Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It’s an imposing building. All it’s missing is the grey skies and lightning, then you throw in a couple gargoyles and it’d be straight out of a black and white era horror movie. Knowing their luck, they’ll find some kind of mad scientist inside screaming ‘It’s Alive!’ to the heavens along with some monster.

Yan slams the trunk shut, slinging their backpack over their shoulder and walking up to stand next to Rowan and look up at the mansion. They stand in silence for a few moments before Yan holds out their hand expectantly. Rowan ignores it.

Yan rolls their eyes. “Give me your cell phone.”

With a long, exasperated sigh, Rowan extracts the cell phone from his pocket and slaps it into Yan’s waiting hand. “I’m not going to call the cops.” He grumbles.

“You’ve said that 17 times before.” Yan moves to put the phone in their inside jacket pocket. “And how many of those times did you instantly call the cops the second my back was turned?”

Rowan shoves his hands in his pockets and glances off to the side. Eventually he grumbles. “Every time.”

“No cell phone.”

“It wouldn’t be a problem if you’d just turn yourself in.” It’s in Rowan’s coding to report all criminals to the police, and though he honestly doesn’t care if Yan walks free or not, it’s not something he’s exactly able to override.

Yan raises another backpack and pushes it into Rowan’s chest. “We’re after valuables, okay. Silverware, jewellery, trinkets.”

“I’ll just add burglary to your wrap sheet shall I?”

“This place is abandoned. Apparently the local kids all dare each other to stay the night and nobody ever does.” They push at the large doorway and watch as it slowly opens. It’s large and heavy but thank fuck it doesn’t creak as they go in. Yan turns and gives a smirk over their shoulder. “At worst this is tresspass.”

“Still illegal.” Rowan mutters as he follows through the doorway.

The door opens into the main entryway, large, with a staircase leading upstairs. Just from the doorway, Rowan can count about twelve doors but there’s got to be more rooms than that. From the outside this place is huge.

“I think we should start upstairs. Bedrooms are good for-” Yan starts but Rowan just strides past them and picks the first door on his right. Rowan may be here, he may be helping to engage in criminal activity, but he’s going to rebel every chance that he gets.

The door he chooses leads to a large room with a wooden floor, three chandeliers, broken and clearly missing pieces hang from the ceiling covered in dust and cobwebs. Several large drapes cover the other walls, probably hiding some kind of windows, while in the far corner, there’s an old grand piano that’s probably out of tune. It looks like a ballroom. Probably there was once a time when people would be dancing around the room in suits and fine dresses-

Rowan closes his eyes as something in his brain sparks and a distorted memory of a person in a bright red dress crosses his mind. He can’t see their face but he knows they’re crying and he wishes they would stop. That keeps happening, something random just sparks a memory but it’s incomplete leaving him with more questions than answers and he’s honestly not sure how to deal with these fragments.

So far he’s been ignoring them, hasn’t mentioned a single one to his captor because these memories were wiped for a reason, and Yan stole him so clearly they’re not the caring person they like to pretend they are. Probably his life was pretty awful before. Why else are they not there?

There’s nothing in this room of value, short of getting a stepladder and bringing down the chandeliers. Yeah, Rowan isn’t doing that, besides, they’ll just wind up being made of glass. Instead, in order to be as unhelpful as possible, Rowan just walks to the piano and sits on the aging stool, brushing his fingers over the keys.

He doesn’t intend to play, but maybe if he sits in here long enough, Yan will give up, come in and they’ll just leave.

Chapter Text

“I think we should start upstairs. Bedrooms are good for-” Yan starts but Rowan just strides past them and picks the first door on his right. Yan stops as the door almost slams behind him. They miss Rowan. The real Rowan. The old Rowan. The one who cared about whether they were smiling. The one who tried to run into a burning building to protect them.

This Rowan doesn’t care, keeps trying to turn them in, keeps going against their instructions. Hell, this Rowan hasn’t even noticed that Yan hasn’t eaten in a couple days because all the money is going into the gas tank of the car at the minute. And if Yan mentions it, he’ll probably bring up turning themself in again as a means of getting food. It’s just not worth the aggravation.

But Yan is still hopeful that they can help Rowan remember. I mean sure, it’s been six months of driving around with the robotic equivalent of a moody teenager in the back seat, and they’ve made absolutely no progress towards getting those memories back, and sure Rowan seems to hate them a little more every day, but Yan can’t give up now!

With a frustrated sigh, Yan swings their backpack over their shoulder and heads upstairs. Their destination is the bedroom. Like they were trying to tell Rowan, old people tend to keep their valuables in there so they’re immediately to hand when they sleep. The bedroom in old buildings are never the first door at the top of the stairs, so Yan heads for the one furthest along the landing, glancing around as they go.

“You’re overthinking things, Yan. Just-” they start to say to themself, but stop as they push open the door and step through…..into the kitchen. What the hell kind of old mansion style house has a kitchen upstairs? Before they have much chance to ask any further questions, the door slams loudly behind them, making Yan jump. When they turn and open the door, a long grey corridor with very little light is on the other side. Definitely not where they just came from.

“Well, that’s not good.” Trust them to pick the one spooky mansion with moving rooms.

Yan glances back over their shoulder. The kitchen is old, probably not been used in a long time. Chances are there’s not a scrap of food, but maybe those teenagers might have brought something in the last week or so and left it behind. Their stomach grumbles. Yan isn’t that discerning, they’ll take anything even barely edible at this point.

After Fazbear’s, a mansion with moving rooms is pretty tame, and since they’re in the kitchen, and the fact the rooms moving isn’t going to change any time soon, Yan comes to the conclusion that they can get away with a food-hunt break.

Chapter Text

The next room is filled with some fancy reclining furniture and several bookcases. Some of the books could possibly be of value, but probably only if you knew the right buyer. The furniture looks valuable, with the exception of a few scuffs and scratches, but those wouldn’t fit in the car never mind the backpacks.

Rowan runs his fingers over the spines of a nearby bookcase, wondering what the people who bought them were hoping to find within them when he hears movement, turning to see a stranger stood in the corner watching him while clutching an old worn book.

The stranger looks oddly familiar, and a vague memory of someone who looks like him sparks in his mind, but Rowan shakes the memory away as he realises, he’s face to face with someone who probably isn’t expecting him to be there.

“Do you have a phone?” is the first question out his mouth. Not who are you, where are the valuables, why do you look so scared, or why are your teeth pointy.

The stranger shakes his head, bringing his book closer to his chest. “You probably shouldn’t take anything.”

Rowan glances down to the bag in his hands. There’s one or two items in there. Nothing of any real value, Rowan still isn’t dedicated to this task of Yan’s. “Why not?”

“There’s a lot of cursed objects lying around in this place.” the stranger shuffles from one foot to the other, giving a half shrug as he glances at a few of the objects in the room. “Others have old spirits stuck inside them and they get awful cranky if you wake them up.”

Rowan shrugs and dumps the bag on the ground. Oh no. Such a shame. A magical risk that prevents him from helping a criminal. That’s just too bad.

“My name’s Rowan.” he offers as he looks up again, though the familiarity of this guy’s face encourages him to keep his distance. “I didn’t think anyone lived here.”

“Well I don’t technically live here.” The stranger is wearing odd clothes, a yellow shirt, green-blueish waistcoat and bright pink suspenders. Throw in the pointy teeth, the really pale skin, and the strange answer and there’s really only one conclusion to draw.

Rowan narrows his eyes. “Are you a vampire?”

“Absolutely!” His nerves are gone in an instant, pointing at himself with his thumb and wearing a big grin on his face. “I’m Enis.”

Rowan continues to glare at him, “Are you wearing glitter?”

“I like glitter.” Enis brushes his fingers against his cheek and holds his fingers out to show the sparkles now attached to his fingertips. He sparkles a bit without it but there’s nothing wrong with more glitter. It’s shiny and sparkles and everybody should wear it. “Did you get dared to come in here? A lot of people get dared.”

“Not exactly.” Rowan glances towards the doorway. Forced to come in against his will. That’s kind of like a dare isn’t it?

“No matter.” Enis dismisses the question. It’s a little obvious that he doesn’t have an extensive attention span as he steps forward and takes a hold of Rowan’s wrist. “Come on, there’s loads of things around here we can do.”

Rowan tries to protest as Enis pulls him towards the far door in the room. Truthfully the droid’s instincts are telling him to get out rather than venture further but the vampire either doesn’t hear him or doesn’t care because he continues. A few feet from the door, Enis stops. All the warmth suddenly empties from the room, the air chilling and going deathly still as the vampire silently stares at the door. After a moment, Enis turns and pulls Rowan towards the other door, the way Rowan came in.

“This way is definitely better.” Enis insists, his tugging becoming a little more insistent.

“I just came that way. There’s-” As Enis opens the door, it opens into a grand bedroom. A four poster bed and extravagant dresser and wardrobe on either side of the room is a stark difference from the ballroom Rowan came from before, “…..a bedroom?”

As they walk through the doorway, Rowan glances at the doorframe, looking for the secret panel, or the invisible string, or something to show how the vampire has pulled off this magic trick. Rooms don’t just move around!

Once they’re through Enis makes sure to firmly shut the door, giving a big grin. “It’s absolutely nothing to worry about.” he insists. “Wanna jump on the bed?”

Chapter Text

Yan opens another door and gives a weary sigh. They’ve walked through into yet another room that isn’t where it’s supposed to be. At this point, they’ve walked through no fewer than seven, covering everything from a few bedrooms, a reception room, a random library, the kitchen (twice) and somewhere that had a window that showed the garden but the door for which lead back into the main foyer. This is starting to get tedious and after finding exactly no food in the kitchen, it’s really starting to wear them down.

Putting their hand on another door handle and mentally crossing their fingers, Yan strides through the door and freezes.

“What are you doing!”

It’s a largish bedroom, simply dressed, with fancy furniture and wallpaper. Probably most notable though, on the four poster bed, Rowan and a stranger is jumping on the covers, both giggling and Yan frowns because that is a familiar looking stranger.

“AJ?!”

“Actually I’m Enis.” The stranger waves, continuing to bounce and apparently pleased to see a new face, but when Rowan clocks Yan, his smile drops and he stops bouncing, frowning at the intrusion.

“Are you done yet? Can we go?”

“Can we-? Rowan the car is almost out of gas! We’re barely going to make it to the next town as it is. You’re supposed to be looking for things to sell.” Yan glances around because there’s a distinct absence of a bag. “Where’s your bag?”

Rowan turns and slides off the bed, clearly having no interest in bouncing while Yan is yapping on again. He shrugs. “In the library?”

Enis stops bouncing but remains on the bed, raising a finger matter-of-factly. “The small library. There’s at least five. I think.” he taps the finger against his chin as he starts counting off libraries. Yan ignores him and turns to Rowan.

“You ditched your bag? Do you even care about-!” Yan raises a hand to their head and mentally berates themself. no he doesn’t care. Of course he doesn’t. Because this Rowan hates them and the sooner they accept that the easier their life will (hopefully) become.

“Rowan.” They speak very clearly, doing their best to keep their temper. “We need to get gas into the car at the next town. Why did you ditch your bag?”

Rowan gestures at a clock on the nearby bed stand. “Enis says there are cursed items. Figured I probably shouldn’t tempt fate.” There’s a smugness to his voice, though it’s subtle.

“Loads of cursed items.” Enis beams. “Do you want to see them?”

Yan runs a hand down their face as they consider their bag. There’s about a hundred bucks worth of stuff in there. Enough to get some gas and maybe grab a sandwich in town. Two things they really really need. But cursed items… They glance at Enis. He looks like the kind of wacko to have items around that curse you and you know what, life is hard enough without adding in magical interference.

Swinging the backpack off their back, Yan turns it upside down emptying out the jewellry and trinkets onto the floor. Rowan smirks at them.

“Giving up?”

“Yes, Rowan.” Yan grits out, angered, frustrated swinging the backpack back over their shoulder. “I’m giving up.”  Their stomach growls and they hold a hand against it, looking anywhere but at Rowan. “I need a break, but then we’re going.”

They can probably find some kind of job in town. Maybe a paper route, or some minor haulage. There’s not much else they have the energy for any more and Rowan still point blank refuses to do any work that might benefit Yan in any way.

Rowan looks satisfied as he crosses the room to follow Yan. Sure it may take a while to get out, but they’re leaving which is honestly all the droid wants at this point. Enis however is less than thrilled.

“Wait, you’re leaving?!”

“It’s been a blast Enis. But we have places to be.” Yan says over their shoulder, blinking as they turn back to the door. Enis is already in front of them, his arms spread wide to stop them in their tracks. “How did you-?”

“You can’t leave!” Enis yells, blocking the only doorway.

Reaching up, Yan takes a firm hold of Enis’s shoulder and just brushes him aside. “Just watch me.” They’re tired, they’re hungry, they do not have the energy to deal with a happy weirdo who lives in a bizzaro mansion. They just want out.

There’s a distinct click and a firm tug on Yan’s right arm which stops them short as they hear another click and Rowan gives a shout. Turning, they see that Enis has handcuffed the two of them together. Yan’s right wrist to Rowan’s left. They share an unhappy glance.

“You can’t leave.” is all Enis says as he takes a hold of the small chain between the cuffs. “I can’t tell you why but you just can’t.”

“Enis, I-” The vague threat of pain unimagined dies on Yan’s lips as a low rumbling vicious growl, that shakes the door in its frame is heard, just on the other side of the door. Both Rowan and Yan stare at the door, as Enis backs away, incredibly uneasy and trying to pull them with him. “Enis, what’s that?”

“Nothing! It’s nothing!” Enis says a bit too quickly for it to be anywhere near the truth. “Come on.” he pulls harder on the chain, displaying a surprising amount of strength for such a smallish guy as he drags both Rowan and Yan towards the chest of drawers. “There’s a secret passage over here! It’s awesome!”

Yan looks back to the door, the growl is still there, and it’s growing. Honestly not wanting to find out the source, they figure maybe following Enis is not that bad an idea.

Chapter Text

Enis doesn’t stop, seemingly not content with just leading them out the other end of the secret passage which leads to some kind of billiard room, swiftly pulling them through another two rooms before finally letting go once they enter the ballroom.

Yan’s mouth drops open when they see it, in utter awe of the fact that such a grand room exists in this mad mansion. They glance around, their wrist pulling on the cuffs attaching them to Rowan as they turn. Rowan watches them and their face curiously.

“This is amazing.” Yan glances around in wonder at the large, somewhat neglected room.

“It’s a wreck.” Rowan comments. Yan just tugs on their cuffed wrists to silence him.

“I always wanted to grow up to go to places like this.” Yan confesses.

Even though it’s clearly in some level of disrepair, it’s still gorgeous and is exactly the kind of place that young Yan dreamed of finding themself in. Going to parties, with drinking and dancing, socialising with people who’d be oh-so-impressed with how funny, and smart, and beautiful they were.

“Why didn’t you?” Enis asks from where he’s perched on the stool next to the piano.

Reality comes crushing down and Yan’s smile falls. They’d always dreamed big as a kid, but it was only as they got older that they realised just how out there some of those dreams were.

“Nobody thought I belonged.” they mutter.

Belonged in the dance halls, belonged in the coffee shops, belonged in the various jobs they had over the years. As they grew up, Yan just remembers being told time and time again, ‘you don’t belong here’.

“That’s sad.” Enis frowns.

Rowan tugs on the cuff, bringing Yan back to themself, stepping forward and pointing back through the door Enis dragged them through.

“Enis, what was that thing?”

There’s a brief moment of wide-eyed panic before Enis’s face twists into a forced smile as he happily yells, “Isn’t this piano great!”

As he plonks his hands on the keys, it gives an out-of-tune discordant noise but Rowan is clearly not impressed, and both he and Yan can see this very poor attempt at distraction for what it is.

“Enis.”

“Wait I can do this, just give me a second.” Enis peers very intently at the keys, randomly pressing them. They are painfully out of tune. Enis giggles as he continues to press keys. “It’s been a few centuries since I last played.”

Yan’s eyes go wide. “Centuries?”

“He’s a vampire.” Rowan says off-handedly.

“What?!” Yan reaches up, running their hand through their hair in a mild panic. Vampires are a real thing?! And they’re in a room with one now?! Though taking a second glance at the sheer happiness on Enis’s face, it’s clear that there’s no immediate risk from this puffball vamp.

“Enis, you’re obviously trying to hide something.” Rowan steps forward, pulling on the cuff, Yan moving to keep in stride with him.

Enis thinks, biting on his lip as he tries to think of a lie. “Spiders?”

“Spiders that growl….” Yan says. They don’t believe that for a moment, but you know, Yan has been proven very wrong before so who knows? Rowan however seems to have no problem with possibly being wrong.

“Stop lying!” he shouts and Yan blinks at him in surprise.

Enis jumps at the shouting, looking between his two new friends no Enis not friends, friends don’t survive here and the anger they’re directing at him.

“……well-”

A low rumble of a growl, deep enough that you can feel it through the floor can be heard and if possible, Enis’s face becomes even paler before he leaps to his feet in fear. Rowan and Yan also try to locate the source of the noise, having to move together as they turn this way and that, desperate to figure out where it’s coming from.

Yan turns to the vampire and shouts at him “What is it!”

Enis just whimpers, leaping behind the piano as Rowan pulls firmly on the cuffs, forcing Yan to turn and see.

Through the closed door stalks a massive beast, twice the size of a wolf, with razor-sharp claws that shred the floor beneath it as it walks. Its scruffy, wiry fur is jet black, the tips dissolving into wispy smoke that trails behind it. In its snarling maw, a row of jagged teeth that could easily turn a man to mincemeat. From within the fur, two red eyes, trained on Yan and Rowan, as its nose sniffs at the air.

Yan doesn’t even think, pulling harshly on the handcuffs that links them to Rowan, dragging the droid closer. Turning their back to it, they place themself firmly between Rowan and the monster, wrapping their free arm around him, their cuffed fingers latching onto Rowan’s hand. They hold tight, pull Rowan close and close their eyes, knowing what’s about to happen, knowing that they can’t lose Rowan any further than they already have.

Before Rowan can react, the monster pounces, large vicious teeth latching onto the very base of Yan’s neck, almost tearing into the flesh of their shoulder. Yan screams out in agonising pain, their tight hold immediately loosening as every last bit of energy that they don’t have left is forced from them and the monster drags them back.

There’s a blast and a yelp before the teeth let them go. But everything hurts and they have no ounce of energy left. it’s so much easier to just stop fighting at this point.

They’re trapped in a mansion where the rooms don’t stay still, with a vampire. Any hospital they might get to will immediately turn them over to police. Rowan hates them, but he’s safe. This is it, Yan realises as their fingertips slip from Rowan’s, as the hands grabbing at their arms fail to keep them up. This is how they go.

There’s no conscious decision to stop, but there’s no chance they can survive this. Yan has no strength and what is left is all just drifting away. They feel themselves hit the floor. Everything else is pain and darkness

Chapter Text

Rowan watches wide-eyed, panicked and confused as the creature drags Yan to the floor, their shackled hands dragging him down too. He just about manages to not land on them and watches in fear as the slobbering maw loosens, red eyes looking up at him now. It’s ready to take another bite.

Rowan winces as something sparks in his head and numerous memories tumble out of some secret recess where they’ve been locked away, all of them scrambling to fall into the right place. Except this creature isn’t going to be kind enough to let them find their seats. Its jaw widens, an inhuman unholy growl ripping from its chest as it goes to strike.

A great flash of faded yellow light, there’s a yelp and a thud as the horrific creature is blasted across the room. Rowan turns to see Enis stood a short way away, his arms held out, palms pointed where the monster just was and a look of utter shock on his face.

“Did I do that?”

Rowan would answer but all those memories are finding their place. Where for months there have been empty spaces, all of a sudden faces, places, moments, and memories, feelings, fears, people, robots. There are suddenly so many moments, so many faces, so many things just filling up that space.

And Yan…

……Rowan pulls them to their feet, brushing down their dress and reaching into his pocket for the buttercup he’d picked at the park. Honestly they looked like they could use it more than him right now…..

…. “Hey, don’t worry about it.” Rowan playfully nudges them with his shoulder as they walk through the park. “You’ll meet someone.”…..

“Are you okay?”

Rowan blinks at the vampire as he crouches on the other side of Yan and grimaces at the not inconsiderable wound on Yan’s neck.

“That bite doesn’t look good.”

……. The droid moves to run for the door, to suddenly find AJ stood in the way, looking suitably sheepish but with his arms stretched out……

“…AJ?”

“Enis.” the vampire gives a small wave before he turns to his book. “I might have a spell that might help.”

Rowan raises his unshackled hand to tap probably harsher than necessary at the self-sacrficing idiot.

“Yan. Yan! Wake up!” There’s no motion, no sound, there’s barely even any breath there. If there is a spell, it’s probably not going to be found in time. “Yan you idiot!”

….. Something about this place is corroded and evil. It just takes and takes and now it’s going to consume Yan…. Rowan stops watching the clock, not able to handle this any more….

“Yan please!” Rowan isn’t begging. He isn’t! He’s just trying to get a reaction. Except there is none.

“I don’t think I have any chickens left.” Enis mumbles as he flicks through some more pages.

….Rowan clearly can’t trust the idiot to look after themself so if they need to go, he’s going to….

He clutches at Yan’s shirt, and gives the idiot a firm shake. Desperate, yeah desperate is a good word but Rowan isn’t begging. Begging won’t make any difference. ….Then again desperation doesn’t seem to be being much help either.

“Give me your hand.” Enis grabs for Rowan’s hand taking it from the shirt, and clutching it tight as he says some random nonsense, seemingly reading it from the book.

Nothing happens. “………huh…..backwards usually words.”

When did Rowan last do anything to help Yan? It’s been six months. Six months of being a complete and utter ass. Being unhelpful, uncaring, unsupportive Rowan is trying to remember the last time he saw Yan eat, or even when he saw them smile. 

“Come on you idiot! I’m sorry! Please!”

“We don’t have any flapjacks.” Enis turns page after page but isn’t finding anything. What little color there is in Yan’s face is just draining from Yan’s face and it’s not filling Enis with confidence either. When he glances over at Rowan he squeezes the robot’s hand. “Hey, don’t cry!”

Rowan blinks, suddenly aware of the tears rolling down his cheeks. He didn’t even know he was capable of crying. Still when creating a droid designed to appear human, it would stand to reason that they might install some means of expressing sadness.

Squeezing his eyes shut he tries to stop them, but even more tears spill forth. Rowan tugs firmly on the hand in his own, forcing Enis to move closer.

“Fix this.” his voice is low, quiet. Filled with sadness, no doubt, but underneath, at the bottom there’s undeniable anger.

“I-”

“You’ve got to save them.” Anger at himself, anger at EnDroid, anger at god-damned fucking Lucas. This can’t be how this ends! It can’t! They can’t die! He won’t let them die!

Enis looks awkward, continuing to holld Rowan’s hand as he flips through a few more pages of the book.

“Have you tried kissing him?” Rowan glares at the vampire who looks nervous as he glances up. “It works in the movies.”

“They can’t die! I’m not letting them die here! You stopped that thing!! You have to be able to do something!!” Rowan’s voice is getting more and more panicked as he clutches at straws, refusing to acknowledge how long Yan has been too still and too quiet for. No! This can’t be how things finish!

Enis bites his lip in nervousness and glances to his book. This is awful. He’s always known that Hellhound was going to cause trouble. That’s why he’s done his best to avoid it for so long. Hellhound bites are bad news and the spell didn’t work. There’s no way any mere mortal could ever-

Enis’s eyes go wide. That’s it!

The vampire lets the robot’s hand go, moving to kneel by the stranger’s head, placing one firmly on either side. For a brief second he hesitates. He’s not really supposed to do this, but it’s been a reallylong time. And this guy is dying. And you know, maybe they’re not looking, and if they don’t see it they won’t get mad at him for it.

Enis’s tongue does a small blep of concentration as he focuses. After a few seconds, the same light that moments before had lit up the room illuminates in Enis’s eyes, glowing a faded yellow color as he stares intently at Yan.

Seconds tick by, until finally Yan’s eyes snap open, glowing with the same power while the wound shrinks on their shoulder. It doesn’t disappear completely but it’s definitely smaller and a darn sight healthier looking.

Rowan’s fingers are interlaced with Yan’s, the pair’s cuffed hands tightly holding onto each other as Yan’s body seems to wake up, twitching and shuffling. Finally, both Yan and Enis blink and the power is gone.

Yan takes a huge gulping breath, their fingers tightening around the ones they’re holding onto as they glance around in complete and utter confusion.

“What in the-?” they start, only to be cut off as Rowan surges forward, pulling Yan’s head up and holding them in place as he kisses them. It’s short, it’s strange, clearly very panicked but when Rowan pulls away, moving to brush Yan’s hair out their face, he doesn’t regret it.

“The kiss won’t do anything now. Silly.” Enis rolls his eyes as he sits back with a satisfied grin.

Yan blinks in slight confusion as their brain stalls. They were just dying weren’t they? And now they’re….did Rowan…? After a few moments, when their brain has had a chance to catch up, they smile, purposefully squeezing their fingers.

“That was nice.” They say with a knowing smirk while Rowan looks a little embarassed.

“It seemed a little ‘extra’ to me.”

They all turn to see two people a short way away. They look very similar to each other and are even wearing the same glasses but one, wearing a formal shirt and a necktie holds himself much more sternly than the other. The one in a blue shirt with a grey cardigan thrown over his shoulders is regarding them with a look of a concerned father.

Enis isn’t grinning anymore. “Oh no.”

“Hey kiddo.” says the one in the blue shirt, clearly addressing Enis. “We need to talk.”

Chapter Text

It’s fairly easy for Rowan to sit Yan up, and slot in behind them, their cuffed hands giving the perfect excuse for Rowan to protectively wrap his arm around them. Yan certainly doesn’t protest and does what they can to help, but is clearly still injured and more than okay with staying on the floor.

The strangers, Logan and Patton, have been arguing for the last five minutes.

“I know you understand the implications of what’s occurred here, Patton.” says Logan, the one wearing the necktie.

“Of course I do, but he did it to save this man’s life.” Patton, gestures towards Yan.

“Yan’s non-binary.” Rowan calls across to them and Yan glances over their shoulder at him.

“Rowan, bigger fish.” they mutter, but Rowan simply reaches up with his free hand and covers their mouth.

“This person’s life.” Patton corrects himself, giving an apologetic smile.

“And I’m sure,” Logan reaches up, adjusting his glasses, glancing over to them, “they….” Rowan nods and Logan continues, “are incredibly grateful for that. But they’re ignorant to what Enis has dragged them into.”

“Are they usually like this?” Rowans asks of the vampire as the two strangers continue their argument.

“Yeah.” Enis sighs. He’s knelt on the floor beside them looking a far cry from the happy bean they’ve known him to be this far.

“Enis,” Yan says and Enis turns, “Not that I’m not grateful but, what did you do to me?”

“I can answer that one.” Patton raises his hand, interrupting Logan’s latest argument, taking a step towards the small floor grouping, and leaving a disgruntled Logan muttering the second half of his sentence to himself. “He made you his Guardian.”

“His what now?”

“My Guardian.” the vampire sighs and looks off to the side, clearly avoiding the conversation. “It’s complicated.”

Logan, all but recovered from the derailed discussion, steps forward. “There are numerous beings out there who may look small, sweet, and innocent,” he indicates Patton, “but do in fact have access to vast amounts of power. From what I understand they are supposed to maintain some sort of balance, although Patton is not the best at it.” he gives a frustrated sigh. “He is intent on believing the best of everyone.”

“What can I say?” Patton shrugs, beaming. “I’m an optimist.”

“But you can’t afford to be.” Logan pinches the bridge of his nose, “These beings, known as ‘Deities’ are at risk from those who want to take that power, as well as their own limitations. It is a Guardian’s duty,” He straightens his necktie, and indicates himself, “to protect them.”

“His old Guardian…..passed away,” Patton talks softly and Enis looks even more sad, if it were possible, “and it’s just not safe for him out there on his own.”

“Not with the highly chaotic nature of his abilities. The moving rooms serve as a surrogate protection, discouraging those those who might wish to use his immense power for their own gains.”

“Enis is a being of power?” Rowan looks over to the rather scrawny looking vampire. Yeah, this vampire just isn’t screaming immense power to him. Immense-ly energetic maybe. Frankly, Enis looks like he could lose in a fight with an unlocked door. Then again he did blast that thing away somehow. “What about the monster?”

“Monster?” Logan frowns, confused. “What monster?”

“Was it a giant spider!” Patton squeaks, immediately leaping to hide behind Logan whose rolling eyes suggest this is a common reaction.

Rowan points over to where the creature that took a bite of Yan is laid, very clearly no longer among the living. Yan tries to look but Rowan stops them, distracting them by running his fingers through their hair. A soothing sensation, that Yan doesn’t fight too hard against.

After a moment of staring, both Logan and Patton turn to Enis who gives a sheepish grin and a shrug.

“One of my spells may have gone a little…wrong.” he laughs awkwardly, trying to subtly hide his spellbook and failing spectacularly.

Stepping closer, Logan grimaces already able to smell it. He avoids getting too close but he can still clearly see it. The eyes are closed but those teeth, the claws, the jet black fur and that smell. Ugh.

“Oh no the poor puppy.” Patton tries to move forward, but Logan throws an arm out to stop him.

“Patton, so help me do not pet it.” Logan covers his nose and draws away, pulling Patton with him. “This is the thing that bit them?”

“You know Logan,” Patton puts a hand on Logan’s arm to draw his attention, “with something as powerful as a Hellhound, Enis would have had seconds to make a decision.”

Logan glances towards the creature again. “So it would seem.”

“So,” Yan is trying to line this all up in his head, which honestly is starting to throb at this point, “I have to protect Enis?”

“That’s how it works.”

“And the last one to do that died?” Dying is not fun. They would absolutely prefer not to do that again. A sentiment that Rowan whole-heartedly agrees with.

“I could just stay here” Everyone turns to Enis. The sparkly vampire is looking very purposefully at the floor. He doesn’t have the slightest hint of happiness to his face at all. “It’s not like anyone’s missing me.”

“You’d sacriifice your freedom to protect your Guardian?” Logan turns to Patton, confused. “Is he allowed to do that?”

Patton gently pushes Logan aside, and steps over to kneel beside Enis. As he carefully places a hand on the vampire’s shoulder it begins to glow a faint light blue color. When his hand makes contact, Patton’s eyes also begin to glow.

“You did good, kiddo.” his voice is very calm, almost fatherly, as he talks, and there’s another layer to it, almost impossible to hear but it’s definitely there. “Are you sure you want to stay here?”

Enis’s sad eyes begin to light up with the same light blue magic that’s passing through Patton. It reaches into every crevasse of Enis’s mind and clears away all the muss and the mayhem leaving only the clearest choices allowing him to see exactly what he needs to do.

The light dies and Enis closes his eyes. “Yes.”

Nobody buys that Enis wants to stay in here. The way he’s so upbeat, how glad he was to have guests. There is no way he can be happy in staying in here all alone. But Patton seems to be satisfied, drawing back and standing up.

“If that’s what you want kiddo.”

“Enis-” Yan starts, hissing as the still unhealed bite flares in pain. Their head reels and they go limp against Rowan but just about manage to stay awake. “….ow.”

“You should probably get to a hospital.” Logan suggests.

“Gee thanks.” Rowan snarks, covering Yan’s mouth again when they open it to protest. The two of them will figure something out. “And what about the moving rooms?”

Enis raises his hand, plastering on a fake smile that doesn’t quite reach up to his eyes. “I can show you the way out. It gets a bit mixed up sometimes.” As the vampire goes to stand up, Rowan reaches out, grabbing a hold of his sleeve.

“Enis.” Rowan says and Enis turns. “Thank you.” The vampire smiles before leading them out the room while Logan and Patton remain behind.

Logan folds his arms as he watches them go. “You know I’d never have thought Enis could act so selflessly.”

Patton comes up beside Logan and pats him firmly on the shoulder. “Well, Logan, every dog has his day.”

“I don’t see what dogs have to do with-” Logan turns slightly and catches sight of the Hellhound a short way off. He groans. “You’re making a pun aren’t you?”

“Yep.”

Chapter Text

Yan can’t sleep. Not because of the pain. No the painkillers Rowan somehow managed to get are taking very good care of that. They’re laid down on the bed in the motel room, and they were happily sleeping, catching up on some very much needed rest after that crazy mansion, but now they’re wide awake and they have no clue why. It’s not a need for the bathroom, or food, thank you Steak and Shake, but there’s an intense feeling that they can’t shake that something…..something is up.

They carefully push themself up, making sure not to aggravaate their shoulder, swinging their legs over the side and looking to the nearby chair. Rowan is slumped in it, seemingly dozing, possibly having powered down for a bit, like a robot cat-nap.

“Rowan.” they call out to him, “Rowan, wake up.”

When he doesn’t move, Yan grabs something from the bedside table, and tosses it at the droid’s face. The box of matches bounces off Rowan’s cheek and falls to the floor, but the droid stays slumbering.

“Rowan. I need to do something.” Disgruntled, Yan reaches behind them for a pillow, grunting at how they have to twist to grab it before firmly thwomping it into Rowan’s face.

“I’m up!” Rowan blurts as he jolts forward, very much awake now and trying to find the threat, greeted only by a tired looking Yan. He frowns. “What is it?

Yan points to the door to the outside. “Something’s wrong.” As they head out, Rowan grabs a flashlight.

The parking lot is mostly dark. There’s some light from a few streetlights nearby, and an occassional window that somebody didn’t pull the curtains across so their room is throwing bright light out. A short way down, there’s also light coming from the motel reception, enough to show the pissed off figure currently beating the crap out of a vending machine that ate their dollar.

Rowan pulls the door to, swinging the flashlight back and forth looking for whatever it is that’s supposed to be out here. Immediately outside their room is Rowan’s car, partially because of the badly injured patient the droid was transporting, partially because of sheer laziness.

“There’s nothing here.”

Yan doesn’t answer, simply taking a firm grip of Rowan’s arm and tugging him towards the far end of the rooms, away from the reception. That, says this weird sensation, is where they need to be heading. When they reach the corner, Rowan insists that he go first, and Yan isn’t exactly leaping to stop him.

Pausing for just a moment, hoping to hear something moving, Rowan swings round the corner, waving the light, thinking it might just be some kind of racoon or something, only for the ‘raccoon’ to give a somewhat high-pitched yelp and be wearing a yellow shirt, a blue waistcoat, and sporting pointy fangs.

“Please don’t hurt me!”

“Enis?!”

Sure enough, the sparkly vampire is there, trying to block the light from his eyes as he chuckles nervously and gives a kind of half-wave. “Hi guys.”

“What in the hell are you doing here?” Rowan lowers the flashlight as he gestures for Yan to come out from behind the corner. “I thought you were staying in the mansion.”

Enis gives a kind of shrug, and a sheepish grin as he purposefully avoids looking directly at them, “I missed you guys.”

Yan moves to stand beside Rowan, with a mild scowl. “We’ve been gone for one day.”

“Really?” Enis counts who-knows-what off on his fingers, somehow getting up to seven before he gives up. “Wow. That’s crazy.”

“No.” Rowan gestures towards Yan with the flashlight, “What’s crazy is the fact that Yan knew you were out here!” The sheer joy that lights up Enis’s face, you’d think he was just told there’s going to be a second Christmas.

“He did?”

Before Rowan can correct Enis Yan moves forward and cover’s his mouth. It’s stupid o clock in the morning. Now is really not the time for that conversation. Especially not with a vampire who’s spent who knows how many years hidden away in a creepy mansion.

“I didn’t know anything. I just…..something felt off.” Like a firm firm tug on their gut telling them they needed to come out here. To Enis….wait… “Is this a Guardian thing?”

“Maybe.”

Enis really probably shouldn’t be here. That mansion is supposed to be a place of safety for him. Still, they’d have to take him back there and Rowan only has to catch Yan’s eye to know that that ain’t happening. Besides, what’s to say that the vampire won’t just follow them away again? And he seems to be pretty happy being back in the ‘real world’, bouncing on the balls of his feet as he watches them.

“Enis,” Rowan raises the flashlight at Enis again, who flinches but laughs because oh yeah it’s just a light, “did you….want to come with us?”

The smile on his face grows. Who knew a vampire could draw their lips that wide without feeding?. “You mean it?!”

“Why not?.” Yan doesn’t sound as confident as Rowan, but now that the spidey sense has been satisfied, honestly, all they want is to get back into bed. “It’ll be just like a sleepover.”

Enis claps excitedly. “I love sleepovers!”

“I had a feeling you might.”

Rowan leads the way back to the room, holding the door open and watching the sparkly vampire practically run in and leap on the bed. 

“Hey no!” Rowan points, gesturing for him to get off. “Human gets the bed.”

“Aww.” Though the sour mood doesn’t last, Enis leaping up and poking around the room.

“Speaking of which,” Yan calls across to where Enis is going through the various take out menus left on the side. “You’re not gonna suck my blood are you?”

“Of course not. I never eat anything with a face,” Enis pffts, before continuing to flips through the various take out menus offered by the motel, “I usually tear off the face first.”

Rowan laughs at that, and Yan groans, not sure if he’s joking or not.

“Fantastic.”

They make their way to the bed, carefully lowering themself down, as they hear Enis babbling away, grateful that finally, finally, they’re going to be able to get some rest.