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“May I come in?” A voice rang from outside. Avid did not give it much thought before giving the green light, he was getting kind of lonely..
“So your jail’s finally being put to use, hm?”
The familiar (and haunting) voice made Avid jump out from his internal mind, taking a peek upwards out the steel bars before standing up and moving closer to them. He instinctively grabbed onto the bars then flinched before placing them back onto there after realizing it did not hurt him (yet). “Owen,” Avid called out displeasingly, giving the other vampire across the room a sigh.
Owen was leaning on the wall opposite of where the cell was placed, seeming to avoid being sluggish by being near the silver items. He let out a responding chuckle, “So what’s your reason? Did Shelby find out your little chest trick? Or did you finally snap and are willing to embrace the new lifestyle? Shelby wouldn’t tell us anything, said it was for your protection.” The lumberjack tilted his head, curly stark white hair falling over his shoulders.
The (so called) vampire hunter glared a little, though his gaze was filled with remorse for whether himself or the other was not known. “I-“ he then paused and blinked as he registered Owen’s first thought. “Wait, how do you know about the chest? Was that you?!” His voice raised before lowering again. No one knew he was in there yet. His hands gripped tighter onto the bars, as he stared with a pouted lip. “That was supposed to be a heartwarming gift for Shelby and you changed it into a stake? For what, fun?”
The other shrugged, a casual smile on his face. “She’s my family, Avid. You don’t get to tear her away from the coven,” he told with a raised voice but his smile dropped as he sighed through the next part, “Though, technically you are a part of the family now.” He rolled his eyes, admitting reluctantly. “Did you honestly expect me not to see the chest that was placed right in front of my home? Now answer the question.”
Avid hesitated, shoulders slumping as he recalled his reasons. “..It was willingly, I asked her to do it.” Owen’s expression went to one of surprise and hummed. So Avid continued, “I was attacked and sick since young, had this.. nasty scar on my neck that never healed,” one of his hands moved from the bars to the bandages around his neck. “I don’t know what it is, I thought it was a vampire scratch thus my vampire towards…” he looked up and gestured to the other’s being. “I just knew if I didn’t do something, I could be dead tomorrow.”
Laughter filled his ears, not a roaring laugh but instead a gentle laugh from the elder vampire. It was uncharacteristic to Avid, it did not suit him. “Sickness too? How many vampires go to vampirism because of illness I wonder,” Owen shrugged at his own thought. “Always the fear and paranoia of death.” Avid opened his mouth as if to answer but then closed it.
Owen added, “We have much more in common than we think.”
Avid blinked, “excuse me?” He blinked once more. “Oh,” it clicked. “We were both sick, we both… lost someone,” he muttered quietly, looking at his feet. “Do you.. do you ever blame yourself?”
Owen eyed Avid before suddenly finding the window to the left of him interesting. “Always. How could I not?” he let out a small chuckle as if reminiscing, claws tapping against his arm in a rhythmic pattern.
“Well, I-“
“I’m not heartless, Avid.”
“I know that!” He defended. “I was going to ask how long does it take to move on.” That question made the whole room go silent. Avid leaned his forehead on the bars, feeling himself get woozy (he’s still not used to eating raw meat, only being able to get a bite or two in before feeling disgusted and uncomfortable with himself). “How long does it take?” He asked again.
Owen sighed, “You don’t,” he told simply. “I can’t,” he snarled, not aimed at anyone in particular. “It was my fault and I can never forgive myself. If only I was there to stop them. If only I never accepted the offer.”
“You didn’t cause it directly, Owen,” Avid spat out without thinking. His eyes widened a little as Owen snapped his head up and began to move forward towards him. His eyes shone aggressively as he marched forward.
“Are you implying it was his fault? His fault for getting torched?” Owen gripped the steel bars using one hand, only wincing a little as the steel made his skin bubble and burn underneath his bandages. “Watch your mouth, Avid-“
“I was saying that it’s not your fault! Nor his!” Avid interrupted, eyes switching from focusing on the more powerful vampire in front of him or the burning and sizzling hand on the bars. He then decided to grab the other’s wrist to try to pry him away. “Stop! You’re burning yourself-“
“And since when have you cared?!” Owen yelled, gripping the steel bar harder, hissing at both Avid and the increasing pain. “You become a vampire and suddenly do a whole 180? Complimenting Scott so much, ‘oh vampires aren’t that bad!’, now trying to stop one from harming himself?” He barked out a laugh. “Oh please! Is this act to make us actually trust you?!”
Avid shook his head immediately, eyes filled with fear as he watched the bandages on Owen’s hand start to burn with a cracking noise. “No, no! Look, I admit, my hatred towards vampires were unjustified and I may have jumped to multiple conclusions because of that- just, stop burning your hand please? Blisters or wounds aren't a good sight in general,” he mumbled.
“So you’re like Apo, not a fan of blood as well, huh?”
“No, more of not being able to look at it the same after..” Avid trailed off, squeezing his eyes tight before forcing them open again to make eye contact with the other vampire. “Her.”
Owen hummed in acknowledgment, finally taking his hand off the steel, the stained bandages were now gone and replaced with red, burnt open wounds of his skin before it quickly regenerated and healed back in an instant. He would need to replace the bandages.
Avid looked at Owen. Owen looked at Avid.
“I’m sorry I misjudged you,” Avid said after a few beats of silence.
Owen looked to the ground. “I’m…” his voice trailed off when his pointed ears perked up the slightest bit. “I gotta go,” he told, turning invisible not before chucking a few bottles of blood and pieces of raw meat to Avid through the bars.
Avid stumbled backwards and blinked, about to call out before he heard rushed footsteps and the door to the Vampire Awareness Centre open. A worried Drift and others poured in, yelling his name as he was finally spotted.
Though to Avid, they were a bunch of muffled noises as he thought of the abrupt conversation end with Owen. They could relate to each other, they could understand and empathize with each other. They could-
They could care for each other.