DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING BUT MY OWN OC'S.
Chapter Three: Embarrassing Parental Units
After a while, reality crashed back into my mind.
"Um, not to ruin your fun, bro, but it's getting late," I pointed out sadly. Tony settled down, nodding in understanding. He then looked hesitantly over the edge of the blimp.
"How do we get down from here?" he wondered aloud.
"We fly," Rudolph answered. Molly and I exchanged disbelieving looks, then shrugged.
"But I can't fly!" Tony objected. I smiled at his naievity.
"I got you up here, didn't I?" Rudolph asked slyly. Tony shrugged, accepting his answer and rose to his feet. We all gathered around Rudolph and he extended his hand. "Trust me, friends... As long as I'm holding onto you, you won't fall."
I hung back, uneasy. He noticed. So did Molly.
"Chris, now really isn't the time for your fear of flying to kick in," she said. I nodded giving her a weak smile.
"I know that," I answered. "Unfortunately, my head and body don't."
Tony looked at me, confused.
"But you flew here on a plane, didn't you?" he asked. I shuddered.
"And didn't sleep a wink the whole flight," I replied.
"If she was gripping the arm rests any tighter, they'd have had to replace them," Molly agreed, her tone teasing. I shot her a dirty look.
"They aren't called flying-metal-deathtraps for just any reason," I replied cooly, then looked down hesitantly and swallowed. I turned back around and jumped as Rudolph was right in front of me.
"Just put your arms around my neck and trust me," he said. I gave him a dirty look.
"That's not awkward or anything," I grumbled, but did as told. The other two took his hands. In a few moments, he shot off the blimp. In a moment of terror, I jerked forward and latched tightly onto him, burying my head in his neck. My heart was racing a mile-a-minute. He chuckled at me, the sound surprisingly soothing. Tony and Molly were thoroughly enjoying themselves. I was hanging onto Rudolph for dear life.
"Wow," Tony said. "It's great being a vampire!"
I sensed that Rudolph smiled at that.
"Membership does have it's privileges," he admitted.
"Look!" Tony said. I shook my head.
"No thanks," I muttered. I heard Rudolph chuckle.
"Our parents went to a party there," Tony told Rudolph. After a few moments of flying in silence, I dared speak.
"Vampires are different than I thought they'd be," I commented.
"My father's seen to that," Rudolph explained. "We're a family, not fiends. That's why we only drink cow's blood."
"But I thought vampires drank human blood..." Tony said, confused.
"We do," Rudolph answered. "But we have to make due with cows. We've been hunted for centuries. We want to become humans, not eat them for dinner."
"Lucky for us," I muttered. I got another chuckle from the vamp I was currently clinging to.
"Can you see what color that car is?" Tony asked suddenly. Rudolph looked closely.
"Green," he answered. "Man and woman inside... Man yelling very loudly and waving his hands..."
"Oh no!" Tony said.
"That's our parents!" Molly added.
"Rudolph, step on it!" I said urgently. "We gotta get home before they do!"
Rudolph obeyed. Once there, I snatched Tony's nightshirt and tossed it to him. He quickly put it on and crawled up into his bed. I then pulled Molly to one side of the bed and we both sat down on opposite sides, me rocking Tony against my body.
"Pretend you've fallen asleep," I whispered. He nodded. "Molly, look like he had another nightmare."
She nodded and put on a concerned face, watching him closely, while also looking like she'd gotten woken up by him screaming or something.
"-and I looked everywhere but-" the babysitter froze as she saw the three of us. I put a finger to my lips and pointed at Tony. Dottie and Bob nodded, though they looked upset. "I know what I saw and that... I didn't see..."
The parents gave the babysitter a disappointed look before shooing her out.
"Had another nightmare?" Dottie asked quietly. Molly and I nodded.
"He screamed this time, Mom," I whispered sadly. "Poor guy... He just got back to sleep when you showed up..."
She nodded, brushing a few hairs out of his face.
"Don't stay up too late," she whispered, then left with Bob. We let out breaths we didn't even know we were holding and Rudolph jumped down from the ceiling. Tony sat up and grinned at us.
"You're a good liar," he told me. I smirked.
"I have years of practice," I replied.
"So, those are your parents," Rudolph commented. "They look nice."
Tony got comfortable in bed.
"And tasty?" he asked. I rapped him over the head.
"Don't be rude," I scolded playfully. "That's my job."
"No, they look nice as in very nice," Rudolph answered. "I should go now. I haven't had this much fun with a boy my own age since I really was nine..."
"You can spend the night," Tony offered. I saw lights flash past the window and saw Rudolph shrink away.
"Maybe I should," he answered, looking back at us.
"Are you gonna need a coffin to sleep in 'cause that will be a problem?" Tony asked. Rudolph shook his head.
"I just need a place where the sun can't find me," he answered. He walked forward but Molly and I rose.
"We'd best get some sleep," she said, lightly kissing Tony's forehead. I ruffled his hair. We both looked at Rudolph. Molly, forever the bold one, hugged him for a moment, much to the surprise and discomfort of the vamp. He patted her back awkwardly before she stepped back.
"Night, you two," she said, then left. I shook my head.
"Don't stay up too late," I said. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Ru."
He quirked a brow at the name, then watched me, as if preparing for another hug. I snorted.
"I'm sorry," I said in a voice dripping with sarcasm. "I don't hug on the first date."
I swear he blushed as I sauntered out of the room. I laughed softly to myself as I got ready for bed. After a few moments, I turned out the lights and fell asleep.
I woke the next morning to my alarm. I got up and met Dottie in the hall as she prepared to wake Tony. I followed her in. She opened every curtain and then smiled as she noticed Tony's position.
"Morning!" she greeted. "What are you doing down there? Did you have another nightmare?"
At first, Tony nodded, then he shook his head.
"No," he said, coming to a realization. "I dreamt I was... flying!"
"Really?" she asked. "Well, that's a good kind a dream to have!"
She hugged him, then left the room. Tony looked at the chest at the end of his bed. Immediately, I understood. Just as Tony went to pull it open, I reached over and held it shut with my hand.
"The sun," I reminded him.
"Oh, sorry," he said, nodding.
"Thanks, Chris," Ru said. I smirked.
"Don't thank me just yet," I answered. "Tony, get ready for school."
"Yes, mom!" he replied. I snorted.
"You've been hanging around Molly too much," I retorted. He grinned and found himself some clothes.
"Are you kids hungry?" Dottie called.
"I could eat a cow!" Tony called back. Molly and I burst out laughing and I left the room to get dressed. This was a jeans and a t-shirt kind of day. I had a feeling I wouldn't be at school very long. Obviously, neither did Molly.
True to our prediction, we found ourselves back in Tony's room moments after going to school. Tony was supporting a bloody nose but I was certain the McAshton twins were doing far worse. Molly had to pull me off of them, but I knew I'd done a number on them.
"Fighting with the McAshton boys of all people," Dottie was scolding us. "Of all people!"
"They started it!" Tony said, offended, while Dottie changed the kleenex's in his nose. I smirked at that, but hid it quickly so Mom wouldn't see.
"Well your teacher told me last night that you're constantly talking about monsters," she went on. "It's no wonder you get teased!"
"Not monsters," Tony defended himself. "Vampires!"
"Same thing," Dottie stated off-handedly.
"No it's not," Tony argued.
"It's gonna be tough making friends like that," she pointed out.
"I all ready have a friend," Tony said. "We all do."
"You do?" asked Dottie. Her tone was happy and excited. "What's his name?"
"Rudolph," we chorused.
"Where does he live?" Dottie pressed.
"Not far," Tony answered.
"Well, what's he like?" Dottie pressed even more.
"He's very cool," Tony answered. Molly and I exchanged grins.
"And what do you two think of him?" Dottie asked. We exchanged looks and chuckled. "Is he cute?"
"MOM!" we chorused, embarassed. We were certain Rudolph was smirking in the trunk.
"Well, is he?" she pressed. I sighed in exasperation. "If he's got you two this wound up I'd guess he's a fine young man you've got yourselves."
"Oh he isn't fine!" I blurted out, then blushed as I retracted my statement. "I mean mine! He is fine... oh! Nevermind!"
I stormed out of the room, fully embarassed. I heard Molly and Tony laughing uproariously at me. I was still blushing an hour later when Tony and Molly disappeared to go play golf with Bob.
"Will you pick up Tony's room for me?" Dottie asked. I nodded and walked right in, cleaning up as much as I dare.
"So... I'm fine, huh?" came Rudolph's teasing voice. With a low growl, I oh-so-accidentally opened the lid very quickly and just enough to throw a book in the trunk, making sure it would hit him in the head, before slamming the lid shut again.
"What was that, Ru dear?" I asked in a falsely sweet voice. "I'm not sure I caught that."
I got no reply and smirked.
"Silence is wise," I stated, then left the room.