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The TV is the perfect distraction from the notifications that keep popping up on his phone. Each time the screen lights up, he can barely fight the urge to check it. This pattern repeats for the evening, until eventually, the tense situation snaps.
‘Fucking hell, are you going to answer it?’ his sort-of housemate snaps, staring over at him from his position on the couch.
Techno huffs, not bothering to take his eyes off of the TV.
‘No.’
‘Stop being so stubborn. You… you’ll have to tell them at some point.’
The last thing Techno wants to do is explain the situation he’s found himself in. Not when his body is still healing, and the half-bond is raw between him and his fledgling.
‘I will.’
Tommy’s nose scrunches. ‘Are you scared of their reactions?’
Yes, is his first thought. He’s terrified of what Phil will say when he sees the mess Techno has got himself into, even though his sire has only been gone for seven months. He’s about to point out that this situation is clearly a disaster, before realising that the bond is projecting some of Tommy’s emotions.
Scared – anxious – terrified
He takes a deep breath, even if he doesn’t need to. ‘No. Phil… he’ll be angrier at the humans.’
The kid flinches. Four weeks ago, that term was used to describe him. Human.
Techno doesn’t dare ask if he misses it.
‘And… me?’ Tommy quietly asks, fingers clutching the blanket he’s wrapped in.
Alone – abandoned – deserved
He needs to teach Tommy to shut that down.
‘Phil won’t be angry at you, either,’ Techno promises. If anything, Phil will take one look at Techno’s fledgling and snatch him right up from under his nose.
It would probably be for the best, the reasonable part of him thinks. Techno isn’t suited to having a fledgling. Hell, he can barely look at Tommy without feeling guilty. The kid hasn’t drunk straight from the vein yet, because he can’t convince him to.
‘Okay,’ Tommy answers, even if he doesn’t believe him.
They go back to staring at the TV.
Peace, or the awkward tension that has descended over his apartment since he gained a fledgling, lasts for around another hour. Then, the bond begins to flicker with a new issue.
Hungry
Tommy’s doing his best to hide it. He’s still losing some of the signs of mortality, and one of them is the redness of his skin. Right now, it’s faded to a pale, milky-blue as his hunger gets worse. His eyes darken, red overtaking the blue.
Techno internally begs the boy to ask. To do something, other than sit and starve himself because he’s too scared to speak.
‘Are you hungry?’ Techno finally asks, guilt pooling in his stomach.
Tommy tenses. ‘Just a little.’
Starving
It didn’t use to be like this. When Techno first met Tommy, their relationship had been based off of insults and threats of staking. The boy had laughed louder than anyone Techno had ever met, and his quips were almost amusing.
‘Would you like to drink from—’
‘Animal blood is fine,’ Tommy cuts in, looking nauseous.
Techno hides his disappointment. His fledgling won’t drink from him.
He gets off the couch and moves to the kitchen. The blood sits in the fridge, two different sets. Animal blood for Tommy, and human blood for him.
He warms up a mug for Tommy, wrinkling his nose at the disgusting smell. Walking back through to the main room, he approaches the fledgling. It’s only been in the past couple of days that Tommy hasn’t flinched when Techno comes too close. Today, Tommy even reaches out for the mug.
‘Can I check your fangs?’ Techno quietly asks, like he has during every feed. Usually, he’d be able to tell because the fledgling should be snacking on his arm.
Like every time he asks, Tommy huffs. He puts the mug down, using his pointer fingers to lift his upper lip and reveal the fangs that are still developing.
‘Thank you, Theseus,’ Techno says.
Tommy doesn’t say anything. He drinks his blood, pretending to focus on the show.
Figuring he has no more excuses, Techno picks up his phone. Unlocking it reveals the messages from his Coven, discussing a group meeting at their Coven House in Manburg.
Everyone else has already agreed. Their sire has been away for so long, and they’re all desperate to reconnect. Phil may have left with Wilbur to spend some “quality time” together, as father and son, but it meant that the rest of the Coven were now waiting for their sire to return.
It’s not like they all live with Phil. Usually, Phil, Techno and Wilbur live together. The other Coven members are spread out across the globe, but they all return loyally to their sire when needed. Tubbo and Ranboo, for instance, were currently causing issues down in Pogtopia. Niki and Puffy had decided to travel to Las Nevadas to visit friends from another Coven. Fundy was… well, he was probably off in the wilderness like usual. Eret often stayed at Fundy’s side, so that placed them as well.
Techno had his apartment in Antarctica. It was where he went when he needed space away from his father and brother.
They obviously want him to come back to Manburg. It’s his home.
‘How do you feel about going to Manburg?’ Techno asks his fledgling.
Tommy, with crimson eyes and blood staining his lips, glances over at him.
Techno ignores every flashback he has from a month prior to this moment.
‘Why?’ Tommy mumbles, licking his lips clean and lowering the mug.
‘It’s where I live, usually,’ Techno explains. ‘You remember me talking about—’
‘How you live with your dad and brother, yeah. I thought they were spending some time together,’ Tommy accuses, like this is another thing that Techno has lied about.
The vampire grimaces. ‘They were. Everyone is heading back to meet them.’
‘Then why don’t you go?’
‘Because I’m asking if you want to,’ Techno counters, already knowing there’s going to be an argument.
Sure enough, the kid snorts. ‘Why don’t you go without me?’
His instincts demand the return of the bond. He wants to sink his teeth into the side of Tommy’s neck, to let the kid bite into his own and reaffirm the connection between fledgling and sire.
Supressing his instincts isn’t a good idea, but the kid is doing it as well, so they’re both screwed.
‘I’m not leaving you.’
Tommy’s eyes narrow. ‘Ironically, that got us in this issue.’
He takes another breath. ‘Kid—’
‘I am not a kid.’
‘You’re sixteen.’
‘And dead, so I don’t think you can use that excuse anymore.’
Techno barely manages to tamp down on the urge to make the younger vampire submit. If this had been anyone else, they’d be threatened for making comments like that.
‘Are you sure you want to do this, Theseus? Now?’
Whatever internal debate the boy is having, he comes to his decision.
He crosses his arms. ‘Maybe I do.’
Techno lets a hint of compulsion lace his voice. ‘I am your sire, Tommy. That means you stay by my side until I deem you responsible enough to look after yourself.’
The kid, admittedly, does well not to flinch under the influence of Techno’s compulsion. ‘I didn’t ask you to be my sire.’
‘And I didn’t ask for you to be my fledgling,’ Techno snaps, rising up so quickly that he pushes the couch back.
Tommy returns the gesture, rising to his feet and glaring. ‘Then get rid of me.’
‘What part of you’re my fledgling don’t you understand? You will stay at my side,’ he demands, fangs on display as the younger trembles.
‘Fuck you and your stupid fucking morals! You should have killed me!’ Tommy screeches, and Techno snaps.
Part of him tries to remember that Tommy isn’t used to vampire traditions. He doesn’t know that the hierarchy is strict, and insulting your sire is never a good idea. The suggestion that he should have killed Tommy strikes the same part of him that had to watch the kid be drained of blood, and he lunges.
Tommy yelps, distress radiating through the bond as they both go tumbling back. Techno pins limbs that are gangly – he’s not fully grown yet, his teenage fledgling – and then snarls low in the back of his throat. ‘Submit,’ he orders, and Tommy hisses.
‘Fuck off, you fucking dickhead, I fucking hate you.’
‘Submit,’ he insists, using his sire-voice.
The boy falters. His struggling ceases, and a whine breaks free. It’s a vampire sound, and Techno’s heart swells at the thought of his fledgling beginning to understand his instincts.
The bond, not as strong as it should be considering the lack of blood shared between them, sings.
Sorry – scared – loyal
He releases the arm that had Tommy’s shoulders pinned. ‘Do you want to go to Manburg, Theseus?’
Tommy’s eyes flash with a million different emotions. Techno couldn’t hope to pin half of them, but he sees betrayal ringing clearly enough. ‘Fine.’
That’s enough of an answer, for now. He leaves the boy on the couch, returning to his phone and texting a quick reply to the chat.
‘We’ll leave first thing in the morning.’
Tommy flees the room almost immediately.
Techno slumps onto the couch.
The bond between sire and fledgling was precious. A fledgling shouldn’t be let out of the nest for at least three months after transition. They needed daily feeding, and positive affirmation from their sire to reaffirm the bond between them. Even after that, a fledgling never strayed too far from their sire. Techno hadn’t left the nest for a long time, not until Phil took him on his first hunt.
Then again, Techno’s transition had been in the warmth of his Coven nest, with Phil holding his hand and the soft venom to numb the pain. He barely felt a thing, transitioning over the span of a week.
His fledgling had no such luxury.
He debates calling Phil. His sire would be more than happy to help him through this, he knows that much. A lecture would probably follow, but he wouldn’t let Techno and Tommy suffer any more than they already were.
If he did that, though, he’d have to admit he failed. That the feisty teen that he slowly befriended over his months in Antarctica got into a situation because of him, and it cost Tommy his life.
His night doesn’t get any easier. Like always, at around 2am, the nightmares start. The bond floods with agony, and Techno winces under the onslaught of emotions. In the guest room just down the hallway, his fledgling begins to toss and turn under whatever nightmares haunt him.
Techno doesn’t have to be a genius to work out what he’s dreaming of. He was there for most of it.
Ignoring the terror – help – save me – please coming through the bond, he goes to the kitchen to warm himself up some blood.
Hopefully, Phil will be able to solve all of this.
**
Tommy remains quiet.
The car came to pick them up just after dawn. Techno, running on less than two hours’ worth of sleep, was in no mood to engage in conversation. With his bag packed, he had showered and dressed in clothes appropriate to re-greet his sire in. A tailored pair of trousers, accompanied with a white poet’s shirt and his usual accompaniment of golden earrings. Laced boots and a soft jacket helped complete the look he was attempting.
Theseus had brushed his hair. A ratty pair of jeans, threadbare at the knees, and a black sweater were his choices.
As much as Techno had tried to buy his fledgling new things, the boy tended to rip them apart.
If his chauffeur thought anything was strange about the boy that climbed into the back of the car with him, he didn’t say anything. The man was a human, and there was no way for him to tell that Tommy was a fledgling.
‘Take a breath, Theseus,’ Techno advises, sitting opposite him in the back.
The boy, sitting with his back to the driver, grimaces. ‘It stinks of—’
‘Human?’ Techno finishes, realising that Tommy hasn’t actually seen a human since they escaped.
Tommy nods. He’s breathing rather quickly, biting his lip hard enough to cause blood to bead.
‘I have some blood—’
‘It’s fine,’ Tommy cuts him off, raising a sleeve of his sweater and breathing in that scent instead.
He shouldn’t have taken Tommy out of the apartment. This was a mistake, fuelled by his own selfish urge to get back to his sire rather than taking care of his fledgling.
‘I apologise,’ Techno finally says, looking out of the window, ‘I shouldn’t have suggested this.’
‘Suggested?’ Tommy croaks, ‘You did that weird vamp shit on my brain.’
Technoblade glances back at his fledgling. ‘I used my sire-voice.’
‘It felt like my brain was melting, you dickhead.’
He’s never going to say it out loud, but to have Tommy insulting him again is music to his ears.
‘That’s because you were ignoring me. A fledgling shouldn’t be able to disobey their sire, as a safety measure.’
He knew all of this before he transitioned. Everyone in their Coven, all sired by Phil, knew about vampire customs before being transitioned.
‘There should be a book: How to be a vampire,’ Tommy mutters, slowly lowering his sleeve a little, before slamming it back up to his nose when his eyes flash red.
Techno snorts. ‘My scent will help sooth you, if you’d like.’
‘Fuck off,’ Tommy mumbles from behind the fabric.
Techno isn’t deterred. ‘If you attack our driver, I’ll be highly disappointed.’
‘Suck it.’
He shoots the boy a deadpan look, before going back to watching the countryside.
‘I could tell you more about being a vampire, if you’d like?’
Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Tommy fidget. The boy was always moving as a human, so it’s no surprise that the trait continues into his undead life.
‘The transition usually enhances traits already seen in a fledgling’s humanity. Wilbur, for example, became more of a pyromaniac after he was transitioned. He also became clingier.’
Tommy bites the sweater, tiny fangs poking holes through it. ‘You?’
Techno considers the question. ‘I became less fond of social interaction, and more concentrated on family dynamics. I saw, see, myself as a protector to my Coven.’
Blue eyes flick anywhere but Techno. ‘Is that why you didn’t listen when—’
‘Yes,’ Techno cuts in, hating the memories that surface. ‘I was… fond of you. You reminded me of a younger Wilbur, or perhaps even a younger me. I didn’t want you hurt, and it blinded my ability to protect you properly.’
The boy sucks in air sharply, eyes finally landing on Techno. He refuses to shy away from the stare.
‘Nobody is fond of me,’ Tommy says, in disbelief, and Techno has to remind himself that this is an emancipated teen from the foster system. A boy that had nobody, which makes it so much worse that Techno stole his life just because he couldn’t protect him.
Techno narrows his eyes. ‘I can assure you, Theseus, that I wouldn’t keep you around if I wasn’t fond of you.’
‘But I’m your fledgling.’
Some sick part of him is delighted to hear the boy finally refer to himself as such. He almost drags the boy closer, desperate for the bond that is half-formed between them.
‘If a sire doesn’t want a fledgling to turn—’ Techno hesitantly begins, ‘—then they can stop them from turning. The bond severs, and the human doesn’t resurrect.’
He knew it was a risk telling Tommy. Knows that the boy now understands that Techno was selfish enough to drag Tommy back from death.
‘Oh.’
‘I didn’t want… to lose you,’ Techno says awkwardly, then quickly looks away. ‘If you tell anyone I said that, I’ll stake you.’
It’s a joke, and Tommy knows it. He snorts, returning to chewing on his sweater.
‘Why don’t we burn in the sun?’
‘It’s a myth. So is garlic, before you ask. And a stake through the heart wouldn’t kill me, but it would kill you, so do avoid that,’ Techno advises, then debates whether he should have told a forced-turn about that.
Tommy nods. Then he settles against the door of the car, kicking his feet up on the bench-seat and curling in on himself.
‘Tired?’ Techno inquires, wondering how long it’ll be before his fledgling needs fed.
‘Bored of listening to you,’ Tommy replies, and fishes headphones out of his pocket.
**
Techno dislikes this situation. His fledgling hovers behind him, cautious to step in Techno’s shadow as they walk through the gas station. The car is being filled up, so it leaves Techno to find some sustenance.
Tommy may not be able to handle solids, but Techno is craving chocolate.
‘You could have waited in the car,’ Techno comments, careful to stick to aisles without humans. Tommy already looks overwhelmed.
‘Fuck off an die.’
‘Been there, done that,’ Techno drawls, picking his snack and heading towards the counter. Tommy follows, sweater back against his nose.
‘Is this everything?’ the cashier asks, and Techno nods.
‘What’s with your weird shadow?’
Techno halts. ‘Excuse me?’ he snaps, mostly shocked.
The cashier shrugs. ‘Teens usually can’t wait to get away from adults. Is he stupid or something?’
Techno is about to rip a man’s throat out, because how dare they insult his fledgling, when the cashier shuts the register too sharply.
He cuts his finger. A tiny amount of blood beads, and Techno controls his hunger without even needing to try.
Tommy, however, makes a half-strangled sound in the back of his throat.
As tempting as it would be to let Tommy sink his fangs into human flesh, he knows better than to let his fledgling eat food before he’s come to terms with his immortality.
He takes the food, and the change, and then drags Tommy out.
‘Hungry, Techno I’m hungry, please—’
‘Wait until we’re in the car,’ Techno snaps, practically dragging the fledgling over the car park.
They make it into the back, and Techno reaches for the bag he kept stashed. A bottle of animal blood, probably pig, is uncapped quickly.
Tommy lunges. Techno barely has time to draw the curtains around the back of the car, before Tommy’s fangs are attacking the bottle rim as he tries to drain it.
Hungry baby his instincts purr, and Techno happily guides his fledgling’s head back so that he can drain the bottle quicker. It spills down the front of his sweater, staining his chin and Techno’s fingers as he holds the baby in place.
He hears the chauffeur climb back into the car, pausing when he looks back in the mirror and sees the scene in the back.
Techno sends him a warning glance, and the partition is risen between them.
Techno settles, dragging his fledgling properly into his hold while he feeds.
Eventually, Tommy’s hunger dies down. The boy had an issue with food before he was turned, and it’s continued into portions that are far too small since his immortality was achieved. The fact that he drank nearly all the bottle is impressive, but Techno knows it’ll be a battle to get him to feed tomorrow.
‘Full?’ he asks, as Tommy’s pupil-blown eyes lazily stare up at him.
If the bond was in place, Tommy would have the addition of venom in his system. There was nothing like the haze of feeding from his Coven, and Techno wishes that Tommy would allow that.
The high is already fading. Tommy slips from Techno’s grip, staring at the mess he’s made of his own sweater. ‘Yeah,’ the boy says, then glances up at him. ‘Thanks.’
Techno doesn’t reply, because he doesn’t want the boy to think he has to thank Techno for feeding him. Instead, he licks his fingers clean of blood, putting the cap back on the bottle and returning it. It’s a miracle his clothes have remained unscathed.
‘Take your sweater off. I’ll put it in the bag,’ Techno instructs, and Tommy hesitantly does as he’s told.
He’s wearing long sleeves under, which is hardly a surprise, but the collar of the shirt does reveal the nasty mark from his death.
Techno stares at it for far too long.
‘I’m not an art-piece, dickhead,’ Tommy mutters, uncomfortable.
Techno takes the sweater, using it to clean up the boy’s face quickly, before shoving it into the bag.
‘Get some rest. It’ll be another couple of hours before we make it to Manburg.’
**
Techno sees Wilbur first. The vampire is hanging off the banister on the first floor, chatting away to one of the others. The door opening didn’t alert him, but the door shutting does, and Wilbur’s head snaps down.
‘Techno!’
His brother moves at vamp speed, halting at the base of the steps the second he identifies that there’s another person in the room.
‘Wilbur—’ Techno begins, but whatever he was about to say is interrupted by the others.
The youngest of their Coven, Tubbo and Ranboo, both come hurtling down the stairs. Niki is in hot pursuit, while Fundy and Eret are more reserved in descending the steps.
‘Who the fuck is that,’ Wilbur accuses, eyes flashing crimson as they register the threat of another vampire on their territory.
A warbling sound erupts from Tommy’s throat. It’s a classic sire-call, designed for fledglings who feel threatened. Clearly, the boy had absolutely no intention of making the sound, because he slaps a hand over his own mouth as Techno turns to him.
‘You’re safe, Theseus. I’m not going to let—’
‘A fledgling? What the hell, Techno?’ Wilbur demands, taking another step closer.
Tommy takes one back, and Techno steps firmly in front of him.
‘Wilbur, back off. I’ll explain everything in a minute, but you’re scaring him.’
‘I’m not fucking scared,’ Tommy pipes up, and Wilbur’s predatory gaze flicks to him.
‘No? You sure look like it, little fledgling,’ his brother purrs, clearly intrigued, and Tommy flashes his baby canines at the man.
Wilbur grins in return.
‘Both of you, quit it,’ Techno grunts, sending Wilbur another warning look.
‘Dad’s going to be so mad at you,’ Wilbur teases, and Techno almost doubles over under the wave of terror – terror – terror flooding the bond.
‘You fucking said—’ Tommy starts, only for another voice to enter the mix.
‘Why am I going to be mad?’
If Tommy was scared before, he goes deathly still now. Techno is forced to shut off his access to Tommy’s bond, if only because of the pain radiating from it.
Phil’s smile is warm and paternal, until his nose picks up on the scent of the other vampire.
The grin vanishes. ‘Techno,’ Phil calmly says, staring right at Tommy, ‘Why does it appear like you have a fledgling.’
The rest of the Coven shudder under the aura that their sire exudes. Even Wilbur takes a step away from Techno, knowing not to get in the middle.
Tommy doesn’t make a sound.
‘Because I have a fledgling?’ Techno jokes, realising it falls flat when Phil’s eyebrow slowly raises. ‘I was definitely going to explain this before I arrived, but I… didn’t.’
‘Clearly,’ Phil drawls, eyes flicking between the two of them. ‘How long has he been yours?’
‘A month,’ Techno replies, then winces at the anger that pulses from Phil.
‘And you thought it suitable to take him out of the nest?’
Techno grimaces. ‘It wasn’t… yes, I thought he’d be fine to make the journey.’
He doesn’t tell them that Tommy was never in the nest. They’d try and force the kid, and he clearly didn’t need that right now. If Techno has to take a slightly heavier punishment to keep Tommy happy, he will.
Phil isn’t happy. ‘We’ll be having words about this, Techno. I’m highly disappointed with you. A fledgling is—’
‘Standing right here, you dickhead,’ Tommy snaps, shoving his way to Techno’s side without a care for the fact that Phil could rip him apart for his insolence. ‘Stop being an arse to him.’
Phil’s eyes slide to Tommy. ‘Aren’t you charming. What’s your name?’ Phil inquires, voice a lot softer when talking to Tommy.
‘Tommy.’
‘And how old are you, Tommy?’
It’s definitely a trap. There’re really strict rules around transitions, and Tommy is not old enough to be one.
‘Does it matter?’ Tommy spits back, and Phil looks at Techno.
Oh, he’s in so much trouble.
‘I want an explanation, now,’ Phil orders, compulsion lacing his tone.
Techno winces. He really doesn’t want to explain everything that happened.
‘Why don’t you shove it up your—’
‘Tommy,’ Techno cuts in, glancing down at him, ‘Really not helping, runt.’
‘Fuck you and your stupid family, Blade,’ Tommy cuts, fangs on display.
‘Theseus,’ Techno replies, at the end of his tether.
His sire-tone clearly startles some of the vampires in the room.
Not Tommy, who bulldozes head-first into a fight without care.
‘Techno,’ he bites back, even if his muscles shake with the energy taken not to submit, ‘I didn’t even want to fucking come here.’
‘Watch your mouth,’ Techno tries, and he gets rewarded by the boy flashing fangs again. ‘I will make you submit again.’
The kid shuts his mouth, glaring.
Techno turns back to Phil, who looks… confused.
Probably because sires and fledglings are supposed to be close. Knitted together, inseparable.
‘Can we save the lecture for the morning, Phil? I’m tired, and I’ve got a headache from dealing with this brat—’
‘I’m going to stake you.’
‘—and I just want to sleep. Please, dad,’ Techno pleads, pulling out all the stops.
Phil’s gaze softens. ‘Your room is untouched. But we will be discussing this at breakfast—’
‘I need a spare room for Theseus,’ Techno adds, glancing to his angry fledgling.
Phil frowns. ‘He should be staying in the nest with you.’
‘I think the fuck not,’ Tommy snaps, terrified.
Techno pinches the bridge of his nose. ‘Fine. That’s… Tommy, take my room. I’ll take the couch.’
Phil shakes his head. ‘No, no. I’ll get a guest room ready.’
**
Breakfast is far worse than arriving at the house. He has to basically drag Tommy to the main room, where the others are already seated, and force him into the chair at his side. His fledgling snarls, but sits there and glares at everyone else.
Techno takes his seat. He plates himself some food, sending Tommy a look to make sure he knows it isn’t worth it.
The boy, in response, steals a slice of bacon from Techno’s plate.
‘Do not—’
Tommy shoves it in his mouth.
‘—eat it,’ Techno finishes lamely, glaring at his fledgling. ‘You’re going to be sick, and I’m going to laugh.’
Tommy flips him off.
Phil clears his throat. ‘I think we’ve been patient enough, Techno. Care to explain how you got a fledgling?’
‘He transitioned,’ Techno replies, not meaning to be difficult.
Tommy snorts. ‘Smooth, Blade. Socially awkward dick.’
Techno takes the insult in his stride.
Wilbur, however, does not. ‘What makes you think you can be so bratty to him?’
‘Wilbur,’ Techno warns, but his brother doesn’t listen.
‘He turned you. You should be thankful—’
‘Thankful?’ Tommy screeches, eyes turning crimson. ‘Thankful? I didn’t ask to be fucking turned! I didn’t ask for any of this shit!’
Wilbur recoils, head snapping to Techno.
He grimaces. ‘Tommy, calm—’
‘If you tell me to fucking calm down I will hit you. This is all your fault!’ Tommy cries, fists curling up as he shoves his chair back.
Techno winces. ‘I know, fledgling. I’m sorry—’
‘You’re sorry? Sorry isn’t going to give me my life back! Sorry isn’t going to stop hunters from cutting my fucking throat open,’ Tommy shrieks, breathing far too fast for someone that doesn’t need to breathe.
Techno stands up sharply. ‘Enough, fledgling. Settle,’ he orders, and Tommy whines in the back of his throat at the influence of Techno’s words.
He starts sobbing.
Techno runs a hand through his hair, then looks to Phil.
His sire is watching with an understanding look. ‘Hunters found you?’
‘Yes,’ Techno forces, while Tommy continues to sob into his sweater.
‘And the turning was non-consensual?’
‘Yes.’
‘Did you bite him?’
‘No.’
Surprisingly, it isn’t Techno that says that. It’s Tommy, who is angrily glaring at Phil. ‘He didn’t bite me. You can’t be mad at him.’
The two driving instincts. His human one, to hate Techno. His vampire one, to protect him from any perceivable threat.
Phil smiles gently. ‘I’m not mad at either of you, Tommy.’
The boy goes back to hiding his face in his sweater. Techno flinches, taking a half-step closer, before reminding himself that he no longer has the right to comfort him.
‘Are you bonded?’ Phil asks, and Techno shakes his head.
‘No. Tommy doesn’t want to drink my blood.’
It’s Phil’s turn to wince.
‘Okay. Okay, we can… we’ll work on this. Tommy, mate, can you look at me?’
Theseus raises his head, eyes red-rimmed and lip split from where his fangs have been digging into it.
‘This is your coven too, now. Bonded or not,’ he amends, because it isn’t technically true. ‘This is your home. You may not feel safe here, or want to be here, but I will do everything I can to make your stay here a happy one.’
Tommy doesn’t say anything.
‘Starting with asking if the hunters are dead,’ Phil says, aiming the question at Techno.
He shakes his head. ‘I had a fledgling to care for.’
Phil nods. ‘I thought that would be the case. Do you want us to hunt them down?’
Techno hesitates, then looks to Tommy.
The boy stares back at him.
‘Your choice, Theseus.’
‘They hurt you as well,’ Tommy mutters, and Techno doesn’t disagree. ‘I… I want you to bring them here.’
Phil cocks his head to the side, before shrugging. ‘If they come here, they either leave with their mind wiped or dead.’
‘I can deal with that,’ Tommy says, mostly to himself, and Techno hides his surprise.
One of the slowest things to leave, after a transformation, is human morals.
‘Then we’ll bring them in. I might… I might need their faces, Techno.’
Which means offering up a memory to his sire. He can do that.
‘Fine.’
‘And you’ll need to re-bond with me,’ Phil says, and Techno hides his joy at that.
His desire to bond with Tommy aside, there’s nothing he wants more than to be tucked up with his sire in the nest.
‘Please,’ Techno replies, too quickly.
Phil’s smile softens. ‘You did well, Techno. But you should have called me.’
‘I know. I’m sorry, I was trying to give Tommy space.’
‘I understand,’ Phil promises, then looks back to Tommy. ‘Niki, would you give Tommy a tour of the Coven whilst I take Techno up to the nest?’
Instinct has Techno snarling. Phil hardly looks surprised, rolling his eyes. ‘Take a breath, mate. She’s not going to hurt your fledgling.’
Tommy stays suspiciously quiet throughout all of this. When Niki slowly approaches him, wary of Techno’s reaction, the boy silently takes her invitation to leave.
**
Things get worse from that moment. Despite Techno rebonding with Phil, his own fledgling pulls further away. The high from Phil’s venom can’t numb the agony of having a half-bond between him and the boy that does everything he can to avoid him.
Days pass, turning slowly into a week, and then into two.
Strangely, Tommy doesn’t have an issue with all members of the Coven. He gets along fine with Tubbo and Niki, and sometimes sits to listen to Wilbur play the guitar. As long as they don’t bring anything vampire-related up in topic, he seems fine.
Techno sees his fledgling once a day, when they argue over food. Techno, at Phil’s suggestion, is trying to get Tommy to drink more than half a bottle of animal blood each day.
Tommy, in return, is throwing said blood all over him.
He does not offer the story of how he met his fledgling to any of the Coven. They do not ask.
On the fifteenth day of returning to Manburg, Techno has an idea. A brilliant one. Abandoning his usual tasks of moping, he goes in search of his fledgling. Even with the bond only half-formed, it isn’t too difficult to find him.
Tommy is with Tubbo, which was to be expected. He glances up when Techno enters the room, eyes narrowing on him immediately.
‘Hey, Techno,’ Tubbo greets, and he spots Ranboo’s head poking out from around the nearest bookshelf.
‘Kids,’ he returns, even if Tubbo and Ranboo are both a little over fifty years now. ‘Would you mind if I talk to Theseus for a minute?’
Ranboo gets up instantly, as expected. Tubbo, who had to be put in his place far too many times as a reckless fledgling, glances to Tommy first. When the boy just shrugs, the two young vampires leave.
‘What is it? Ready to kick me out?’ Tommy says, not making eye-contact.
Sad baby, his mind cries. Techno shoves the thought away, and instead shakes his head. ‘I thought you might like to… spar with me.’
Tommy’s head snaps up. ‘What?’
He’s made a mistake. He’s overstepped, and this idea was stupid because Tommy wasn’t ready to—
‘Really?’ Tommy adds, with the bond pulsing hopeful – happy – confused.
Good emotions. He’s never felt good emotions across the bond before, and Techno fights the urge to sweep the fledgling up and take him back to his nest.
‘You enjoyed it when we first met,’ Techno says bluntly, ‘You’ll be stronger now. I thought it might do you some good to blow off some steam.’
The fledgling scrambles to his feet, nodding his head so quickly that his hair bounces. ‘Yes! Yes, I’d like to spar. Did you bring your training swords?’
‘We have real ones,’ Techno explains, turning to the door with Theseus in pursuit. ‘And an actual training room. Nobody uses it much, did Niki show you?’
Tommy shakes his head, following him through the corridors. ‘Can we… go outside instead? Under the sun?’
Like we used to, is the unsaid part of that sentence.
Techno agrees. He reaches the training rooms, and fetches two swords for use. He doesn’t bother with armour, considering he doesn’t intend on placing any hits on his fledgling, before they move to the gardens.
Fundy and Eret are both out on the patio at the back of the house, but Techno doesn’t acknowledge them as he guides his fledgling to the open lawn.
He places the swords down, pleased to see that Tommy is already stretching his body out.
‘How about a wager?’ Techno suggests, like he used to.
Usually, the loser bought lunch. It was always Tommy, who never actually ended up paying for lunch despite the fact he insisted he could.
Today, Tommy’s eyes flicker. ‘Sure. What do you want?’
‘Winner gets to make the loser do something,’ Techno says, all part of his plan.
Tommy studies him. They both know that Tommy has never won a fight before. ‘If I win—’ the boy says, and Techno’s heart soars, ‘—I want you to drink pigeon blood.’
He wrinkles his nose on instinct. ‘Are you still mad at me for that?’
Tommy’s lips tug up at the corner.
‘Fine. When I win, I want you to bite me.’
Tommy instantly goes to argue, but Techno is quicker. ‘Not feed, just bite. You don’t have to take blood.’
A stalemate draws between the two of them, where Tommy considers his losses. He could easily deny the bet, but instead, he nods. ‘I’m not going to lose.’
‘You always do,’ Techno drawls, picking up his sword and stepping three paces away.
Tommy flashes baby canines at him. ‘I’m stronger now.’
‘And I don’t have to hold back. Prepare,’ Techno instructs, raising his sword and waiting for Tommy to do the same.
He is mildly surprised that Tommy is the first to lunge. The boy is quicker now, and although Techno has not taught him how to use his enhanced speed and strength, Tommy gets the hang of it quickly.
It makes sense, admittedly. None of the vampires turned by Phil were fighters before they were turned, apart from Technoblade. Tommy already knew how to hold his own in a fight, and could have beaten any human in a fair match.
So, Tommy as a vampire? Quick, deadly, and powerful. He doesn’t hold back the strength behind his blows, and moves so quickly he blurs at the edges.
Techno is more than aware that they’re being watched, but he doesn’t let his attention slip.
He’s actually putting in effort to keep up with the fledgling. Each strike makes him readjust his hold, before he gives up playing nicely and aims for a central blow. Tommy blocks it, obviously, but doesn’t move quickly enough to defend himself from the quick feint-left that Techno performs. With his side exposed, Techno trips the boy’s weight, and smirks when he hits the floor.
‘Again,’ Tommy demands, rolling back to his feet.
Techno just gestures for him to attack.
It repeats. Each time Tommy is knocked down, he gives him the chance to get back up before they go again. The boy is burning through his energy far too quickly, and the crimson in his eyes is getting more and more noticeable.
‘You know—’ Tommy pants, eyes darting to meet Techno’s for a moment, ‘—Phil told me that if there isn’t a full bond between a fledgling and their maker, they can be re-sired.’
Techno snaps. He loses concentration, anger blinding his next swing.
Tommy, who knows him far too well, predicted it. He ducks, slides over the grass and slams the handle of the sword between his shoulder blades, before kicking the back of his legs. Techno grimaces when his knees hit grass, reaching over his shoulder to grip the fledgling and pull.
It ends with Tommy pinned on the grass, and Techno looming over him.
‘I forbid it,’ Techno snarls, fangs on display as he tries to get the younger to submit.
Tommy isn’t scared. He doesn’t wince under the onslaught of the half-bond, or tilt his head to the side in obedience. He just watches, and then shrugs. ‘Checkmate.’
Techno blinks, and then realises the slight pressure on his back, between his 2nd and 3rd rib.
A knife.
Techno releases his hold. Tommy lowers the knife, and they both rise up.
‘You used my instincts against me,’ Techno slowly says, and Tommy smirks.
‘Yep.’
‘Impressive,’ he relents, and the fledgling shoots him a smile.
‘Pigeon blood?’
‘You’re a surprisingly dislikeable person,’ Technoblade comments, mostly to himself, before glancing into the woods.
He’s going to have to hunt a pigeon, again.
Tommy rolls his eyes. ‘You’re the one that put up with me. Now hurry up and find a pigeon.’
**
Tommy is in the main room with the others when Techno returns. Sitting on the couch, eyes still crimson and hungry, watching Tubbo and Ranboo play battleships. Phil and Wilbur are close-by, and Techno suspects they’ve probably tried to convince the kid to eat something.
At least it isn’t just him, that Tommy ignores. That’s probably his only saving grace.
‘Blade.’
‘Theseus,’ he grunts, then shows off the pigeon he caught.
Tommy looks amused. ‘Are the twigs in your hair part of the deal?’
‘Shut it. Catching pigeons outside of the city is hard,’ Techno tells him, refusing to look at the rest of his Coven.
‘Well? I’m waiting,’ Tommy mocks, eyes alight with the challenge.
Techno grimaces, then raises the stupid dead bird to his mouth.
It’s gross. No wonder his fledgling gagged on the taste, crying as Techno promised to find better blood.
He takes two mouthfuls, shudders as he swallows it down, then chucks the rest of the bird onto the open fire.
Tommy studies him for a minute, then nods. ‘Tastes awful, right?’
Techno agrees. ‘I apologise for making you drink it,’ he offers, and Tommy stands up.
He comes over to Techno’s side, closer than he’s willingly walked since his transition, and grabs Techno’s arm. Too confused to stop him, he watches as the fledgling raises it sharply to his own mouth, and bites.
It’s soft and careful. Two fangs that barely break the surface, so he doesn’t draw proper blood.
It’s enough that Techno’s mind screams for the fledgling.
‘Heh?’ Techno confusedly says, and Tommy shrugs.
‘I tricked you. Only fair.’
The fledgling leaves the room, and Techno stares after him.
‘It’s good to see the two of you bonding,’ Phil murmurs, staring at Techno with a soft smile.
Techno is inclined to echo that sentiment. Still, he remembers the fight earlier, and narrows his eyes. ‘If you offer to re-sire my fledgling again, we’re going to have issues.’
Phil’s lips quirk upwards, only slightly. ‘Of course, my apologies.’
Techno huffs, and then leaves the room.
**
Techno returns from a nightly stroll, to find a selection of vampires hovering on the stairway. Phil’s expression is dark, with worry creasing his brow and sadness in his eyes. Wilbur has the usual signs of anxiety, jittery hands and his chest rising and falling despite having no need. Niki is the other one standing there, glancing to Techno as he enters.
‘Issue?’ Techno asks bluntly, and Phil grimaces.
‘I sent the others out for a bit.’
Techno blinks. ‘Why?’
His sire hesitates, then goes to explain. ‘Because Tommy—’
A scream breaks through the house, echoing through the long corridors.
Ah. Night terror.
Techno sympathises. ‘Apologies. He usually calms down within an hour or two,’ he offers, listening to his fledgling quiet down again.
Phil flinches. ‘This happens often?’
‘Often enough.’
They stand in silence, broken only by another muffled whine from somewhere above them. Techno knows that he has to ignore it; he can’t go and comfort the boy like he wants to.
‘What happened, mate?’ Phil quietly asks, staring right at Techno.
Truthfully, he doesn’t know the half of it. He only knows what happened after he took the bait, trying to protect the young human that he’d become so fond of. Only knew that, by the time he got there, Tommy was already bruised and terrified.
‘They wanted me. I knew Tommy as a human, and they’d tracked the boy down,’ Techno explains, staring up the staircase and trying to work out if Tommy’s nightmare was over.
‘And?’
‘And they killed him.’
Phil shoots him a deadpan look. ‘I was hoping for a bit more than that, Techno. You showed me faces, but no memories.’
‘It’s not my story.’
‘Have you considered that Tommy might need someone to talk to?’ Wilbur quietly suggests, before flinching when another scream rings out.
Techno huffs. ‘I suggested therapy. You can imagine how that went down.’
Help – please – scared – dying
Flinching under the onslaught of emotions through the bond, he forces himself back upright. Phil watches, concerned.
‘It’s not healthy to—’
‘I know,’ he cuts in, taking a deep breath. ‘But the kid will freak out if I try and soothe him. You watched him refuse to submit earlier.’
‘If you could drink from him—’
‘I’m not forcing it,’ Techno snaps. ‘I already dragged him back to life because I was selfish. I’m not hurting him anymore.’
Phil studies him, then falls quiet when soft feet pad on the landing.
Techno glances back up the stairs, to see his fledgling standing there. He’s dressed in one of Techno’s old shirts and a pair of sweats, with his eyes a dark red.
‘Theseus.’
‘Hungry,’ Tommy mumbles, stumbling down the stairs in his direction.
This is definitely an improvement. ‘What type?’
Please say mine.
‘Pig,’ Tommy requests, brushing past him in the direction of the kitchen.
‘You could go to bed. I’ll bring it up,’ he offers, and his fledgling glances back.
Tommy then shakes his head. ‘I don’t want you in my n—room.’
He should have expected that answer.
‘Fine. Come on then,’ he guides, stepping away from his Coven and heading to the kitchen.
**
The bitter taste of coffee swirls in his gut. In front of him, Phil puts the kettle on to make more drinks.
‘Morning,’ Tommy says, sleepily rubbing his eyes as he enters the kitchen.
Tubbo perks up. ‘Morning, boss man.’
The blond boy pauses at the kitchen table, wrinkling his nose as he looks down at Techno’s drink. ‘What the fuck is that?’
‘Phil’s definition of coffee,’ Techno replies, forcing another mouthful down.
Phil rolls his eyes. ‘If you’re going to complain, make yourself a drink.’
Techno’s tempted, only his fledgling speaks up first. ‘I’ll make you a cup,’ he says, snatching Techno’s mug and draining the horrible concoction, before moving to the counter.
Phil takes a seat, watching as Tommy makes his way around the kitchen.
‘You don’t let me make your coffee,’ Wilbur complains, shooting Tommy a smile when the boy rolls his eyes.
‘Tommy actually knows how to make drinks,’ Techno says.
He’s more than surprised when Tommy offers out the next piece of information freely. ‘I worked as a barista when Techno met me.’
His heart sings at the simple reminder, smiling fondly over at his fledgling. Phil sends him a look, warning him that his affection is clearly visible to everyone in the room.
‘You insulted me all the time,’ Techno reminisces, as Tommy warms the milk up slightly.
‘And you took four shots of expresso in your drink. A heart-attack waiting to happen.’
‘I’m a vampire. It hardly bothers me.’
‘I didn’t know that, dickhead. Thought you were some junked-up human,’ Tommy says, stirring his drink together and reaching for the caramel sauce that they usually save for ice-cream.
Techno rolls his eyes at his fledgling. ‘I have never done drugs, Theseus.’
‘No? I figured there’d be loads of them floating around during the war,’ Tommy remarks, so casually.
Phil and Wilbur both stare at Techno in confusion.
He doesn’t speak about what happened to him before his turning. The war, the misery of being a soldier so young, made it difficult to process his life as a human. He only told Tommy because… well, he thought it might be a bonding point.
‘Doesn’t mean I did them,’ Techno replies.
‘I do all the drugs,’ Tommy declares, ‘And wives. Lots of wives.’
‘You lived in an apartment by yourself, on minimum wage.’
‘With all my wives,’ Tommy continues, without blinking.
He slides the drink over to Techno, who takes a long sip.
Perfect.
‘Thank you, fledgling,’ Techno murmurs, practically inhaling the drink.
Tommy shrugs. ‘What’s the point in having me around if I don’t make good coffee,’ he jokes, hitting far too close to the insecurity that Techno lies under his bravado.
‘Theseus, you know—’
‘Don’t,’ Tommy warns, and they yet again run straight into a wall of communication.
Techno doesn’t test this one. He still remembers a human-Tommy telling him that his own parents had abandoned him because he was “unlovable”.
He sighs. It isn’t a fight he wants to have. ‘I was thinking of going into Manburg later. Would you like to join me?’
Phil thinks it’s a bad idea. He can see it, in the way the man glares over at Techno. No fledgling should be around humans so quickly after transition. But Tommy has been drinking animal blood on the regular, and fed last night.
Tommy shrugs. ‘What if I almost attack someone again?’
The again has Phil making a questioning sound, that Techno ignores entirely. ‘You didn’t. I’ll be there, anyway.’
‘Fine.’
‘Good. Be ready in an hour.’
‘Got it, Blade,’ the boy chirps, vanishing with his coffee.
Phil stares over at him. ‘None of you were ever this difficult,’ he murmurs, looking amused.
Techno shrugs. ‘I like making things difficult for myself.’
**
With Techno’s hands full of bags, Tommy decides to just ruin him.
‘I want you to bite me.’
Techno chokes. He almost drops the clothes he’s bought for his fledgling, head snapping over to see that Tommy is firmly looking ahead.
‘What?’
‘I want you to bite me,’ Tommy repeats, fingers playing with the sleeves of his sweater.
Techno’s mind sings with happiness. Repeating words of fledgling and nest and baby run rings around his head, looping together as he tries to get his instincts in control.
‘You can’t just—Theseus, we’re in public,’ he snaps, eyes flickering crimson.
Tommy looks at him. ‘I didn’t know the half-bond hurt you.’
Deciding they need to have this conversation out of the way of the public, he grips Tommy’s wrist and leads him back to the car. Their chauffeur is waiting, and doesn’t question when Techno tells him to go and take a walk.
In the back of the car, Techno can properly stare at his fledgling.
‘Don’t make that decision because of me.’
‘It hurts me, as well,’ Tommy murmurs quietly, refusing to look at Techno. ‘But I can’t handle knowing it hurts you.’
‘Tommy, I turned you—’
‘You put up with me. You’re the only person to have ever given a shit,’ Tommy snarls, eyes red with anger. ‘It wasn’t your fault that the stupid hunters found me, anyway.’
‘If I hadn’t spoken to you—’
‘Then I would be alone,’ Tommy snaps, tears spilling down his cheeks. ‘I was a lonely human, Techno.’
He knows that. He knows.
Traits are amplified during the transition. Techno should have noticed sooner that his fledgling was suffering, because he was even lonelier as a vampire without a bond.
‘Okay,’ Techno finally says, ‘Okay. I’ll bite you, but I want you to feed from me first.’
Tommy shudders, looking down at his lap. ‘You’re sure you want me to bond with you, and not… not Phil?’
His anger builds.
‘Cause if you bond, and then you get fed up of me—’
‘I won’t,’ Techno cuts in. ‘Tommy, I haven’t been able to stand being around humans for hundreds of years. You’re the first person… you are the only human, Wilbur aside, that I’ve ever put up with.’
Tommy’s lips quirk up slightly. ‘A compliment from the Blade himself? A miracle,’ he jokes, throat croaky from the emotion choking him.
Techno offers out his arms. ‘Come here?’
His fledgling hesitates, before slowly moving closer. He tucks into Techno’s side, turning his face into the collar of his shirt so he can cry into the fabric.
Techno notes that their driver returns, and he gives him a nod to drive them home.
‘Shh, fledgling. You’ll be okay,’ he promises, stroking golden curls. ‘We’re going to go to the nest, and then you’re going to feed, and I’ll make all the pain go away.’
Tommy doesn’t argue, for once in their friendship. He stays silent for the entire journey home, and doesn’t protest when Techno guides him from the car.
Luckily, nobody is around to watch the mad-dash to Techno’s nest. He locks the door behind his fledgling, and then kicks his shoes off and leaves his jacket on the side, before padding into his nest.
Tommy waits, eyes red, studying.
‘At your pace, Theseus,’ Techno promises.
The boy approaches.
He situates them just as Phil had, when he first encouraged Techno to bite. Tommy’s back to his chest, so that the boy is facing away, before wrapping an arm around his fledgling and offering out his wrist. Watching over the boy’s shoulder, he sees the way Tommy hesitantly takes his wrist, raising it towards his lips.
‘It won’t hurt?’
‘No,’ Techno promises. ‘I’ll never hurt you, fledgling.’
Fangs prick his skin. Tommy is slightly clumsy, pushing venom into his bite almost immediately, and Techno purrs low in the back of his throat as his fledgling finally drinks from him. One mouthful turns into two, and then Tommy is dragging his wrist closer, hungry.
‘That’s it, little one. Take as much as you want,’ Techno murmurs, fighting the daze that always comes with venom.
Tommy hums against his wrist, before his head tilts to the side to expose his neck.
Well, it would be a shame to deny himself, he reasons.
The fledgling doesn’t flinch as he bites down. In fact, he tries to mimic the purring sound that’s coming from Techno’s chest, and the elder smiles as the bond finally clicks into place.
Warm – happy – sire! – hello!
Techno takes another mouthful, pushing more venom into his nestling.
Hello fledgling, he replies, and Tommy releases his wrist. He falls back against Techno’s chest, a low whine spilling from his lips as Techno continues to drink slowly.
Perfect.
**
It’s hard to hide the full-bond from his Coven. Tommy, although still snappy and defensive most of the time, seeks Techno out more and more as his hunger grows. It’s hardly unexpected, and he would never deny his fledgling anything.
At night, the boy comes to his nest after a nightmare.
Techno watches as Tommy’s fangs fully develop over the next week, closely followed by his ability to compel. They practice, far away from the eyes of the Coven, so that none of them work out that the bond is solidified.
Tommy quietly admits that Phil has offered again to re-sire him, if Tommy wants. Techno explains that it’s because he’s unbonded to a Coven, and that makes him more vulnerable. Eventually, he might need to bond with Phil.
Tommy doesn’t like the idea, and Techno will never push it.
With the leaps in progress between them, the perfect opportunity to practice hunting comes one morning during breakfast.
‘We found them,’ Phil says, and Tommy goes tense.
Technoblade raises his head. ‘Downstairs?’
‘In the basement,’ Phil confirms. ‘All five hunters. Do you want us to deal with them?’
Phil isn’t really asking. His sire-instincts are telling him, begging him, to rip apart the hunters.
The issue is, Techno is also a sire. He wants nothing more than to protect Tommy, and that means getting revenge on the men that killed him.
‘No,’ Techno says, ‘I’ll deal with them.’
‘We’ll deal with them,’ Tommy pushes through the bond, and Techno has to concede.
They go downstairs together, even if Phil sends him a warning look.
‘Stay behind me, fledgling,’ Techno murmurs lowly, and Tommy rolls his eyes.
The five hunters are chained up, already bruised from whoever collected them. When they spot Techno, their eyes widen.
‘We didn’t—’
‘Shh,’ Techno says calmly, stepping closer. ‘I don’t want to hear you speak.’
Satisfied that they can’t escape, he glances back into the shadows and calls lowly to his fledgling, who comes forward cautiously. ‘Your decision, runt. What do you want to do with them?’
He’s expecting a simple answer. Either that Tommy can’t decide, or that he wants them dead.
‘I want his throat cut,’ Tommy replies, instead.
Techno can’t help the purr that rumbles in his chest.
Bloodthirsty baby
He chooses the one that killed Tommy, and, despite the pleading of the man hanging from his wrists, he does just as his fledgling asks.
The other four sob.
‘Another?’ Tommy pleads, and Techno moves to the next.
‘Would you like a go?’ Techno asks, holding out the bloody knife to his fledgling.
He steps back as Tommy moves closer.
It’s impressive. Not the way Tommy slices along the man’s torso, toying with his kill rather than going straight for the throat, but the fact that Tommy is refraining from drinking.
Techno’s blood must be good.
The human is screaming, far too loud for the sound not to echo to the floors above. Tommy is covered in blood, especially when he sticks the knife straight into the man’s neck.
‘You can bite, fledgling. My blood will settle your stomach.’
Tommy doesn’t need another invitation. The fourth individual screeches when Tommy goes for the neck, biting down messily. It’s nothing like the soft bites in the nest.
Techno is content to watch as Tommy drains the fourth hunter, before looking to the fifth.
‘Please, please, I won’t say anything, I won’t—’
Tommy settles for stabbing him straight in the stomach, then twisting the knife. The scream that ricochets around the basement is music to Techno’s ears.
He’s not sure how long it takes them to go through all five hunters. Only, by the time Tommy has finished having his fun, it’s definitely past lunchtime. The sunlight coming through the basement window highlights the blood soaking his fledgling. His clothes, his hair, and the crimson dribbling down his chin from his messy feeding.
‘Full?’ Techno asks, amused at the bloodlust in the baby’s eyes.
‘Sun,’ Tommy grumbles, too deep in his instincts to properly ask.
Techno gets the idea. He guides the baby out of the basement, back up the stairs and into the main house.
Wilbur is in the kitchen. ‘Dad took the others outside, cause we could hear… holy shit.’
Techno beams with pride at Wilbur’s shocked expression. ‘Isn’t he perfect?’ Techno murmurs, admiring his little fledgling.
Wilbur’s eyes dart to Techno. ‘You let him feed from a human? Techno, his stomach—’
‘Sun,’ Tommy repeats, impatient.
He huffs, amused. They continue out into the garden, and Tommy relaxes. Techno suspects his desire for sunlight comes from the fact he died in the dark, trapped between four stone walls.
Out on the grass, the fledgling tilts his head back and lets sunlight warm his skin.
Techno keeps an eye on the rest of his Coven, who look more than surprised by the state of Tommy.
Sire – lonely – need – proud?
Techno steps to his side. Proud – love – proud – mine
The boy hums, leaning back into Techno’s chest and tilting his head to the side.
‘You’re a demanding fledgling,’ Techno mutters, amused.
‘You’re a bitch that can suck it. I’ll keep yanking on the bond if you deny me,’ Tommy sleepily complains, and Techno responds by biting his neck.
He only takes a mouthful, just enough to push venom into Tommy’s system to reaffirm the bond. With than done, he pulls back and licks his lips, offering Tommy his wrist.
The boy glances to it, then shakes his head. ‘M’full.’
Techno’s going to take him on a proper hunt, soon. Teach him how to chase down prey, and drain them more effectively than the bloody mess.
‘You need a shower,’ Techno says, wrinkling his nose. ‘You’re not coming in the nest like that.’
‘I dislike you,’ Tommy says. Sire – love – happy
‘The feeling is entirely mutual, Theseus.’ Fledgling – love – mine