Chapter Text
When he awoke, he awoke cold.
Now, for Louis, this was a mostly normal occurrence. He had been cold for thousands of years, his heart having stopped and his blood freezing over until he was ice cold to the touch. But this was something else. He had full body shivers, his head was foggy and the cold was unbearable.
It was dark as well, dark and cramped. He tried to move his arms but only managed to shove whatever was blocking them a little farther than he was. He soon realised he was buried, dirt surrounded him and he felt the choking sense of suffocation, despite having no need to breathe. Franticly, he pushed his arms up, using his claws in an attempt to dig himself in what he assumed was upwards. He clawed and pushed and squeezed his way through, praying for even a little sunlight.
He found it soon, bursting into fresh air and he breathed it in for prosperities sake. He shook violently as he crawled his way out of the hole he had made, sitting on the ground and letting out a sharp, shaky breath as he looked at the sky. He took in a few more breaths to try shake his sense of claustrophobia before sighing, pressing a hand to his chest.
He stared at the hole he had come from, nothing but a small headstone placed at the head of the dirt. The grave had been taken back by the Earth, covered in all sorts of foliage. A fresh bouquet had been placed beside the headstone, and written on the stone, etched in clumsy scratchy handwriting was:
“Louis. Beloved Mayor and Partner. An Angel accused of being the Devil.”
It all came rushing back in a horrible flash of memory. He remembered the raid, the people, the ropes and chains and the fire. Oh the fire. It had been so agonising, he had screamed and cried but all he could think about was his beloved. Oh his Owen. He watched as he stumbled out of his house and he heard his piercing cries. Louis had run out of tears to cry and a voice to scream, so all he could do was watch as Owen cut his beloved townsfolk down one by one.
He did not blame Owen for what he did, but it still was so painful to watch. The sun was rising by the time Owen had finished, setting the rest of the town on fire before returning to the pyre. He had lifted Louis off the flaming wood as gently as he could- the Mayor's body mangled and melted, his left eye had burned away completely and he could not move any part of his body. He couldn’t speak, couldn’t blink. All he could do was stare lifelessly as Owen sobbed, begging him to wake up.
But he didn’t, he had no way of telling Owen he was alive. He tried to send comfort through their site-fledgling bond, but all he found was a suffocating feeling of despair and suffering that fogged his mind. Owen had stayed with him for days. Bringing him food and trying to make the body of his lover drink. Louis was proud of his intuition, vampiric healing was a miracle if he could just find enough blood. But Owen couldn’t. He gave up after a while, having fed Louis from himself a few times and passing out, only to wake a few days later and still find Louis where he left him. His skeleton was still on display, flesh only attached in the places that kept Louis conscious.
Louis stared down at his hands. His ring was still intact, having been made from a metal that cost Louis more than it should. But he wanted his and Owens rings to last. The flesh on his hands was raw and dirty from his time in the ground, the flesh having grown back over the bones. He still couldn’t see from his left eye, but a bit of poking proved the eye had grown mostly back into place. Louis had no idea how long he’d been buried for. It must have been hundreds of years for the vampiric healing to bring his body back to such a state. Louis raked a hand through his matted and dirty hair, trying to find comfort in untangling it.
He tried to stand, falling over several times as his aching bones protested. He noted how he still had a few spots on his body where skin and muscle hadn’t fully healed. Shaking as much dirt off himself as possible he tried to figure out where he was. He stared up, admiring a tall Oak tree and he immediately smiled. Owen had buried him right where their first date had been. Under the largest Oak tree in Oakhurst. Adorable.
Now knowing where he was, he carefully limped his way in the direction he knew the closest stream was in hopes of cleaning himself up and getting something to drink. Maybe even hunt something on the way there. Much to his luck he found two chickens on his journey, hungrily scarfing both down and wincing at the feeling of muscle stitching itself back together along his calf.
When he found the river he practically collapsed into it, savouring in the soft flow but shivering from the cold. He scrubbed the dirt from everywhere he could find, grateful some of his clothes hadn’t burned completely and he was somewhat decent as he did so. He didn’t know if Oakhurst was still around, but he knew he wanted to find Owen. The bouquet on his grave had been fresh, recent. He could only hope it had been Owen who had placed it, and was still in the forest.
Louis continued to wash himself, washing his hair and having to use his claws to slice through many bad matted patches, causing locks of white hair to fall into the stream. He also noticed as he washed that the side of his face did not feel like skin. It felt rough and itchy. He could not view his reflection in the water so he could only assume it was a scar. Looking down along his arms, legs and his entire torso he could see scars as well. The same texture. They covered him, horrible thick scars where his flesh had stitched itself back together. Some parts of his body were a deep red, still unfinished.
His bones hurt. A lot, and he had to take breaks several times as he washed himself. He had hoped by bathing he would be able to make himself feel a little calmer, more like a person. But he honestly felt worse. At least his hair was alright. It was significantly shorter now, only reaching to his shoulders and some parts even shorter where he had cut the matts out. But as he ran his claws through his hair under the water he was pleased to find no more knots.
He sat in the stream for what felt like an age, the sun gradually getting lower in the sky much to Louis’s satisfaction. He didn’t want to go wandering around the forest for much longer in the blistering sun, despite not being a tier three vampire at that moment. He squeezed the stream's water from his hair, sighing as he gradually got lost in thought.
He wondered where Owen was, how he was doing. Louis could only hope he had moved on in all these years. The forest looked different, more overgrown and the paths he knew so well were gone. This only confirmed his suspicions that he had been buried for a very long time. Maybe Owen still lived in the forest.
He sighed, pulling himself out of the stream and shaking as much water as he could from himself. He was still sopping wet, dripping water as he walked, but he felt much cleaner and more himself. He knew he must look awful, but it was better than being dead he supposed. He trudged his way through the forest, following what remained of the paths he knew Owen frequented in hopes of stumbling across signs of life.
He stilled, his ears twitching at the sound of voices and footsteps through the trees. He didn’t want to meet with people outright without seeing what he was up against first, so he quickly ducked into the forest around the path, hiding behind a tree as he heard people approaching.
“Yeah Owen really got me back there.” Said a young man as they hurried past on the path.
“He’s so strong it’s really scary.” Said a young lady in response. It seemed to just be the two of them, quickly making their way past Louis and down the path until he could no longer see them.
Owen? So Owen was still here. He couldn’t help but wonder what his beloved had done to those young people, and how scary could even apply. He supposed Owen could be quite frightening when mad, he'd seen the anger during the massacre and a few times before. He hoped his beloved man was okay.
He took another shaky breath, running his hand through his hair in a soothing habit before continuing his walk. He didn’t know where he was going, he just hoped he might find Owen. He walked for hours, the sun having set and the moon rising high in the sky. The moon's presence was comforting as he walked through the forest, finding places that looked vaguely familiar before getting lost once more.
He found a few chickens and pigs, slaughtering them quickly and chugging their blood in hopes of fixing his horrible limp. It didn’t do much. He collapsed several times on his journey, crying as pain wracked his body, before dusting himself off, and continuing on. The Sun was soon rising again and he hissed at the prickling feeling of it on his scarred flesh. He kept under trees as he walked, feeling so lost and alone. The Sun rose high in the sky before he heard something.
Voices.
Two male, one very familiar. He crept towards the voices, keeping low and to the trees in an attempt to conceal himself. He was too weak to go invisible or turn into a bat, so this would have to do.
“What if you could save every person that you saw. Would you take that?”
It was Owen. Tears sprung quickly at the sound of his betrothed's voice, he quickened his pace until he could see Owen through the tree line, another man across from him on the hill. The man was large in build, with short cropped brown hair and a large scar across his face. Louis hid behind a nearby tree as he watched, trying to gather the courage to step out and see Owen. Maybe he should wait until the other man leaves.
“The cost is too high.” The other man said, his face stoic but his eyes gentle. Louis knew the look of a haunted man. He saw Owens shoulders sag slightly at the comment, crossing his arms and looking away from the man.
“No.. of course not.” The brown haired man said under his breath, clenching his fists. Louis felt as if he was listening in on something very private.
“What if.. I could save you?” The man said suddenly, stepping forward slightly drawing Owens' attention back to him. “What if I could fix the hunger?”
Owen just stared in response, before his gaze found a chicken that so foolishly decided to cross the Man's path. Owen quickly looked away from it.
“I like how I am now.” He insisted, pressing a hand to his heart as he stared at the other man.
“A lot more than I was then.” Owen sighed softly, causing the man to give him a sympathetic look. Louis’s heart clenched at the comment, but he kept himself hidden. He felt guilty for listening, but once the man left, he needed to talk to Owen. He couldn’t lose sight of him again.
“What if you could have the best of both?” The man said, causing Owen to bristle slightly.
“What do you think you can do-“
“Be better, be healed, not have to suffer, not be in pain..” the man interrupted, stepping closer to Owen until he was on the same level as him on the slope.
“..but not have to do that at the expense of others.” The man concluded, looking at Owen with so much fervor it made Louis shiver slightly. Owen stared, before reaching his claws out and killing the chicken that had passed him before in one hit. The man took a step back, causing Owen to sigh, his hands trembling slightly. Louis had a feeling this man knew exactly what Owen was.
“You think you can heal me?” Owen drawled, sounding utterly defeated. The man shuffled awkwardly before Owen. Louis could not see his beloved’s face from where he stood, but he knew how intimidating Owen’s gaze could be if he hardened it, he could only assume this man was getting the full brunt of it.
“I think I can try.” The man confirmed, so certain.
“Do you know how many times I’ve heard doctors say that to me?” Owen seethed, stepping closer to the man with firm footing. The man’s gaze remained the same, no fear in his eyes.
“What makes you so special?” Owen spat, his shoulders raised defensively as if to make himself appear larger than he was.
“I’m not looking at everything about you as something wrong, I’m only looking at purely one aspect of it.” The man insisted, stepping closer, a smile just barely there on his lips as he stared at Owen. “The life.. the durability, the abilities, all of it! I said it before..” the man said, hope and wonder replacing the thoughtful look in his eyes. Owen shrunk back slightly.
“Being exceptional at something is not an illness. But it should not come at the expense of others.”
Owen was practically shaking now, with rage or some other emotion Louis couldn’t tell from where he stood, but he certainly wasn't happy. Owen shook his head, but the doctor didn’t back away.
“I’m not going to sit here and say I can fix everything you’ve been through.” The man sighed, giving Owen such a soft look despite his demeanor. Louis blinked at the scene, almost having to hold back tears.
“I can simply share in shared humanity. Whether you believe it or not.” The man concluded.
Louis then made quite the awkward mistake of moving. He pressed himself further against the tree, letting out a small breath as his limp and shaky limbs caused him to stumble slightly. He quickly hid himself back behind the tree but it was too late. He could hear Owen snap his head around, hear his soft growls and the other man took notice as well.
“Who’s there?” Owen growled, taking a threatening step towards the tree Louis was hiding behind a few paces from the clearing the two other men were having their conversation in.
Louis took a breath, not scared. This was his favourite person in the whole world. Why was he hiding? He had already seen he was there.
“Show yourself, we know you're there.” The other man rasped, walking alongside Owen as they approached.
Louis let out an embarrassed whine before turning around, placing a scarred hand on the side of the tree and slowly poking his head around it to see the two men standing a few feet away, poised for a possible attack. Louis blinked at them from where he peered around the tree.
Owen’s face morphed into something of sheer terror and disbelief. He let out a shaky gasp, his claws dropping as the man beside him let out a confused noise. Louis slowly peeled himself away from the tree and out into the open, slowly limping his way closer to the pair. He coughed slightly in an attempt to free his voice, letting out a small vampiric chirp. Owen didn’t respond.
“Apologies.. Uhm. I didn’t want to interrupt.” Louis winced, leaning slightly against the tree beside him as his body ached uncomfortably. The short haired man put his sword away, standing up straighter.
“It’s alright… who.. who are you?” He asked, looking Louis up and down as if he was analysing him.
Owen’s eyes filled with tears as he stood, his mouth agape. “Louis..?” He choked, causing the other man to turn away from Louis and give him a searching look. Louis smiled, his scarred face aching from the action.
“Hello Owen..” He took a painful step forward, like he had been doing all day in hopes of finding the man before him.
Owen was trembling, but not with rage like he had been before. “You were dead.” Owen croaked, tears running down his face as he took a step forward, a hesitant arm reaching out for the older vampire. “I buried you.” He sobbed, placing a clenched fist on his chest. The other man beside him gave him a concerned look, staring between the two vampires with rapt attention.
“I buried you.” Owen repeated, shrinking in on himself. “You- you didn’t wake up. I-I stayed, I stayed with you for weeks- I f-fed you, you didn’t wake up!” Owen yelled, tears flowing faster as Louis tried to reach out. “I buried you...” He whispered, trembling fiercely as Louis got closer.
The other man took a step back, giving them some space as Louis gently grabbed Owen's face, cupping it gently with a practiced ease. Owen flinched, then sobbed and melted into the gesture.
“I know my love.” Louis smiled gently, tears also flowing down his cheeks as Owens lips trembled.
“I’m so sorry.. but I was injured. So injured.” Louis cried gently, rubbing his thumbs along Owen’s face as the brown haired man squeezed his eyes closed, placing a hand over the one placed on his cheek.
“It took so long for my body to get to this stage.. and I’m still messed up. But I’m alive. I’m so sorry my Amber..” Louis whispered gently, almost in hopes the stranger didn’t hear his words. They were only for Owen.
“How..?” Owen whispered back, sobbing so hard he could barely get the words out between quick, shallow breaths.
“I don’t know..” Louis admitted, pressing a kiss to Owen's forehead, which seemed to really break the dam as Owen proceeded to fling himself full force into Louis, causing his frail, freshly healed body to topple over onto the ground. The short haired man startled as he watched the two collapse, an awkward look on his face.
Louis held Owen close as he devolved into shaking delirious sobs, begging for forgiveness. Owen let out a piercing inhuman cry, a more toned down version of the one he let out when he saw Louis on the pyre before devolving into more sobs, begging for this not to be a dream. Louis only gave reassurances and soft words as he pressed more kisses to the man’s hair before turning his attention to the other man in their company. He held Owen close as he gave the man a sharp look, causing him to startle slightly.
“Are you a friend?” He asked, running a hand through Owen’s hair as he heaved, burying his face in Louis' chest, causing some pain he chose to ignore. The other man nodded.
“Trying to be.”
Louis nodded in return, giving him an apologetic look as he gently shushed the brown haired man currently squeezing him so hard he was sure his organs would burst. Louis couldn’t blame him, he also had the younger vampire in as much of a death grip as he could manage.
“I’m sorry, we haven’t seen each other in centuries.” Louis tried to joke, wiping tears from his eyes. “Last he saw of me I was burning on a pyre.” He winced when Owen sobbed harder at those words, growling protectively and digging his claws into Louis’s back.
“Ouch! Ow- gentle hands sweetheart please- I’m sorry.” He whispered, holding Owen close and whispering sweet nothings into his ear gently until the other man loosened his grip. Louis returned his gaze to the other man, who still looked awkward- but curious and thoughtful like he had been during his conversation with Owen.
“Maybe I should leave.” The man said, giving Owen a sympathetic look. Owen snapped himself upwards.
“No.” He growled, before turning to Louis with a desperate look in his eyes. “You- You need blood to heal?” Owen asked, his eyes frantic as he cupped Louis’s face and ran a finger over the scar that had formed. “You- you were- limping.” He hiccuped, absentmindedly scrubbing tears from his face.
Louis hummed, “I got some food on the way here-“
“It’s not enough.” Owen sniffed, still trembling but his tears had slowed ever so slightly. He hiccuped a few times, his face flushed with embarrassment as he stood up, pulling Louis with him. He tried to straighten himself as he looked at the other man absentmindedly, wiping his eyes with a shaky breath. Louis reached over and gripped Owen’s hand in a silent comforting gesture.
“You want me to trust you, Doctor?” Owen said, trying to steady himself as the doctor looked between the two vampires.
“I don’t deserve your trust more than anything else. I wasn't asking for it- I just want to prove it.. myself.” The doctor admitted, his face stoic but kind. Louis admired the man from his few words exchanged with Owen, he seemed to have very just morals Louis could respect.
“I have a way you could prove it.” Owen said, his breathing still shaky as he squeezed Louis’s hand in an attempt to ground himself. “Let Louis feed from you, just for a moment. A moment of trust.” Owen stepped closer to the doctor, something desperate in his eyes.
“Owen no- I’m alright really-“
“No.” Owen snapped, guilt filling his eyes. “Angel.. you were asleep for 200 years healing from.. from being burned down to the bone.” Owen croaked, his voice breaking as another tear rolled down his cheek. He quickly wiped it away and hardened his features. “I won’t lose you again.”
Louis stared at his lover before his gaze turned to the doctor, who looked deep in thought. “How-“
“He won’t turn you. Please Legs. If you can’t give us your trust.. then I don’t see us working together.. working out.” Owen breathed, still trembling and holding Louis’s hand in a death grip. His gaze was locked onto the doctor- (Legs was it? Odd name..) intense like everything else he did in life. The doctor hummed, before turning to Louis.
“Are you comfortable with that?” He asked, his gaze burning a hole in Louis' soul. Louis blushed slightly, nodding. He knew that if he was to ever get even some of his strength back he would need to feed from a human, if this man was willing to let him, then he would drink gratefully.
“If you are.”
A silence descended on them as the doctor thought it over, Owen practically vibrating with a frantic, nervous energy. Louis gave him a kind look, Owen met his eyes and a silent understanding passed between them. Owen’s eyes were round and wet when they met Louis’s and Louis couldn’t help but smile at his wet cat of a fiancé. Owen gave a very watery smile in return, gazing at Louis like held the stars.
“Okay.” The doctor said finally, nodding his head. “A moment of trust.” He confirmed, causing Owen to sigh in relief. Louis nodded, squeezing Owen’s hand one last time before letting it go and approaching the doctor, limping. Owen let out a worried noise, going to try steady Louis but he waved him off with a shaky breath.
“It would be rude to drink from you without asking your name first at least.” Louis smiled politely, causing the doctor to huff out a chuckle, a faint blush creeping up his neck.
“I’m Legundo.” He smiled, which Louis returned. “Louis.”
“I guessed as much.”
Louis giggled slightly as Owen made an impatient noise behind him. “Louis…”
“Yes yes I know. Manners Owen, have I taught you nothing?” Louis teased, revelling in his beloved's pout. He turned back to Legundo, (Legs was short for Legundo then. Funny.)
“Where would you prefer I feed?” Louis asked, causing Owen to grumble in annoyance once more. Louis gave him a sharp look, causing the man to sigh and look away. Legundo gave a small laugh under his breath at the scene.
“I suppose my arm would do.” The doctor nodded, extending his arm forward towards Louis. Louis smiled and nodded, gently holding the Man's wrist up, double checking Legundo was comfortable before biting down. He felt Legundo wince slightly, his heart rate increasing ever so slightly. The doctor tasted sweet, and smelled like soap and pine trees.
He slowly began to drink, the taste of the doctor filling his mouth and down his throat so soothingly he couldn’t help but let out a pleased hum. Louis was careful to listen to the doctor's body, noting when he had taken enough and pulled away, gently licking the wound- causing the doctor to let out a startled noise. Louis just smiled as he pulled back, before bowing his head deeply towards the doctor. He felt stronger already.
“Thank you Doctor Legundo.” He smiled, quickly returning to Owens' side. Owen immediately started checking him over, causing Louis to chuckle and kiss the man’s cheek, finding comfort in how Owen's cheeks turned a bright red.
“Of course.” The doctor coughed, holding the bite mark while the bleeding stopped.
“I’ll stay good on my half. I’ll make sure the others give you a wide berth. Just don’t let the townsfolk see that- Avid will fear the worst.” Owen smirked, his usual wit having found its way back into his shaken mind. Legundo laughed, nodding in agreement.
“You have my trust but my patience won’t last if you aren’t careful Doctor.” Owen said with a pointed look.
“You should get going before they get suspicious.”
“What do you mean?” Legundo smiled, turning away from the pair and making his way into the forest, calling over his shoulder.
"I just got lost in the storm.”
The pair watched him as he disappeared into the forest, a tense silence forming as Owen turned to face Louis once more.
Louis just smiled, but before he could say anything Owen crashed into him again. He held him in a bone crushing hug, cradling Louis’s head as a new round of sobs racked his body. Louis just cooed, wrapping his arms around Owens neck as he held him close. He ran his fingers through Owen’s scalp in the way he knew he liked, scratching the brown haired man’s head gently as he shook from the power of his sobs.
“I’m so sorry beloved..” Louis whispered, rocking their bodies back and forth as Owen held on for dear life. Owen shook his head.
“No. I’m sorry. I thought you were dead. I’m so s-sorry. I- I did.. I did so many awful things." Owen hiccuped, making Louis’s heart break at how broken he sounded. Louis didn’t blame Owen for what he had done that night, but he didn’t agree with it and it did horrify him the lengths Owen would go too.
“I know. I saw. But I understand.” Louis hushed him, causing Owen to sob even more into Louis’s shoulder. Louis let out a few comforting purrs, hoping the soothing rhythm would help lull Owen back into a calmer state or at least make him feel better. The pair soon lowered themselves to the ground, leaning against a tree as they held each other, the only sounds being the forest and Owens sobs.
After what felt like an eternity, Owen finally calmed down enough to pull back and properly look at Louis. He sniffled as he placed a hand on Louis’s face, tracing the new scar that came down through his scalp all the way down to his lips along the right side of his face. He had other, lighter scars littering the rest of his face and body as well, but none as prominent. But with the doctor's blood in his system he could already feel his body healing the majority of the damage- but he doubted his body would ever fully heal from such damage.
“Oh Louis.. do they hurt?” Owen asked softly, placing gentle kisses along Louis’s face, careful to avoid any spots that may be tender. Louis let out a sad sigh.
“My whole body hurts.. uh.. can’t really see out of this eye.” He grimaced, pointing to his eye, Owen pouted.
“The scars on my legs have given me a limp- and.. sometimes I- ..I swear I’m still burning..” He admitted, causing Owen to growl protectively. He placed more kisses along his face as tears started to flow down Louis’s cheeks. They were slow, silent tears, but still there.
Owen wiped them all away, sitting in Louis’s lap as he kissed him all over. Louis gave a wet giggle, holding his beloved close as he cried softly. “I’m so sorry Angel..” Owen whispered gently, running two hands up and down Louis’s waist, gently touching his skin through the holes in the fabric of his shirt and vest.
Louis smiled sadly, gently holding Owen’s face before pulling him into a soft kiss. It was feather light, barely there as the two soaked in each other's presence, but soon became more heated as the pair became more desperate to have each other close. Owens' kisses were usually soft, quick and nervous; Like he was afraid he was doing something wrong, but the second Louis deepened a kiss, Owen did his best to give as good as he was getting.
Louis gently parted his lips, slipping his tongue into Owen's mouth, causing the younger man to whine slightly, pushing his tongue into Louis’s. They sat there for several minutes, not needing to breathe, relishing in the movement of gentle tongues sliding against one another. When they parted, Owen was smiling again, his face love struck and just adorable. Louis gave him another quick peck. Then another for the sake of it, causing Owen to give a sad chuckle.
“Owen.. how long has it been?” Louis hesitated, running a hand over Owen’s brown curls as he spoke. Owen’s face morphed into one of pure grief,
“200 years.” He said simply, pressing his forehead against Louis’s in search of comfort. Louis let out a small noise, holding Owen gently.
“I assumed as much.. what have you been up to?”
Owen sat back in his lap slightly at the question, his eyes slowly looking away from Louis and into the forest as he struggled with his words. Louis waited, gently running his hand over Owen's cheek soothingly.
“I.. when you didn’t wake up.. I buried myself by the tower. I stayed there until recently. Maybe a month ago.” The brown eyed man admitted, his ears dipping downwards in shame. (Owen's features had definitely become more vampiric since he’d last seen him- his ears were longer and his fangs were more prominent.)
Louis stayed silent for a moment, struck by the weight of those words. Owen hadn’t done anything in two hundred years. He’d sat in a hole for two hundred bloody years. Louis shook his head, “Owen..” was all he couldn’t muster as he stared at his betrothed. Owen avoided his gaze as his face burned red and fresh tears started to form.
“I’m sorry- I just.. the idea of living without you.. I couldn’t.” Owen said firmly, meeting Louis’s gaze once more with a determined look. Louis just sighed, giving Owen another soft kiss on his lips. He didn’t know what to say. So they just sat in silence by the tree, Owen rubbing circles onto his hips with his thumbs and Louis running a clawed hand through Owen’s hair like he had done all those years ago.
The silence was soon broken when Owen stared out into the forest behind him. “We should go. I have a place you can get cleaned up and rest.. get something to drink.” He informed Louis firmly, pulling himself up reluctantly from Louis’s lap, pulling Louis with him. Louis winced, hissing at the pain in his arms and legs, causing Owen to chirp worriedly.
“M’fine..” Louis lied with a tight smile, watching as Owen gave him an unimpressed look.
“Can you change into a bat? I can carry you.” Owen suggested, holding Louis upright as he swayed painfully on his feet. Maybe he shouldn’t have walked for a day and a half straight while still healing.
“Yes.. that Legundo fellow gave me enough for tier 2.” Louis smiled.
“Yes.. Legundo.” Owen sighed, a strange look in his eye. Louis grinned at that, giving Owen a knowing look.
“Quite fetching that doctor, no?” He teased, causing Owen to bristle slightly.
“Louis!”
“What! He is!” The older vampire smiled, pressing a kiss to Owen’s cheek as he pouted.
“And it looks to me like you're quite taken by him.” He giggled mischievously, watching as Owen’s face turned bright red and a look of horror met his eyes.
“No! Louis you know I only have eyes for you- you’re all I want-“ Owen tried desperately, looking quite frantic at the implications.
“Hush now love it’s quite alright.” He tried to comfort, clearly seeing his mistake at bringing it up. He gave Owen another quick peck before changing the subject. “Let’s get going okay?” He smiled, focusing his remaining energy until he transformed into a little gray bat. Owen caught him as he fell, using his finger to scratch the top of Louis’s head as he panted in exhaustion in Owen’s palm.
He was somewhere between consciousness as Owen walked, holding him close to his chest. He let out some soft purrs as Owen stroked his fur, the walk going by relatively quickly until Louis opened his eyes to see.. a castle? They were walking across the bridge, Owen holding Louis close as they approached the half built castle. Louis knew where they were, and was shocked to see it look so different.
When they entered the doors to the castle the pair were soon ambushed by a young girl with glasses and a young man with bright blue hair. Owen greeted them awkwardly as they surrounded him.
“Who is that?” The blue haired man asked, staring at the bat in Owens palm. Louis squeaked protectively as he stayed close to Owens chest. Owen stroked his ears soothingly.
“Yeah- doesn’t look like any vampire bat I’ve seen..” the girl commented, reaching a finger out towards him. Owen pulled Louis away from the girl’s finger, who pulled back with a soft sorry.
“This is.. an old friend. Who I believed to be dead. I found him in the woods. He needs rest.” Owen informed the pair with shaky hands. The new pair exchanged a shocked look. The young girl stared in awe at the small bat.
“Is.. is this the man that turned you? The one that-“
“Yes.” Owen interrupted with a warning look. “He’s been healing for 200 years so I’d appreciate it if we could find him some new clothes and a bed.” Owen snapped, causing Louis to look up at him with a disapproving expression. Owen just pushed his partner’s head down with a finger, causing him to squeak embarrassingly.
“Yes of course.” The blue haired man nodded, escaping into another room of the castle while the girl walked with Owen through some doors and into a hallway. A room was placed along the wall beside the stairs up into the castle, leading into a small bedroom. It was simple, no decorations. Just a bed, some drawers and a box of blood bottles.
Owen set him on the bed gently, giving him the all clear to transform back. Louis did with an exhausted noise, practically falling back into the bed as he did. The young girl gasped at the man’s appearance- not that he could blame her.
“Oh dear.. he doesn’t look good.” The woman sighed sympathetically, grabbing some blood bottles and handing them to Louis without a word.
Louis sat up with a smile, taking the bottle with shaky hands. “Thanks.” He sighed, exhaustion making his body feel like it was made of silver. Owen was rummaging around in the chest of drawers, pulling out a cloth, some soap and a bottle of water. Louis let out a relieved breath at the sight, smiling at how Owen remembered his fondness of being clean.
The blue haired man came back soon with a bundle of clothes, placing them on the bed while he stared at Louis skeptically. “Well. Don’t you look like you’ve had a good nap.” He said sarcastically, causing Owen to give him a pointed look. Louis just nodded with a chuckle,
“You could say that.”
Owen made a frustrated noise as he gently guided the young lady away from Louis. “Alright, scram you two. We’ll chat later.” He said gently, but left no room for argument. The blue haired man hummed, seemingly amused while the girl made a disappointed noise. The two were soon corralled out of the room and the door was shut firmly behind them.
“Would you like some help getting cleaned up?” He asked, bringing all the stuff he’d gathered for Louis over onto the bed. Louis nodded shyly, finding it hard to keep his eyes open as time passed. He took a swig from the blood bottle the girl had given him in hopes of staying awake. Owen hummed sympathies as he put the bottle to the side and started helping Louis remove what remained of his old clothes. It was a shame, he had liked that outfit.
Once all scraps of fabric were removed from his skin, Owen poured some water on the cloth he’d brought, lathering it in some sweet smelling soap before bringing it up to Louis’s face. They sat in comfortable silence as Owen cleaned him, holding him so gently like he could break if he pressed too hard. Louis made a contented noise as Owen ran the towel over his chest.
The new scars along his chest were lighter now, having healed ever so slightly, while the scars along his chest from before the fire remained prominent in place. He ran a finger over them proudly as Owen cleaned his shoulder blades. They continued like that until Louis had been thoroughly washed and cleaned, Owen patting him dry with another dry cloth.
Louis was on the verge of slipping back to sleep when Owen made a soft cooing sound, pressing a kiss to his hair as he placed the blood bottle against his lips, helping him swallow the whole thing before handing him another one to nurse while the brown haired man helped him get dressed. The blue haired man had selected a rather regal outfit, with a waistcoat and proper boots and tie, so Owen just dressed him in the under clothes and left the rest of the outfit on the bedside table for later.
Louis mumbled a thanks to his partner as Owen gave him a soft kiss, making him finish two more bottles of warm, fresh blood before helping him get under the covers in the bed. They were soft and warm as he crawled in, purring contentedly as Owen tucked him in. Owen said a few sweet nothings that Louis was too out of it to catch, running a hand over Louis’s hair as he finally succumbed to sleep.
.
.
.
Owen pressed the door closed behind him as he left the room, a shaky breath escaping him as he looked down the hallway to see Shelby, Pyro and Scott all peering at him from around the corner. Owen sighed fondly, gesturing for them to come over. The three of them scurried over to where Owen stood leaning against the wall beside the door.
“He’s sleeping.” Owen said simply, trying to ignore his covens piercing gazes. Scott spoke up first.
“Explain, now.” He huffed, crossing his arms like he was cross but he had a curious look in his eyes that betrayed him. Pyro and Shelby both nodded enthusiastically in agreement. Owen sighed, rubbing his temples.
“I’m not sure what happened. Louis has been asleep for centuries, healing. I had thought him dead but apparently not. His vampiric healing was so slow I didn’t know.” Owen exasperated, shame tinting his voice. He felt so happy he could burst, but so worried and nervous and.. guilty. How could he leave his beloved man buried under the ground for centuries while he crawled along the healing process? He was a failure as a partner. He ran a shaky hand over the ring Louis had given him the night of his turning.
“He looked so weak..” Shelby said sadly, resting a hand on Owens shoulder in an attempt at comfort. He let her, but avoided her eyes.
“Yes.. I’m hoping in a day or two he’ll be stronger. But it will take a while before he is back to his former glory.” He informed the three, his ears drooping slightly. Scott nodded, a distant look in his eyes.
“He was burned alive?” Scott asked, catching Owen off guard.
“He was.. I never told-“
“I’ve seen what happens to vampires that survive being burned at the stake. It’s not pretty.” Scott informed the other vampire, shaking his head in sympathy.
“It will take at least another decade before he can move around pain free again, and another century before those scars become less obvious and painful.”
Owen bristled at that, feeling even worse that his fiancé had to suffer for that long. He stared at the door to his room, desperately wanting to be at his lover's side while he slept. “I will take care of him.” Owen professed, certain of this even before this conversation.
Pyro hummed thoughtfully, “So.. in there’s the man you killed thousands for?” He asked. Owen growled defensively but nodded, spinning his ring on his finger absentmindedly.
“Leave him alone, it can’t be easy to see your partner again after so long.” Shelby articulated, swatting at Pyro's ear slightly causing him to grin cheekily. Scott placed a hand on both his fledgling’s shoulders in a placating gesture.
“No. It can’t.” Scott sighed, his voice softer than Owen had ever heard it.
“We’ll give you some space Owen. Let us know if you need anything.” Scott commented, guiding the fledglings down the hall. Owen was almost shocked by his gentleness. His consideration and patience. Owen wasn't sure how he felt about Scott with all his ego washed comments and attitude, but Owen had only ever seen him be calm and gentle with his fledglings. He was surprised to see that turned towards him for once.
He watched the three go, before turning and opening the door to the room he had never really used until now. He carefully picked his way over to his bed, shedding his cloak, shoes and over garments and slipping in beside Louis in bed. As carefully as he could he wrapped his arms around Louis’s waist, pressing his face into the back of his neck with a soft kiss. Louis let out a content noise, filling Owen with relief that his partner was still present.
He would protect him this time.