InsaneJournal

Once Bitten Twice Shy
Who: Wally and Ash
When: 2006
Where: Dearborn

Knock, knock Wally stood outside his best friend's door, chewing his lip and clutching the brown paper bag to his chest. He hadn't spoken to Ash since... they'd talked. And could he really be blamed? It was a big deal, finding out your friend was a... vampire. "Ash, you home? I, uh... look, I just wanted to talk. I brought some wine. I know you can't drink it, but I kinda bought it before..." And he was loathe to show up empty-handed. His parents had raised him to see food as the all-around perfect gift, bartering tool, and peace offering, so Wally was at a bit of a loss for what to get Ash.

When the blond had sat down with Wally and told him what he was, when he showed irrefutable proof, when he'd met Wally's eyes and pleaded with him to understand... he had left. Apologetically, but to be honest, Wally had been seriously spooked. Vampires not only existed, but his best friend was one. And old enough to be his grandfather, almost. At the time it'd been too much to handle, but now, a few days later, Wal wished for nothing more than a chance to have that talk again, and to react better this time. Guilt had ridden him hard, and he'd almost called to tell Ash sorry, but finally decided it was better to do so in person. It didn't matter what his friend was, living or dead. What mattered was that Ash cared about him, and he about Ash, and that he would miss the man terribly if he let this come between them. No, he needed to make things right. "Ash? Please let me come in..."

Ashley was suffering a downward spiral. Wasn't that how Trent Reznor put it? He had dark patches now and again -- bouts of depression so deep he could barely function, but it had been years since he had suffered a fall so hard. It had started with Wally's sudden departure after he'd finally managed to admit what he was. He'd been unable to pull himself out of his self loathing -- and the worst part was, he liked being a vampire. He wasn't ashamed of it, he didn't mind the feeding, and he liked the hunting but... Wally had looked at him like he was a monster, and it had started to sink from there. He hadn't left the house to feed in nearly three days, which only added to the week he had gone without, and he was starving. Currently the blonde vampire was curled in on himself in his bedroom. He wore a dingy t-shirt and dark blue boxers but nothing else. His whole body cried out for nourishment and when the knocks came on the door, he cringed, smelling the flesh on the other-side, hearing the heartbeat even through the living room. "Wal, you don't want to see me right now." He called, digging his nails into his arms as he spoke, trying to ground himself.

"Yes, I do." He leaned his forehead against the door and sighed. "Ash, please. I at least need to apologize. If you don't let me in, I'm going to have to say everything out here and embarrass the hell out of the both of us." Wally was honestly worried for his friend. He knew Ash could be an emotional roller coaster, and the fact that he might have caused this sudden drop was eating him up. The man would listen to him, whether he wanted to or not, because if he didn't set things right... who knew what might happen? "For god's sake, I was an ass. I just... I needed some time to realize that. But I was an enormous ass who's really, really sorry he hurt his best friend. Open the door."

"I can't Wal. You don't get it." Ashley's hands went to his hair, clutching, digging in. "I can't be around no humans." His body was trembling. This was the curse of the Odin House vampire. No matter how much you fed, you were always hungry. To go more than a few days without food was akin to slow, agonizing torture. He could smell the blood, it was beyond tempting and he shoved himself further into the corner of the room, pressing his face against the cool plaster. "It'll be dangerous." He muttered, closing his blue eyes. "Dangerous..." Exhaling, he tried to think of anything other than that resounding heart-beat, the smell of salt and copper that was driving him mad. "I could kill you Wal!" He shouted, hoping his friend would understand.

That did make Wally take a step away from the door, nervous, but then he took a shaky breath and stood his ground. "So what? I should leave you here? Ash, you sound sick..." It was worse than he'd imagined. Ash was in such a state and... and it was entirely his fault. His fault, his responsibility. "I... I want to come in anyway. What happens if I don't? You kill someone else instead? You don't want that to happen, Ash, I know you don't." He tried to calm the heart pounding in his throat, the shakes that went all the way down his legs. Something in his deepest instincts realized he was talking to a predator, and it terrified him horribly. But even so, that predator was his friend, dammit. He jiggled the handle, looking around to see if Ash might have hidden a key somewhere outside. "I'm not going anywhere."

"I'm not coming to you Wal. You don't get it. I'm starving." It came out in a deep growl, much lower than he meant for it to be. "I won't risk you. I don't care that yer mad I'm a vampire." But even as his mouth continued to protest Ashely felt his long legs unfolding, his skinny and currently gaunt body moving towards the door. It was the smell. Wally's blood smelled like heaven to the starving man; like every wonderful meal he'd ever dreamed of. Swallowing, the action dry in his throat, he reached the front door of the apartment, splaying long corpse fingers along the wood finish, smelling Wally all the better now. "You're tempting death Wally. You knew that when you ran off a few days ago. Why would you stick around now?"

Ash's voice had him trapped now, rooted to the spot. He knew the man - the vampire - was right on the other side of the door. He knew that if he ran now, and if Ash wanted to catch him, he'd have no chance. "I'm not mad, Ash..." He spoke slowly and carefully, not sure if he was trying to calm himself or the hunter in the next room. "I was... it's a lot to take in. I didn't even know... you existed, let alone suspect you were one. I... I didn't know how to handle it. So I reacted badly." His fingers were clenched so tightly around the wine bottle that his knuckles were starting to turn white, but her didn't notice. "It's my fault you're like this. If I'd been more... together, you wouldn't have let yourself get this bad. You're still my friend, Ash." He stepped closer to the door again, wishing he'd be let inside. "My best friend. And I don't want anything bad happening to you."

"An' I don't want anything bad to happen to you..." Ashley agreed, his voice rough, his eyes slipping shut. "But you smell fucking amazing." His throat was tight and he felt his fingers toying with the knob of the door, wanting to turn it, to feed on the rich warm blood that was pumping through Wally's body. "Wal, I look terrible, I'm..." His voice grew deeper as he realized that Wally's heart was practically slamming in his chest. It was as loud as a snare drum. He couldn't control himself. His hand closed around the knob, wrenching the door open. He was moving at his preternatural speed now, so quickly he wasn't even a blur. He seemed simply to teleport from one spot to another. His fingers closed around the front of Wally's shirt and he lifted the brunette, throwing him into the room and onto the couch in one swift motion.

He'd been expecting the door to open, but not the sudden attack from his best friend. Wally let out a single, startled yelp until the air was knocked out of him as he flew into the sofa. The bottle tumbled from his fingers and rolled away across the floor, unbroken and quickly forgotten as Wally tried to catch his breath and scramble upright. He was ghost-white, panicked, and terrified, but Ash was still his friend and he couldn't quite believe that he'd be killed. Not by Ash. He only got as far up as his hands and knees, wheezing and shaking his head as he tried to piece together exactly what had just happened.

"Do you see what I look like Wally?" Ashley practically roared the words, his blue eyes blazing, his skin sheet-white and cheeks gaunt. He looked like a corpse. His hands were bony, his features sunken. "Do you know how good you smell? You should never, ever tempt a hungry vampire. Fuck." He ran a tired hand over his face, trying to keep distance between himself and his friend. "I could kill you. My house is never satisfied. We eat and eat, but the hunger never leaves Wally. Even if I killed you, I'd have to go out and find someone else, and someone else." He took a threatening step closer, eyes aflame. "I can hear your heart. This is the monster you've befriended."

"I-it's not your fault." Wally swallowed, his voice coming out very small and breathless as he pressed himself back into the couch. "I know you, Ash. You're a... a good guy. If you were a monster, you'd have killed me already, right? I-if you're always so hungry..." Ash looked horrible. It was hard to connect this... thing to the vibrant young man who'd helped him so much with getting over his parents' murder. "It's just what you are, but... but it doesn't make you a monster..." He felt trapped and weak. That speed... he wasn't getting away from Ash now, not unless the vampire let him go.

It was maddening, impossible to ignore. Wally was terrified and his heart was all that the vampire could hear. A growl issued low in his throat, the younger man's words lost to him, and he launched himself forward, again moving too fast. Before Wally could breathe, the blonde was on him, pinning him back against the couch. "I can't control myself." He growled, and one hand tangled in Wally's brown locks. His fingers curled and he jerked his friend's head to the side, revealing his neck. Leaning in, lips parting, Ashley hesitated only a moment before his fangs first grazed Wally's flesh, and then sank in. The taste of copper and life filled his mouth and he relaxed minutely, still holding Wally tightly, but beginning to lose himself in the taste of his friend.

Wally had started to say something, but it turned into a strangled scream as Ash was suddenly there. On top of him. His mind went blank with fear for a moment and he struggled, wrenching around and crying out at the sudden, stabbing pain in his neck. But his struggles were no match for the much stronger man pinning him, and his protests fell on deaf ears. I can't control myself... The words slowly seeped through his panic, and he slowly stopped his struggles, trembling in the predator's grasp. It wasn't Ash's fault, it wasn't...

Ashley was lost as he drank. The taste was heavenly, wonderful, and he found his grip on the brunette loosening, his greedy feeding slowing down so he could savor it, enjoy it. His fingers began to pet through Wally's hair, stroking, and he swallowed again and again, blood filling his mouth, nourishing him. He was growing strong again, and it felt phenomenal. With delay, he realized that he could feel Wally's heart slowing down and as abruptly as he'd latched on to the smaller man, he jerked away again, looking down with horror. "Fuck. Fuck. Wally." His teeth were grimed with blood, the younger man was leaking slowly, his heart beat not nearly fast enough. "Shit! Wally. Look at me. Look at me."

The horror had faded slowly as Ashley continued to pull the blood from his body, replaced by a fuzzy, woozy feeling as the room started to dim. Wally's eyes fluttered shut, his expression almost peaceful. It took a minute or two to realize that the fangs were gone, and to hear his friends voice breaking through his muddled thinking. He blinked, focusing vaguely on Ash, and smiled. "Ash. Y'look better." Damn, he hadn't recalled the room being so cold before, but the panic and terror had been completely replaced by a sleepy, comfortable feeling, so he didn't really want to complain. It was such an effort to talk right now, anyway.

"Fuck. Fuck." Without thought Ashley brought his wrist up to his mouth, tearing the vampiric flesh with his teeth. He brought the seeping wrist back down to Wally's mouth in a flash. "DRINK." It was a command so strong and sharp that one would have to be a fool to ignore it. He had no intention of turning Wally, only... repairing him a little. "Drink now, cuz I ain't gonna kill my best friend today. Not on my agenda." He hissed, and pressed the bloody wrist against Wally's mouth, hard.

The command made Wally jump a little, setting his head to spinning. At first, he could hardly comprehend what Ash had pressed against his mouth, and he sputtered a little, the potent stuff spilling into his mouth and down his throat. He calmed a bit and took another gulp, and another, as strength flowed back into his body and his fingers began to prickle with warmth again. He was still woozy as hell, but Ash's blood chased away the worst of the cobwebs on his mind and brought him back to the present.

Ashley slowly pulled his wrist away from Wally, looking down at the brunette with concern. "You okay? Fuck. See? Thats why I didn't want you in here man. Shit. Look at you. I almost killed you!" He let one fang slice his own tongue and leaned down, running his blood along Wally's neck, healing up the bite mark. "I... I'm sorry. Fuck." He took a slow breath, trying to calm down. He'd come too damn close to completely eliminating his best friend. Wasn't it enough that he'd killed his parents?

"I... I think I'm all right..." Wally rubbed his eyes, taking a few deep breaths to steady himself. "It's... it's not that big a deal. I'm fine, aren't I. I... I knew you weren't gonna kill me, man." His voice betrayed the uncertainty that his words did not - shaking and hoarse as it was. But the worst seemed to be over now, and in Wally's mind it was best to pretend like nothing serious had happened. Even though a vampire - a freaking vampire - had just fed on him. Fangs and all. No denying they were real now... but he'd come to terms with that later. "How're you, Ash? You... you were looking a little crazy there." Breathe, breathe, act normal, everything's just fine.

"I am fuckin' crazy Wally." Ash said, and his tone was soft, defeated. "I'm crazier than bug-shit. I mean damn it. Wal..." He shook his head. "I'm a constantly hungry vampire, I got all sorts of shit messed up in my head... I just. Look. I appreciate yer friendship, but if somethin' like this happens again... I came so damn close. You know?" He took a deep breath. "If you wanna, you know, kinda get away while you can..."

"Ash." Wally grabbed his friend's shoulders, wobbling a little. "How long have we been hanging out, now? You've never attacked me before. I know you've got enough control, so long as you, uh, got enough to eat. And you are not-" he gave the older man a little shake to emphasize the words "-getting rid of me. Understand? If I gotta... I dunno, feed you myself, I don't care. You're not dangerous, and you're my friend. That means you're stuck with me, man." Even when he was being an ass. But now it was up to him to fix things.

"Sit back you damn fool." Ash chided gently, feeling some weight add to the presence on his shoulders. His depression had been deep recently, and it wasn't ready to let go just yet. "I'm crazy in other ways Wal. Just... I'm pretty good at ignoring them usually. Shit. I don't deserve your patience. I lied to you, I almost killed you..." His eyes stun, red brimming up, spilling over. Blood tears leaked down his cheeks and dripped off his chin, splattering onto his hand. "Fuck."

The tears made Wally cringe, but he reached out and wiped them away with his sleeve. The shirt was ruined, anyway. "You had good reasons to lie. And I acted like an ass, too, that wasn't your fault. But I've had some time to adjust, and you know what? I don't care. You're still Ash. And the blood thing's just... your nature, y'know?" He swallowed, not knowing what else to say, and sat back on his heels. Damn, he was still woozy. Probably should call into work sick tomorrow. "You're all I've got left, Ash, you know that. I'm not giving you up so easily."

"Shit." Ashley repeated quietly, shaking his head. "Okay. Fine. I got you to keep I guess." He sighed and ran one hand through his hair. "I... I'm gonna have to go out and feed soon. I... this shit is really hard for me. I'm always starving practically. I just... stay here, relax. I'm gonna get you some water. You need fluids. Fuck. I almost killed you." He was frazzled, confused, and still wallowing in depression. If Wally knew the truth about his parents he wouldn't like him. Hell, no one liked him. His two favorite brothers didn't even bother to stick around for him. Gideon gone, Mark crazy. He grabbed a glass from the kitchen, cleaning off the dust, and filled it with water, returning to Wally. "I have depression." he finally muttered, not meeting the other man's eyes. "Or bi-polar, or something. I was never treated for it or anything."

He might have guessed. Even at the best of times, Ash's moods were unpredictable. Wally just nodded and took the water, sucking it down greedily to soothe his hoarse, dry throat. "Uh, can you be treated? Now, I mean?" He had no idea how drugs would work on vampires, but he doubted it was the same as with living folk. "Look, I still don't care. We'll deal with it, okay? Whatever the issue is, we'll deal. And now you're not going to go out and kill someone else, right? Since you... y'know, got some from me?" Once he'd pulled himself back together, it was remarkably easy to be calm about this. Ash was still acting like Ash. That hungry creature was just a side of what he was, and one that could be easily controlled, from the sounds of it. They'd manage this.

"I have to Wal. It sounds brutal, but I always pick bad people. I follow them... I have to feed though, you were just a taste and... I try not to kill, but I still have to hunt. Otherwise I might lose myself and actually kill you. I have to feed." He breathed out a sigh, taking a pause to think. "I can't be treated for my depression. Medicine doesn't help." He shook his head a little, lost and flustered, unable to think properly. After the initial feeding buzz was over he began to grow hungry again, disoriented.

"I... well, if you have to. I know you make the best decisions you can." Wally sank back onto the couch and blinked up at the vampire. Though he wasn't out of it any longer, he was tired as fuck and not really up for standing, let alone stopping Ash from doing whatever he wanted. "Well, it doesn't matter. I'll just have to make sure you take care of yourself. I mean... that's what you did for me." He'd been pretty messed up after his parents' murder, though it wasn't the same as clinical depression. As was his rock for that period, so it was the least he could do to return the favor. "Uh, do you mind if I stay here tonight, man? So... you won't be alone or something." Walking back home was not happening.

"You can stay, I wouldn't make you walk as weak as you are now." Ashley ran a hand through his hair, feeling confused and stressed out. "Okay. Look, you can have the bed. I'm uh, I'm not exactly all here right now. Here. Come... come here... I'm not exactly using the bed anymore tonight." He took a deep breath, wrapping an arm around Wally and hoisting him to his feet. "You can get some rest, and hang out... I've got a lot of books, but you should sleep. I'll bring you some food. You'll need some."

Wally let Ash pull him up, leaning on the taller man a bit more than he really wanted to. Damn, that had been close. Well, at least he knew what to expect now. And there was no way he was going to let Ash work himself into this state again. It couldn't be healthy. "Thanks. No, I'll probably pass out as soon as I'm lying down." He gave a nervous little laugh, trying to show that he really was okay. "You get something to eat before worrying about me, all right? No sense in risking another, uh, incident. " He squeezed Ash's hand, brow knitting for a moment as he caught the vampire's gaze with his own. "Hey... I meant it, really. I don't care what you are, and I'm sorry about how I acted the other day."

"Don't worry about it Wal." He wouldn't lie and say it hadn't affected him. He wasn't ashamed of being a vampire -- it was after all, a life he had chosen -- but thinking that someone he considered his friend would be willing to drop him because of what he was... well, that had sent him into a spiral. Shaking his head now, he told himself not to think about it. "I'll be fine, I just have down... times." Once or twice they had lasted whole years, though in an eternity, he supposed that amounted to little. Now lowering the smaller man onto the bed, Ash pulled blankets up and around him. "You're going to bed cold, and very weak. Just... get some rest if you can, I won't be gone long, and I'll bring you back some food, vitamin C at the very least. This will not happen again." The last was said almost as a reminder to himself. He would not be starving while Wally was around anymore. If he lost control... He'd call Lena while he was out, talk to her. She was as intelligent as she was beautiful and could often offer suggestions on how to sate the hunger they both suffered.

"Yeah, but, uh... next time, I'll be here, a'ight?" Wally's eyes fluttered a little, exhaustion getting the better of him. "So it won't be so bad, y'know?" He curled up in the blankets and gave his friend a small, hopefully encouraging smile. "You just take care." Food sounded nice, but right now the soft mattress and pillows were getting the better of him. He'd just nap until Ash came back home. Yeah, that'd work out fine. "G'night." The last was barely a mumble as he drifted off into slumber in his best friend's bed.