again..."
Ingrum observes him silently for a moment. "Hmph, so you say." His tone indicated that he did not fully believe the boy. "Either way, I cannot turn a blind eye towards your rebellious behavior nor your eavesdropping. I hope you've prepared yourself for severe punishment."
Luke purses his lips, terrified but keeps it minimal on his face. "I..can't say that I have, but I know that I deserve it."
"Good, because you won't be seeing your brother again for quite some time." Luke hides the escalating fear on his face by looking down at the snow, his bangs hanging past his quivering orbs.
All throughout the duration of them conversing, Tweek didn't take his eyes off of Luke. Even after he had wiped at his eyes, thinking the blur was playing tricks on his sight, Luke still looked like an exact copy of Kyle. If it weren't for the color of his eyes and his different tone of voice, Tweek would think that he's Kyle's clone instead of his twin.
Tweek blinks when a dark figure appears to be approaching him through his peripheral, frowning apprehensively and clenching his fist that's supporting him upright. He presses his other hand against his healing neck unconsciously.
After closing the distance some, Ingrum stops, staring down at the frightened blonde. "Well Tweek, looks like you're off the hook. For now." Tweek stares at him with tense disbelief, this guy is probably trying to lower his guard so he can finish where he left off. Ingrum holds back a chuckle. "No need to look doubtful, I'm being completely honest. You have Luke to be thankful towards, if he hadn't shown up just in the nick of time, you'd already be dead by now." Tweek winces at the accuracy in his last statement.
Luke looks up, directing a forced smirk plastered across his pale face at the blonde haired vampire. "You can thank me by telling Kyle that I won't be around for a couple days."
Tweek's face scrunches up with immense guilt, then he pushes himself up on his feet, having his back facing Luke as he does so. "I'm sorry..." Tweek nearly whispers.
Luke's grin fades into a dumbfounded frown, watching as Ingrum closes the remaining distance and leans forward a bit towards Tweek's ear, speaking in a low and intimidating murmur that sends a prickly chill down the boy's spine. Once he's done talking, Tweek is as stiff as a board. When Ingrum says something along the lines of "Understand?", emphasizing the word strongly, Tweek finally nods his head yes. With an approving nod, Ingrum stands back up straight and saunters back over to Luke, folding his arms behind his back.
For the very first time, Tweek is reluctant to return to reality. Not because of the bone-chilling fear coursing through him, but because of Luke. When he made eye contact with him three minutes ago, his perception of him changed in that instant. He doesn't know if it was due to their situation, but Tweek did not detect any animosity like he thought the redhead held towards him. All he saw behind that artificial smile was concern, remorse, and a tinge of relief. And what makes Tweek feel twice as worse is that they were sincere emotions. He had actually came here on his own accord, not because Kyle told him to, though that most likely could've been the reason also.
Tweek increases his troubled frown. "But...why did he save me?" He then ponders, oblivious to the creeping shadows that's ready to engulf his lone-self in the distance. Why did Luke come to rescue him, and not Kyle?
Out of nowhere, a short chuckle sounds around Tweek, jolting him out of his thoughts. He looks up, glancing at every inch of his surroundings- seeing the darkness moving it's way closer to him and moderately surprised to find himself alone.
"You're gonna wake up with a very bad headache if you keep thinking so deeply about it Tweeky." Said blonde's eyes enlarge in shock, there's only one person who called him by that cringey nickname. "I know you have a lot of questions, mainly about as to why I saved you...but just think of this as my way of apologizing to you. Since I didn't do it sooner for what I did to you that day in the infirmary." Frowning bitterly, Tweek instinctively raises a hand up to the side of his neck, his two fingertips ghosting over the closed bite wound. "I know I went overboard, I knew the moment me and Kyle had an argument about it that same day. But the truth is...I did it for Kyle's sake, for his future. Unlike me, he has never killed anyone before. Human nor vampire. If I hadn't taken control of his body, well..you can guess what would've happened to you." Tweek grimaces intensely, remembering Luke telling him that his blood smelled sweet. He wonders if it still does now that he's a vampire. "I couldn't let him live with that kind of sin, and I know things had only gotten worse from then on cuz of Kyle's idiocy, but the consequences weren't so extreme. We-he'd already been through so much in the past..." Luke trails off, leaving an uncomfortable silence hanging in the air. Tweek gets the feeling that he wants to say more than that, but knows that he doesn't have the time to.
Soon, half of the snowfield is sucked into the abyss. Tweek is about to be next.
"Oh and one more thing, it's okay to tell him what happened here. Master Ingrum will be too preoccupied with me to notice and even if he does, I'll intervene again." His vision steadily going dark, Tweek hears Luke's last few words. "I'll protect you two, even if I have to die again in the process." Then there is pure quietude.
Tweek opens his eyes with feeble flutters the next morning. The room's ceiling light is on. His entire body - mostly his head and neck, are aching. He lets out a pained groan, turning over to lay on his back just as a red haired figure nears him. They lower themself down beside his bed.
"What's wrong? Are you hurting anywhere?"
It takes ten seconds for Tweek to identify the person next to him, Kyle's hushed tone sounded relieved yet also very worried.
Tweek blinks slowly, his vision taking forever to focus. "K-Kyle...?" His throat feels so dry that it stung to utter even a single syllable. He shuts his eyes and groans again. He feels a soft, cold hand place itself on top of his own.
"I'm right here Tweek, if you need anything I'll-"
"N-no, stay," Tweek manages to mutter out. He reopens his eyes, using his other hand to wipe away the haze in them. He blinks a few times while asking, "I-is Kenny here?"
"No, he left for his classes just an hour ago," Kyle says, keeping a close eye on Tweek's sickly complexion with a frown. "I'm not going to mines, not with you being like this. I may have to take you to Dr. Kero if you don't get better soon..."
Almost instantly, the events that transpired within Tweek's dream starts barreling down on him. He can't believe that he stood up to Sha-no Ingrum, he'd been hoping to meet the man again so he could tell him that he wasn't going to go through with his crazy scheme. He had no right to force him anyway, but Tweek is just glad that he doesn't have to do it, period.
And it's all thanks to Luke.
Tweek makes a strained expression, feeling that he is very well responsible for the mess Luke is in now. "K-Kyle, I'm so sorry."
Kyle deepens his frown in confusion. "What? Why are you apologizing?"
"...B-because of me, Luke...-" Tweek can't bring himself to finish. He doesn't know whether for sure Luke is in grave trouble or not, but the fact that he won't be around for awhile...
Kyle is stunned into silence, but then shifts into anger when he recalls Luke stubbornly deciding to take care of things on his own, something Kyle should've done since Tweek is his boyfriend. Sensing Kyle's ill-mood, the aforementioned blonde apologizes again, tears building and threatening to fall at the thought of Kyle hating him now.
Kyle snaps out of his aggravated reverie, feeling his heart wrench at the sight of his boyfriend's saddened face. He gives Tweek's hand a light squeeze. "No no, you did nothing wrong. Whatever's happened to Luke is surely his own fault, not yours so-"
"No it is." Tweek sniffles, wiping the tears from his eyes. He tries to sit up, Kyle assisting him. Once he's no longer laying down, Kyle keeps his hand on his back, Tweek feeling a blush heating up within his cheeks. He ignores it, and with a deep breath tells Kyle everything that's been causing him distress lately: first starting with his encounter with Ingrum.
The instant Kyle heard that name, he paled, but allowed Tweek to continue. Tweek didn't stop until his dry throat needed to be quenched, that being the part where Ingrum warned him about the existence of a vampire hunter.
Kyle quickly went to get him some coffee, still wearing his night clothes and socks. Tweek was unable to relax amidst his absence. When he returns, Kyle apologizes for taking so long. One of his teachers - which just so happened to be Mr. Thorn - was in the teachers lounge having a quick break even though he had another hour left of teaching, and he had to explain to him why he didn't show up to class. Tweek assures him that it was fine, and drinks every last drop of his beverage. Almost immediately, he feels energized. Physically, not mentally.
Noticing Kyle still standing, Tweek beckons for him to sit beside him on his bed, his cheeks flushing once again. Smiling tenderly, Kyle rounds the other side of the bed and sits down on it, scooting close enough to Tweek that they bump shoulders. Clearing his throat sheepishly, Tweek proceeds where he left off at, the light ambience around them darkening little by little the more he goes on.
Ten minutes or so pass by, Tweek just now getting done telling Kyle about Vincent Valentine and his relationship with the hunter. But he stops there, needing to rest his throat. A heavy rumble of thunder sounds not too far in the distance. Kyle makes an annoyed face, meanwhile Tweek suddenly develops a question, after briefly looking back on a certain sentence in Luke's statement before he woke up.
Clasping his hands together over his lap, the blue-green eyed teen purses his lips anxiously. He waits a little bit longer before opening his mouth. "Kyle, can I ask you something?"
Losing the glare, Kyle looks over at him, frown resurfacing. "Sure, what is it?"
Tweek looks up into Kyle's eyes, too focused on asking his question to mind the really close proximity between them. "Is it true...that you've never killed anyone before?"
Kyle blinks dubiously, taken aback. "Why..do you wanna know all of a sudden?" He inquires carefully.
Tweek breaks eye contact, staring back down at his lap. "Luke told me that you haven't killed not one person yet." He scrunches up his face at his next set of words. "That if he hadn't controlled your body that day you were taking me to the infirmary...you would've killed me."
Kyle is left gawking at Tweek, perturbed by what he'd just been told. He then faces forward. "No fucking way...So that means he..." He can't thoroughly comprehend this abrupt revelation so fast, in fact the same thing applies to the rest of the previous ones Tweek spilled to him. Sighing, he hunches over slightly as he buries his face into his hands, feeling oddly exhausted even though Tweek did majority of the talking.
"Oh Kyle, you know very well why I came out. You know all too well."
Kyle grits his teeth. "Was that what he was hinting at at that time? That vague bastard, like I knew what he meant." And the sly look he had further gave Kyle the wrong impression. That idiot...
"He didn't save me not once, but twice." The corners of Tweek's lips are curled upward into a sad smile. Lowering his hands away from his face, Kyle gives Tweek his full attention again, whose lips descend back into a line. "You probably know this already, but Luke saved me from getting killed in my dream last night." Tweek can feel Kyle's baffled stare boring into him. "Ingrum wanted me come up with an idea for the vampire hunter's punishment two nights ago, but I toughened up and decided to refuse last night. He was about to kill me for it, saying that I was useless to him now. But then Luke showed up, and from there..well..." He stops, he can't recall what Luke and Ingrum were talking about since he was so engrossed with the red-eyed boy's facial features.
Sighing a second time, Kyle shakes his head in disappointment, straightening back up. "No I didn't know. He acts like such a fucking inconsiderate dumbass, I swear."
Tweek looks to him in mild incredulity for his harsh words. "Aren't you worried about him?"
"I am, but I'm more pissed off at him than anything else." Kyle scowls softly at nothing in particular. "He never tells me anything he's up to, like his connection with Ingrum for example. I thought he'd cut ties with him decades ago! Plus the fact that he left to help you when I could've done it!" He huffs, looking and giving Tweek a faint grateful smile. "But at least you're okay now, so I can't be too mad at him." Then his frown returns, and he averts his gaze. "It's just..he's always been like this, doing things behind my back, never giving me an answer whenever I ask. Just..being so closed off. It's so fucking annoying."
Tweek appears tentative to speak, but he forces himself to say what's on his mind. "I know it's not my place to say this, but I think he's just looking out for you. I'm sure he has his reasons." It still feels weird defending the very vampire he hated with all of his might before, seems he's slowly starting to grow on him thanks to his authentic display of consideration. Similar to how Kyle acted.
"Tch, I can take care of myself," the redhead grumbles. "I'm not some weakling." Then a very tense and awkward silence follows, the duo now able to hear the raindrops beating down against the large building like millions of tiny pebbles.
Tweek decides to ask another question, not liking the silence between them. "So, the both of you know Ingrum?"
Kyle's expression turns grim. "Yeah, unfortunately. He's the scumbag who killed Luke when we were kids."
(A/n: I hope you enjoyed and the next chapter will be up soonish)
