Vampire!Charlie, Waif!Thandi, modern
There’s a shivering bundle sitting along the path that Charlie walks along tonight. It gives him pause as he hears the rasp of illness, a rattle that threatens to become something worse. He opens and closes his hands, biting his lip.
He’s a man of means and he has the ability to take care of this problem. But… there are problems with it… no, if he doesn’t do anything, and they die, then it may as well be his fault. The bundle stirs at his approach.
The face that greets him is ashen, tired, and sweaty despite the frost on the ground. A young woman, perhaps in her late twenties, early thirties.
“I want to help you. Do you need help to go to the hospital?”
Her answer is a quiet one. “Please… I don’t… want to… go…” One look into her tearful eyes assures him that it’s fear keeping her from accepting. Again, he bites his lip.
“What if I gave you a place to stay? Conditional, of course…”
The woman ponders it. “I can’t…”
“The condition being that you are okay with being a vampire’s roommate.”
There’s a beat, and there’s a moment where he sees something like awe, or interest, on her face. “I…yes…” She tries to stand, but she’s shaking. He will have no choice but to carry her home.
Thandi’s next few days are a feverish blur. Someone offered her a place to stay, took her home. Gave her a room. Clothes. Food. Medicine.
It takes time for her head to clear enough to realize what she’d gotten into. And, well, why there was a man sleeping at her bedside, cool hand on the back of her neck. Why is he so cold?
And, why is he using his hand in place of a washcloth? Seems absurd.
Things start clicking into place as she stares at him.
Vampire.
That had caught her attention when he picked her up. It’s not exactly common. What does vampire mean to him, besides chilly hands and general paleness? She reaches out a shaky hand to touch his hair. It’s so soft! Aah… reminds her of a pet she had a long time ago.
Perhaps it’s the fever still influencing her, but this is nice. He stirs, yawning, and smiles at her. His canines are a little bit more pronounced than normal, but it’s not wildly attention-grabbing feature.
“Awake again. More broth? Or are you ready for solid food?” Slowly, she turns and stares at him. “Vampire…”