"Before we start, do you have any questions right out of the gate?"

Wilbur was shuffling the papers in front of him around restlessly, pushing them into one uniform heap before separating the pages again and messing with the corners. Techno had never seen him this nervous. Well, not that they'd known each other for very long, but it was still an odd sight. It was more so a stereotype that all vampires were supposed to be cool and collected.

"Not really," Techno said. "You probably have a better idea about how this works than I do."

"There's not really one specific way this works," Wilbur answered. "We did consult with a few other covens before making the decision and from what we can tell everybody has their own preferences. Niki's paperwork should make sure we're legally in the clear though."

"You're telling me live-in blood bag is a regulated profession?" Techno couldn't keep the amusement out of his voice.

"When you're doing it right, yes? Niki made you sign a contract to come to her clinic, didn't she?"

"She did."

And she was probably an outlier for that. Niki liked doing things by the books and it was the reason Techno had chosen her clinic and not another that might pay more. It wasn't worth it to get some transmissible disease through dirty needles or whatever. But knowing this gig came with the same legal protection did make Techno feel a bit more secure in his choice to take Wilbur up on his offer.

He wasn't exactly scared of ending up as these vampires' personal juice pack, it was still nice to know there'd be no nasty surprises.

"Let's go over the terms then," Wilbur said. Finally, his hands stilled, tracing the words printed on the page. "Blood draining will occur once a week at minimum, with two pints extracted per draining, though we can spread it out over several sessions if that suits you better. Additional blood draws might be requested, however you're always free to refuse those. It'll be touch and go for a bit as we figure out how much blood we'd need to sufficiently feed all of us."

"Who is going to do the draining?" Techno asked.

"Both me and Phil are trained in how to do the procedure."

Techno nodded. He'd probably prefer for Wilbur to do it since he hadn't really spoken to Phil more than once and the guy gave off creepy vibes. But if he could handle the ill-tempered nurses at Niki's clinic he could probably deal with a scary sire if he had to.

"Niki is going to pop by once a month for a health check-up. Obviously to make sure you're still legible for the job, though we'll also have to analyze your blood content. It will need to meet certain criteria."

"Of course, wouldn't want to feed you cringe blood," Techno said.

Wilbur blinked at the page stupidly before looking up at him and laughing, effectively breaking out of the script he seemed to be trying to stick to. It was probably something he did to keep his nerves at bay, but Techno liked this relaxed atmosphere better. Yes, this was technically a job interview (in a really roundabout way) but if Techno had to actually approach it as such he'd combust.

"With Tommy's condition we don't want to take any risks," Wilbur said when his chuckle died down.

Techno couldn't help but let his curiosity get the better of him. If he was going to live with this coven full-time, it was probably better for him to have a complete picture, wasn't it? "And what condition is that, exactly?"

"Fuck if we know." Wilbur dropped the page, rubbing at the crease between his eyebrows that came with his frown. "When he was still feeding on Phil's blood things were normal but since he got old enough to transition to human blood he's been consuming a lot more than he should. We have no clue why."

"Might have something to do with his age? He was turned as a teenager." Techno offered. He hoped it didn't come across as overstepping, but if it was at all a possibility it'd make sense for him to bring it up.

"No, we know other vampires turned as teens and there's nothing unusual about their feeding patterns. Tommy also has always been frail and gets sick easily when he hasn't eaten, at an alarming rate compared to how quickly other vampires get weak without blood."

Techno sat back in his chair a bit. "Is that why Phil is so…" He gestured meaningfully, knowing Wilbur would get what he meant without him needing to spell it out.

"Phil has always been like that, trust me." Wilbur grinned. "Though I will say Tommy's troubles haven't been helping matters. He always cared a lot about family. We all do."

Unsure what to say to that, Techno stared at his own fingers scratching at the grooves in the tabletop. He couldn't exactly relate. He'd loved his parents, sure, but he wouldn't exactly call them close. Techno never had any siblings and his uncle didn't even care if he existed, basically washing his hands of the whole family thing as soon as Techno turned eighteen.

But that was the kind of thing Techno should be talking about in therapy (if he ever went there), and not with the vampire whose house he was planning to move into to avoid rent.

Wilbur must have picked up at the sudden shift in his mood though. "Something wrong?"

"No," Techno said quickly. "Uh, you were outlining the terms?"

"Right." As he'd done before, Wilbur didn't press. He was obviously curious, but respected Techno's privacy. Which meant they'd get along perfectly fine.

This was really just a job. The fact that he was starting to maybe consider Wilbur a friend was something Techno could deal with later.

Wilbur stared at him a moment longer, red eyes that felt like they could see straight into his mind. A trait he had in common with Phil. But then Wilbur cleared his throat and returned to his pages.

"So, your blood… we're going to want to make it as nutritious as it can be so you'll need to start taking daily supplements to make sure you have enough iron and vitamin B12 intake. We'll be monitoring your diet for the same reason. And at each draining, we're going to give you an epoetin injection to keep your red blood cells up. Again, Niki is going to check that your body doesn't have any bad reactions to this."

Techno stopped scratching at the table. This was honestly a bit more involved than he thought it was going to be. Nothing Wilbur had mentioned sounded like it'd be a bad idea - on the contrary, these precautions were put in place specifically to keep his health intact when he was going to serve as a constant blood supply. Still…

"I suppose you want to hear about what you'll get in return," Wilbur said lightly, reading his dubious expression.

Techno smiled back at him. "Would be nice to know what I'll get out of it, yeah."

"Well, first of all, you'll get to live here without cost."

"I do like having a place to live."

Techno had already given his landlord the news. The guy didn't seem mournful to see him go, but that sentiment was definitely mutual. As soon as Techno got his stuff out of his apartment, he would never have to see them again. Maybe he would throw a party to celebrate.

"I can show you around, it's a large property. You'll have your own private bedroom and ensuite bathroom. The kitchen is also pretty much all yours since we don't use it, for obvious reasons." Wilbur laughed at his own joke.

"You're not much of a chef, Wilbur? Now I'm disappointed," Techno said sarcastically. The idea of a vampire chef was somehow comical to him. And slightly horrifying.

"Hey, Phil is actually a decent cook. You can probably tempt him to make you something if you ask nice enough."

Techno would absolutely not be doing that.

"Utilities are included and you'll be paid a monthly salary on top of that. But you will need to go out and buy food for yourself because we don't exactly do grocery runs. Unless you count Niki's clinic."

"Sounds good," Techno said as the paper was turned around and slid towards him. "With your taste in fashion, I'm not sure I'd trust you to buy anything for me anyway. You'll probably get me stoneground bread with drippings or lard for breakfast."

"Har har, aren't you hilarious." As if to prove Techno's point, Wilbur put an elaborate fountain pen down on top of the page for Techno to use when signing his contract.

Techno picked it up and raised an eyebrow at Wilbur. Wilbur scowled at him, which made Techno laugh. "You should just take the L, man."

"I liked humans better when they didn't have the internet," Wilbur sighed.

Techno only laughed harder, quickly scanning the contract to confirm it laid out exactly what Wilbur had said. He signed it with an exaggerated little flourish.

"So when can I move in?"

It took exactly two days for Techno to pack up all his possessions, three carton boxes full of crap he had accumulated in his twenty-odd years on planet earth. It wasn't much, but he was never a very materialistic person. He carried them from the bus stop to the mansion, trying not to drop them. When he got to the door, he realized he'd have to put them down to get inside which was a bit of an issue when he didn't think he could bend over without toppling the first box. Unless he could open the door with his elbow?

He tried. It didn't work.

"Do you want some help with that, mate? Or do you enjoy struggling by yourself?"

Techno froze in place, glad the boxes would hide how red his face just got. "I would have managed," he said. "But since you're here anyway."

"Since I'm here anyway," Phil echoed with a chuckle. Techno stepped out of the way to allow the older man to get past him and open the door.

The inside of the house was almost as cold as the outside air was. Techno had goosebumps on his skin underneath his jacket.

"I can help you carry these to your room if you want?" Phil offered. It was a bit funny, considering he was a head shorter than Techno yet probably easily twice as strong if Techno's knowledge of vampire superstrength was anything to go by.

"I don't know where my room is, Wilbur was going to show me around."

"Let me guess, you texted him and he didn't answer?" Phil did not sound annoyed, more like he expected Techno's nod in answer. He turned around and yelled deeper into the house. "Wilbur! Get over here and do your damn job!"

There was a thud from somewhere upstairs - Wilbur dropping something maybe? - and then a series of curses indistinct through the walls.

"He was born before the rise of technology and doesn't keep up with the times. You should hear him harking about the good old days." Phil smiled at Techno. "I guess a lot of the middle generation of vampires is like that. They think the modern ways are silly."

"Can't say I relate," Techno said. He wasn't even aware vampire generations were a thing.

"I suppose not." Phil shrugged. "Adaptability is crucial to survival, especially for our kind. At least Wilbur isn't a Luddite."

"And at least I have a cellphone," Wilbur said suddenly as if he'd materialized out of thin air next to them. With the boxes obscuring his sight, maybe he'd just managed to sneak up on Techno unseen and with very light footsteps. Since he was a vampire though, teleportation wasn't out of the question either.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Phil said, voice rising in pitch to show his affront.

"You literally send your messages by bird. You have no leg to stand on here, Phil." Without asking, Wilbur reached out and easily took two boxes out of Techno's arms.

"Anybody who matters knows how to reach me when they need me," Phil said simply. "Poor Techno here texted you hours ago and you ignored his cries for help. He could have frozen to death on our very doorstep."

"They weren't exactly cries for help," Techno tried but went ignored. What he was witnessing had to be some kind of weird comedy routine banter that was considered normal in this household. And his appeal to sanity was not to be heeded.

"I just forgot to check my phone, no need to be dramatic," Wilbur said.

Phil shook his head before turning his attention to Techno. "I'm glad you've come to stay with us, Techno. If you need anything, you can always ask me." He glanced at Wilbur, more fond than anything. "And good luck with him."

"Fuck you, I'm delightful," Wilbur told him.

"Don't make me regret turning you," Phil said as he walked away. Techno was starting to get used to not knowing if these people were joking or not when talking to each other. Maybe it was safer if he didn't ask.

Shifting the boxes to one arm, Wilbur put a hand on Techno's shoulder to lead him deeper into the house. "Come on, I'll show you your room."

They headed upstairs, where Techno hadn't been yet. There was a hallway to the left and one to the right. Wilbur nodded at the left hallway first, there were only two doors. "Down there is Phil's office and the master bedroom, which is also where the nest is. Overall, you're free to go wherever you want in the house but it's probably smart to stay clear of the nest unless you're invited in by one of us."

"Vampires get territorial, right?" Techno asked. He knew the nest was where fledglings were kept, anyone outside of the coven wouldn't be allowed near it.

"Don't get worried, it's not like we're going to rip your throat out for setting foot in there." Wilbur said it casually, not considering it to be a very daunting statement. Techno gripped the boxes a little tighter. "But it's the heart of the coven, it should be treated as such."

Techno nodded. He would not go anywhere near that hallway unless he was actively dying, duly noted.

"Besides, Tommy is often asleep in there during the day so you shouldn't go inside anyway unless you're prepared to have a grumpy fledgling clinging to you for hours," Wilbur added with a smile.

"He's still nocturnal?" Techno asked. Vampires became immune to sunlight with age and also needed less sleep as they got older. Considering when he was turned, Tommy shouldn't be nest-bound, not to mention Techno had actually seen him the first time he visited this place.

Then again, Wilbur did mention the kid was sickly.

"Tommy gets tired very easily. And Phil is keeping him in the nest as an extra precaution," Wilbur said. There was a thin layer of concern there. So far, Techno had known Wilbur to be a pretty laid-back person. But it was becoming abundantly clear to him that Tommy's situation was making him anxious, and Phil too probably.

Hopefully, Techno being in the house and allowing for more frequent, fresh feedings would help matters some.

When Wilbur turned back to him he was smiling again, mood shifted back instantly. He was either a good actor or really that carefree, somebody who could put his worries aside easily. Maybe there wasn't much difference.

"So this is my room." Wilbur threw the door open like a realtor trying to sell Techno on the interior of a new condo. And it was… quite something alright. As if the set of a 70s soap opera had clashed with a dark academia Pinterest board and the result was vomited all over this bedroom. Techno didn't dislike it though, it really was peak Wilbur.

Several guitars were hanging from the wall, and there was a keyboard shoved into a corner. Clothes were strewn over the floor, on the bed, even on the windowsill. Wilbur's potted plants barely had any room to thrive, though that might also be because of the dark blackout curtains that obscured any sunlight from falling through the window. A typewriter sat on the desk where Techno would expect a laptop to be for most people, next to a wastebasket full of crumpled papers that really screamed 'tortured artist'.

Maybe Phil was wrong and Wilbur was a Luddite after all.

"Looks cozy," Techno said and found he wasn't even being sarcastic. It definitely felt more lived in than some of the anonymous dorms he'd visited from classmates over the years. At least Wilbur's room had some personality to it.

"It's great, Phil never makes me throw my shit away because he doesn't want to be a hypocrite."

"So you're both hoarders," Techno said. His three boxes were starting to look a little pathetic in comparison.

"Collectors," Wilbur corrected easily. He pointed at the door across from his own. "That's Tommy's room. I would show you what it looks like but he'd literally bite me for invading his privacy, so you can just ask him to show you later."

"Coward," Techno told him.

"Have you seen his fangs?" Wilbur said in dismay. "They fucking hurt. Trust me, he's bitten me plenty of times. Phil kept saying they're not too bad but I know from experience he's lying."

Techno grimaced at the thought of sharp canines piercing his skin. "I'll stick to the syringes."

Selling his blood for cash was one thing, letting a vampire feed from him directly was something completely different. Apparently, it was supposed to be tastier - a lot of vampires preferred it over blood bags and even paid extra for it. And it could certainly be done without harming the human being fed on.

Techno had never tried it and while the thought didn't appall him, there was no reason to go there when sterile tubes and disinfection wipes had always done the trick.

"And this is your room."

Wilbur opened the final door in the hallway, smirking at the undisguised shock on Techno's face when he saw where he'd get to stay. His entire apartment would probably fit in this bedroom - which might say more about how crappy his old place was but still. It wasn't really decorated, presumably since it didn't serve any purpose before and just stood empty. But there was a wardrobe so big Techno's clothes would likely only fill one shelf and a very nice desk that must be antique. He'd have to start using coasters because if his cans of energy drinks left rings on the wood, Techno would never forgive himself.

The curtains of this room weren't blackouts, Wilbur could have specifically replaced them because he knew Techno would be staying there. Ironically, there were canopies attached to the bed, which was one of those king-size Elizabethan types that Techno felt might be stolen from a museum. He certainly wasn't going to ask.

"You can change whatever you don't like," Wilbur said, able to read from his face that the decor was not entirely up to modern standards.

It made Techno grin a bit wider. "No, it's… it's nice. About what I expected from a bedroom decorated by vampires, really."

"In our defense, this room hasn't been touched in well over a century." Wilbur walked over and put the boxes at the foot of the bed. Techno followed his example.

"Oh, I can tell."

It wasn't too bad though. With some personal touches, he was sure he could make something out of it. And Techno never much cared for interior design anyway, as long as he had a place to sleep he was good.

Wilbur showed him around downstairs too. Techno had already seen the library, but the rest of the house turned out to be equally impressive. The living room was huge, with a big flatscreen TV that took up half a wall and a large circle couch that looked so soft it might be considered criminal. There was a dining room and the kitchen that Wilbur had mentioned. As was to be expected, it seemed untouched. Like something out of a magazine. The fridge was filled with sparkling water and blood bags.

"I'm definitely going to need to go shopping," Techno said with a frown.

"We used to stock more human food for Tommy, but Phil thought it was the reason he was getting sick so we threw everything out. Since then we've learned that definitely wasn't the case, but you know."

Techno closed the fridge door again. "I can get him some stuff too if you want."

"You'd do that?" Wilbur asked.

"I mean, if I'm out anyway, might as well." Techno assumed that was just common roommate courtesy. He was going to share a house with these people, he might as well act like it.

"He likes practically everything that's sweet," Wilbur said in a hushed whisper, a little conspiratorially.

There were large ceiling-height windows that allowed them to see out into the garden. Phil was tending the plants, kneeling down to pull out the weeds. When he noticed them watching he smiled and waved. Wilbur waved back.

"It's probably a lot to adjust to. I never liked moving," he said.

"You've moved a lot?" Techno asked.

"In the period before humans found out about our existence, yes."

Oh right, Techno found it easy to forget exactly how old Wilbur was until he'd say something completely insane that suddenly reminded him. But with that comment, Wilbur had to be turned before the start of the 17th century. The thought kind of made Techno's head hurt, so he decided not to dwell on it.

"But I do believe that with some effort, you'll really come to like it here. Really come to like us."

Techno was still looking out the window, watching Phil at work. With how ridiculously rich Phil probably was, it struck Techno as odd that he'd decide to do his own gardening. Perhaps he just enjoyed the activity? When he turned his head again, Wilbur was staring at him.

Hopeful? Longing?

A blink and then it was gone. Maybe he was just imagining things.

Techno relaxed his shoulders. "I think so too… on one condition."

"Condition?" Wilbur asked.

"You guys are going to need to start turning on the damn heating because I'm freezing over here."

Wilbur blinked at him, stunned, before breaking out into a deep, breathless laugh. "Oh for sure. I always forget we don't feel the cold."

"I do and I can assure you, your damn mansion isn't much warmer than your fridge is," Techno said, pulling on the sleeves of his jacket.

"If that's all we need to do to keep you, gladly."

And he had to turn away from Wilbur's stare then before he read too much into it.

"You promise you know what you're doing, right?" Techno asked dubiously.

He'd gone into this with full confidence, but watching Wilbur clumsily tie a knot had robbed him of any certainty that he'd be able to come out of this with his arm intact.

"Niki tested me on it and everything, I know how it's done."

That statement was slightly undercut with how Wilbur fiddled with the butterfly needle, struggling to get it attached. Techno knew he shouldn't judge too harshly, as long as Wilbur didn't literally pop his vessel and let him bleed out on the floor somehow, it'd be fine. Niki was only able to do it as fast as she did because of years of practice and ingrained muscle memory.

But also, he'd like to survive his first official draining as a live-in blood bag.

"Can you do it faster, I'm starving over here?"

Tommy was slouching in the chair opposite Techno, body draped over the table pathetically. He was a little wilted - dull eyes, slow movements - but he was definitely playing up the theatrics as well. Techno reached into his pocket and threw the chocolate bar at him, effectively hitting Tommy in the face with it.

"I got this for you to tide you over," he said.

Tommy scowled at him, though there was no heat in it. He'd shown Techno his room earlier and it was a lot closer to what Techno was used to expecting when it came to a teenager's bedroom. Tommy owned several retro game consoles he was clearly proud of. Techno kicked Tommy's butt in three separate games he owned and shattered his high score in several others. Tommy cursed him out for ten minutes before demanding Techno teach him his tricks.

Really, they were gonna get along great.

Picking up the chocolate bar, Tommy tried to keep up the scowl until he saw what it actually was that Techno threw at him. Then he couldn't stop grinning. "You got this for me?"

You'd think the kid never got anything, the way he lit up at the slightest consideration. "Uh, yeah."

"Good news, I've just decided you're my new favorite person," Tommy said while ripping into the wrapper.

"I thought you hated me for using a blue shell in Mario Kart."

"I can change my mind," Tommy answered, mouth already full of chocolate.

"I'm the one who told him to get it for you in the first place," Wilbur complained. He traced his finger along Techno's inner arm, checking for a good vein. When he found one he disinfected it with the wipe like he'd been taught. "Ready?"

Techno nodded.

The needle went in pretty smoothly. There was a bit of a pinch as Wilbur wiggled it around, trying to make extra sure he'd actually inserted it properly. But then he secured it with the tape and Techno could hardly feel it anymore.

Wilbur held the bag in his hand, checking to make sure it filled properly. Techno knew it would - and if it wouldn't he'd feel the pushback pressure and tell them. But he didn't say that out loud.

Staring at the tube the blood was flowing through, Wilbur licked his lips.

"Do you need to feed too?" Techno asked.

Red eyes snapped up to meet his, pupils dilated. Wilbur tilted his head. "Nah, I like to wait."

"Until what?"

"Until the last minute," Wilbur said. "Tastes better that way."

Techno clenched and unclenched his fist around nothing. He should really get a stress ball or something.

"You're so fucking weird," Tommy said.

"We can't all be fledglings with bottomless pits for stomachs," Wilbur shot back.

The way he was talking about Tommy's condition now was such a stark contrast to before it made Techno suspect Wilbur and Phil might be purposefully trying to conceal how out of their depths they were. This was further confirmed by Tommy throwing the wrapper at Wilbur angrily (quite ineffectively, mind you).

"I'm not a fledgling. I'm a grown man."

Wilbur ignored him. Instead, he busied himself with detaching the first bag from the tube and attaching a new one. These bags were smaller than the ones used at the clinic.

"Here, eat before you wilt away completely." Wilbur held the bag out for Tommy to take.

When he took it, the younger vampire wasted no time sinking his teeth into it. Since Techno had never actually seen a vampire feed on bagged blood, it was a strange sight.

But then again, it wasn't like he'd expected them to drink from mugs or anything.

"Man, this is way better than storage!" Tommy said, pulling the bag back. His lips were stained red with blood.

Techno's blood.

There was a tingle that ran all the way down from his shoulder to his wrist. He was a bit dizzy too. Techno wasn't really keeping track of how much blood they were drawing, but then again that was Wilbur's job, wasn't it?

"Because it's fresh," Wilbur said. "It's healthier too." He pulled off the second bag and put it on the table before drawing out the needle and grabbing a bandaid. "How are you feeling, Techno?"

"I'm fine," he said. It wasn't too much worse than when he donated at the clinic.

"Stay seated, I'll get you something to drink. You put stuff in the fridge right?"

Techno nodded again, rubbing slightly over his arm. There was some soreness, though nothing he'd be concerned at. Overall, Wilbur did a good job. He watched Tommy empty the first bag in a matter of seconds, then reach for the other one.

"What does it taste like?" Techno found himself asking, suddenly morbidly curious at seeing the speed with which Tommy was drinking.

Tommy hummed around the bag in his mouth. It made a slight popping noise when he pulled it loose. "You want a taste?"

"Not unless you want me to hurl all over the floor," Techno said. He couldn't imagine stomaching blood. Quite literally he wasn't built for it - especially compared to Tommy.

"Yours is kinda sweet. And like, rich. Like cinnamon."

"Mine?" Techno asked. He wasn't aware blood could have different tastes.

"Maybe it's just because it's warm, but it's good. I like it." Tommy shrugged.

Techno wasn't sure what to say to that. 'I'm glad I'm doing my job well'? That felt like a stupid thing to say, all things considered.

So he just stayed quiet and sat there, watching Tommy drink the rest of his blood with a smile.