Chapter Text
Behind the scenes:
- For a fairly long period of time Abraham being deathly ill as a child. The fact he was wheezing while burying the vampire skulls was a remnant about that. I left it in because it can also point to the fact he's unathletic. Which he is.
- The scenes in the first chapter were a later addition. I wanted to establish his character more. The original opening started with him in the tavern.
- I did hours worth of research on how much luxury goods costed comparing them to food costs to try and make Abraham realistically rich for the time and his social class that ultimately went nowhere
Cut scene:
I always intended to share this scene. It hurt to cut it but after some changes it didn't make sense where it was and it didn't fit anywhere else. It is also unedited.
“When I awoke I killed and ate four people. In my delirium I would have killed more. But the Styrian’s found me. If they even lost me in the first place,” he said quietly. “They are trying to taunt me. But my will is iron. I will destroy them.”
Adrian opened his mouth. Before he could get a word in Abraham spoke again: “You know this is the happiest I’ve ever been… these few months as a vampire.”
Adrian said nothing, what could he say.
“I’ve lost everything I’ve ever cared about. Everyone I’ve ever loved, my family, my friends, my lovers, I hurt. Everyone I knew thinks I’m dead. As they should for knowing the truth would hurt them far more. My legacy has been forever stained as a heretic. Those I care for have been stained for knowing one. I’ve lost my wealth, my power. I got beaten and stabbed to death. I crawled my way out of the dirt of my grave and ate innocent people.” Despite the pain which his words betrayed his tone of voice was far from such. It was if he were merely stating what the weather was. “My days are spent flying from place to place soaking myself in dirt and blood. You came to find me so that certainly means Trevor is probably on his way to kill me. And I couldn’t be happier,” the final words were forcefully spat out. “It is as if my life was spent in a dark mire and I’ve seen the light of day. I feel alive for the first time.” He slowly turned to Adrian. His eyes were wide. For a split second he thought it was terror, but no, it was far closer to manic. “My heart finally beats, my eyes finally see. I’ve finally consumed something of worth.”
In an instant he rushed forward. His hands grasped desperately on Adrian’s coat as he looked up at him. “Tell me there is something wrong with me. There is blood under my nails. It won’t come out no matter how hard I scrub. Tell me I am a monster. That this is my fate till Isaac kills me. That I’ll spend eternity atoning for my sinful actions and nature in Hell.”
“Abraham…” He couldn’t say anything. His name was the only thing he could bring to leave his lips. Though he feared what anything of substance would have done. For at the mere utterance of his name Abraham broke down.
He fell to the forest floor. His hands gripped the coat tighter, like it was all anchoring his to existence. He buried his head into Adrian’s knee. He opened his mouth only for sobs to croak out. Through his cries he managed to say, “I need to have something. All my life feels like a lie, an illusion. Please, tell me some part of it was real. That this is my existence now, that Hell will be my fate. Please, I need to hear it. I need something real.”
Slowly Adrian bent down. He grasped one of Abraham’s hands, the other he rested on the other man’s knee. He knelt down to eye level and lifted Abraham’s face. Abraham refused to meet his gaze. “I am real,” he said firmly. “Every second we spent together was real.” Abraham’s eyes finally snapped up. They stared at each other for seconds which dragged on for an eternity. In a rush Abraham made up the short distance between them. He loosened their grip and thrust his hands behind Adrian’s neck. His head buried deep in the crook of his neck. Adrian waited to hear or feel more tears. But it never came. Abraham simply embraced him.
Slowly, hesitantly, he raised his own arms up and around his back. Time dragged on quickly in the comfort of their embrace. Adrian was shocked by how he enjoyed. He found himself leaning into the cold of Abraham’s skin. It was comforting. Like a cold glass of water after a hot summer day. But they were on a timer, drenched in moonlight as they were.
His tight grip never waned. Nor did he say or do anything but steadily breath. Adrian ran his eyes over him. He couldn’t have fallen asleep. His dirt was in the inn room. But he could get close to sleep. He lifted his hands off of Abraham. He did not mirror the gesture. Slowly he rose and gripped Abraham’s back and legs. He didn’t so much as twitch.
The town was asleep when they emerged from the woods. The inn long since empty and quiet, the door left unlocked for them. Quietly he made his way to Abraham’s room. The bed was left unmade. For once this would not annoy Adrian.
He took Abraham’s continued silence and stillness as well as his iron grip around his shoulders to mean he would rather stay like this. Adrian could not find it in himself to pull him away. Instead he laid them down with Abraham covering his chest. He pulled the blanket over them.
Abraham released his hold in his sleep. When Adrian blinked awake he was able to slide himself out of the bed.
He took Abraham’s continued silence and stillness as well as his iron grip around his shoulders to mean he would rather stay like this. Adrian could not find it in himself to pull him away. Instead he laid them down with Abraham covering his chest. He pulled the blanket over them. Abraham released his hold in his sleep. When Adrian blinked awake he was able to slide himself out of the bed.
Any finally, a preview of next chapter (subject to change):
He moved a bit closer and grabbed his hand. “I am here now and I trust you, I care for you, immensely.”
Adrian’s eyes widened ever so slightly. The smallest hint of a smile crossed his lips. “And I you.”
Adrian was warm, so very warm. It was like being curled up by the fire on a cold day. He shut his eyes and reveled in the warmth as he drifted to sleep.
Abraham woke up cold. His hand laid in the middle of the bed alone. His eyes slowly and wearily opened to spy Adrian curled up on the other side of the bed. He sat up. He was not merely on the other side of the bed. No, he was on the edge. As far as he could get from Abraham. In this moment he remembered the warmth he had gone to sleep with. He remembered what that girl said, ‘Your fingers are cold as ice.’ Years ago when he would touch Adrian he felt a chill. If that was how he felt half human, how would Abraham feel to him? Did Adrian wait until he went to sleep then pull away to be polite?
Did his lips freeze his? Worst of all, would it feel like he was s
You'll get the context of this eventually:
“Pull the metal tab down.” Slowly his pants were unzipped, then re-zipped, and over and over. “For God’s sake.”
“Let me have my fun,” Abraham huffed. “This is interesting.”