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Io was burning, everything hurt and all they could see was darkness, the smell of garlic and blood scenting the air.
Their throat burned, when was the last time they fed? They were so thirsty, they didn’t want to do this anymore, the starvation, the draining, the cold dark damp of the crypt they were forced to call home.
The experiments hurt, everything did, they tried so hard to fight, to get free, but all it caused them was more pain, more precautions to keep them here.
How long had it been? How long had they been lying on the cold damp floor?
How long had it been since they tasted the freedom of the skies, stretched their wings wide and just let themself be?
The thought almost made them want to cry but they had no tears left, had no sorrow to temper the rage that bubbled inside of them, all they had was that rage, and the cold.
But the cold wasn’t as all encompassing at this moment, it was almost as if they could feel…something else?
‘Io?’
Whose voice was that?
‘Io? Moonlight wake up.’
Dawn…that was…
Io woke with a start sitting bolt upright as they gasped in the warm air of their nest. Their chest was heaving, their face was…wet? Were they crying?
“Io? Are you okay? Can I touch you?” Dawn’s hand was outstretched slightly but it was waiting for their go ahead to touch.
They nodded, unable to make their mouth work as the tears continued to slide down their cheeks.
Dawn reached up and began wiping away the tears. “It’s alright moonbeam, you’re okay, you’re safe.” It cooed and slowly pulled them into a hug.
There in his arms they finally let themself fully break down sobbing into his chest, hands coming up to clutch the fabric of it’s nightshirt.
The canary rubbed their back in between their wings in slow circles. “It’s okay, I’ve got you…” He hummed softly.
“I..I was back there…Dawn I was back in that cell….it hurt…I could feel…”
“Shhh..It’s alright, no ones ever putting you back there. Percy and I won’t let them, you’re safe, we’re in your nest…I have you.”
They continued to cry curling close to the canary, it was a rare sight to see Io so vulnerable, so shaken. Dawn just held them close, soon beginning to sing the first few lines of a lullaby it knew.
Dawn didn’t sing often, wouldn’t sing for anyone it didn’t love, but he sang for Io, sang a comforting song for them, and it worked slowly, the vampire relaxing in it’s arms.
They sniffled and moved back slightly to look up at Dawn, the tears slowly stopping.
“There you are…hi Moonbeam….you feeling a bit better? I know sometimes I need a good cry.”
“I…yes…thank you Dawn, it..I don’t know what I would have done if you weren’t here.” They leaned their head on his shoulder, closing their eyes. “Thank you.”
“You don’t have to thank me…people take care of the ones they love, and I love you.”
“I love you too.” they replied sitting up to wipe away the tears that stuck to their face.
Dawn smiled at them and reached up to touch their cheek gently. “I promise, everything will be alright. You’ll see.”
And for once…Io felt like they could actually believe it., believe that they would be free, that they would be allowed to love.
That the warmth they were allowed now would be forever, and that thy would never have to be cold again.
Like the sun, Dawn burned away all of the cold.