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Deep shadows decorate the room Edgar resides in, the only available light originating from the few candlesticks placed around the ornate vanity. He sits in front of it, examining his complexion. His eyes went over the reflection gazing at him; eyes appearing more baggy and sunken than they have in a long while, flaking skin, cheeks showing off more angular bone, more extreme paleness. It could barely even concentrate on studying its own features before it felt its eyes, any muscles holding him up becoming weary. All physical indications to how Edgar was feeling and what he knew was going on, he needed to feed. Every year winter was harsh onto how Edgar could get access to blood, over the years he grew used to periods of starvation and illness but it was especially cruel this year. It'd been weeks since he much more than a small animal he came across outside the acreage surrounding his home. With it being the dead of mid-winter, it was only around twice a week, much less than he required to stay well fed. While human blood was the most sustaining for Edgar's kind, it could more than tide itself over with substitutes. The fine thread that was its tipping point was being stretched too far at this point in time, Edgar could feel it deep into its bones.
When Edgar moved to stand as a sudden dizzy spell washes over him and he fell back down against the vanity, knocking the mirror back against the wall and displacing a few scattered items across the surface. He grips the edge, keeping it steady so the candlesticks and himself don't fall. It was thankful neither did. After a moment of standing still Edgar deems himself ready to move once more, so he does. He makes it into the kitchen before he must take another break and rest against the counter.
The growing sound of chittering resonated through the halls. Edgar instinctively moved to grab an apple and begin to slice it, eyes fixed on a furry little creature coming into view from the kitchen entrance.
Edgar smiled affectionately, holding out a piece of sliced apple, "Here you are Karl, would you like a piece? I apologize for being late for your feeding time."
He didn't receive much more in response rather than beady eyes blinking back at him and Karl swiping the apple slice to devour it. Edgar picked him up to hold Karl in its arms, continuing the action of grabbing an apple slice every few minutes as he talked on about it's day plans more outloud to himself over the raccoon.
"Oh, Karl, I need food so terribly. Hm, I need to replenish your food as well– oh– and snacks for– ah, now that I think it over, I believe Ranpo was coming today," Edgar rambled on, scatter-brained as he ran his fingers through Karl's fur. "How foolish of me, yes. Karl, he is visiting us bringing some supplies, yes. Ah, and for his own, of course."
Edgar sighs and gives Karl the last remaining slice of apple. Once it sees that Karl seems satisfied, it places the animal down on the counter and goes to wash the knife it used. The man spent a moment staring at the running water, focusing on the sound, getting lost in his thoughts. Edgar caught itself, took a deep breath, and dried the knife off slowly.
He stares at his surroundings. The mess around the kitchen glaring back, Edgar frowned, drumming fingers against the counter. He had truly let too much build up, damn whether he was in pain and suffering, it all was driving him to madness. Nothing more than a few stray plates from feeding Karl along the counters, nearly expired fruit in the ice box. Taking out the trash was a required task too, Edgar noticed. He had time, he could tidy up before Ranpo got here. He came around the same time every time, which Edgar was grateful for, it saved the panic of wondering when he would come and allowing him to plan ahead in accordance. Though, he clearly was not doing that task up to usual abilities as of this point in time.
Edgar had hardly any recollection of how much time passed, the few hours it took a complete blur to him. The first thing he knew he had cleaned up the kitchen and the next he knew he was collapsed on the couch sat next to a curled up Karl, with aching and stabbing limbs, exhaustion resting deep within his joints. He had no ability to even do much strenuous work as of regular, so it was natural that it filled him with disdain with the knowledge that starvation was taking even more of said ability to do basic house chores. Edgar strains focus upon the grandfather chiming, which broke its trance, and studies the time. Late night, mid-morning, more or less. He had barely gotten sleep during the day after all, so a nap would greatly benefit it if it wanted energy to keep up with Ranpo once he arrived.
His eyes drooped, vision blurred, and Edgar leaned against the back of the couch. He had no need to even try to sleep as it overcame him with ease.
Awoken with a start at the sound of the door to the front entrance being slammed harshly, Edgar nearly fell off the couch. He struggled to get up, then stumbles through the halls to find the source of the noise which had migrated towards the kitchen.
Genuine fear was not a familiar emotion for Edgar, he is a feared enemy of most of the surrounding villages after all, he had no foes, the only fear he ever really felt was panic or things along those lines. However, as of now, he felt as if he is about to be met with his second death. Disorientation was messing him up, his vision was blurry, and his mind still catching up from drowsiness.
All of the man's fear dissipated when he was faced was the scene in the kitchen: Ranpo. It was only Ranpo, positioned atop a counter with a snack raid on their lap and cape discarded on the floor. Edgar placed a hand over his non-beating heart, exhaled deeply, and sank against the wall. He heard the click of his knees as he did so.
Ranpo spoke up, mouth full of what the Edgar assumed to be the last of the candy stash he almost always kept for them, "Hey Ed! Are you alright? You look worse than you usually."
Straight to the point. Without any form of malice, Edgar knew, but it still felt like a stab to the heart. It smiled warmly at them, "Thank you for your concern Ranpo, I promise you, I am alright, but my health fails me at the moment. I'm, well, struggling at the moment and well– Ah– sorry for the um, apologies, I'm a bit disoriented as of late, my words are confusing, aren't they?"
Ranpo shook their head, "Nope, I understand you just fine. You still look like shit. Are you sick, hungry? I'm assuming hungry, yeah?"
Edgar nodded, not having much energy or effort to form a full response. He tried to get up, but couldn't. He leaned his weight back onto the wall behind him, trying to take some stress off of his knees.
He let out a quiet, shaky chuckle, "Um– Ranpo? Could you please help me get up? My um– I am having trouble."
Hearing a sound of agreeing, Edgar watches Ranpo hop off the counter and hold out his hand in front of Edgar. He took it, feeling the warm grasp of the other as he was lifted up with ease.
Groaning, Ranpo slid their other arm under Edgar's to help hold it up, "I always forget how cold your hand feels, ugh, it's too cold. Here like this– there, yeah. Yeah, that good?"
Edgar bends against Ranpo, steadied against them. He laughs lightly, "I am afraid that is something I cannot change, my apologies Ranpo. Thank you, really, ah, yes this is fine. Will you take me to the parlor?"
Ranpo didn't bother to clean up the small mess they made in the kitchen just yet, Edgar chose not to comment on it, and the two slowly walked to the parlor. Ranpo eases the other onto the couch then sits beside it.
Ranpo is the first to speak, "Are you okay now, Ed? I don't want to take your blood if you're ill y'know, that won't help the research at all."
Edgar places his fists in his lap, bunching his coat in them. Tired eyes fixed onto the floor, he confesses, "My belief is that I am in deep starvation– I am very aware that I do not get constant nutrients and feedings, but it has been especially hard as of late– I don't– well, you know, Ranpo– it is winter, the nearest town is farther than I can get on my own sometimes, and– and well, not many people come around."
"That's the point, but I understand what you're saying, yeah. No people, few animals, you can't exactly eat regular food and gain proper whatever." Ranpo crosses his legs, moving to face Edgar and lean onto the side of the couch.
"I'm terribly sorry Ranpo I–"
"I really don't care. I'm more worried about your current state than delayed progress in my work."
Edgar gaped up at them, heart swelling, "Is it not a hindrance on your work? Oh, I don't want to be a bother Ranpo, really."
"I don't care ahh–" Ranpo yelled out, "I was looking forward more to spending time with you than getting something out of it anyway, I can come back another time for that."
"Oh Ranpo–"
It was interrupted, "Do you need help at all?"
"Oh um– I cleaned the uh, the house earlier just– did you bring food as per my request?"
"Yep! Always! No need to pay me back either, consider it a token of good health or something, or whatever. You better thank me, you know."
Edgar nods with a small smile, "Yes yes, my sincerest gratitude Ranpo, my dear."
Ranpo grins in return, rocking back and forth in his place on the couch, watching Edgar with a newfound intensity. A silence, permeated with an awkward feeling for Edgar, filled the air for a few minutes. The vampire swallowed a lump in his throat, moving his gaze to Ranpo's lap to avoid eye contact.
Ranpo tips forward to Edgar, eyes opening to stare. He took a moment to formulate what he wanted to say, and sighed.
Their fervid expression softened and their voice was quieter, "I'm being serious just so y'know. I don't want you to starve or anything. Do you need help getting anything?" Edgar could only mutter nothing clear, its body curling in on itself slightly.
Ranpo continued, putting a hand on Edgar's knee, "You're really annoying sometimes, you know, you need to take care of yourself."
Edgar nodded, hands clenching and unclenching as he tried to remain calm at sudden physical touch.
"Idiot. If you need me to help just say so, you help me all the time."
Edgar shook his head yes again, he was aware of that fact. It was something he felt was required of him. He felt Ranpo pat just above his knee, almost up to his thigh, with a feather light touch. It drew in a shaky breath.
"You wanna drink mine?"
Edgar stopped. The air to him felt pounds heavier and his stomach felt as if it were in knots. The fact was not that he was against the idea, no, he would love to drink Ranpo's blood, for Edgar a willing donor was the best thing ever, it was the fact that Edgar was against the many questions swirling through his fatigued mind. He had no ability to focus on one at a time. What if he hurt Ranpo, what if he drank too much, could a witch even die from blood loss.
It stammers before a hand moves up to gently hold Edgar's face with a palm. Ranpo rubs a thumb over Edgar's chin and laughs, "You really are stupid sometimes, God. I'll be fine, you won't."
Edgar moved his head at a downwards angle, looking at Ranpo's hand. Touch always got him riled up. When he felt a finger poking at his lower lip, then a pressure on his fang, his face flushed deep.
"Ranpo–" Its mouth closed by millimeters, increasing the pressure Ranpo felt on the pad of their thumb. Ranpo runs his finger over the vampire's fang, poking and prodding around, trying to tease him. The tilted, shallow laughter falling from Ranpo made Edgar frown. "You truly get on my nerves sometimes, and– ah–." It came out barely a whisper, stopped and muffled when Ranpo ghosted his thumb over Edgar's tongue, daring him to bite.
Nonchalant voice, Ranpo stated, "We both know you don't really mean that, don't we Ed? I mean it, you can drink from me, I don't care, if anything I'm trying to encourage it for you." As he continued on, he cooked his head to the side, laughing.
Edgar mumbled, comptemplating. His breathing quickened and Ranpo could feel it. The thread snapped, sharp teeth sinking down onto the other's hand without hesitation. Ranpo let out a yelp, fingers slipping into Edgar's hair and pulling his head back.
Ranpo held Edgar's head to make eye contact, "Ow– easy there, boy, you're almost like a dog, huh? Desperate to bite. It'll do you better to drink from the jugular, here."
Edgar had no reply, only a whimper falling from his mouth, breathing heavily with his tongue slightly poking out. It had gotten a single drop from the prick he caused on Ranpo's finger. Metaphoric need pumped through his icy veins and Edgar licked his lips, nodding.
"Alright," it rasps out, and Ranpo hums as a reply. With careful ease, Ranpo released his grip on Edgar's hair and moved to grab his hand. Edgar followed every one of their movements, being led onto Ranpo's lap. Body limp against Ranpo's hold, Edgar allowed them to continue the control over his movements. Every time he tried himself to move of free will he felt weighed down by his limbs, and he needed blood. Every fiber of his being was set on that one thing. Desperation dictateed all of his decisions by now, every other sensation he felt besides Ranpo's touch and smell of him, drowned out by the humming buzz of want. Edgar's head was settled into place on Ranpo's shoulder, a hand stroking his hair and nudging him to the vein he so wanted.
The sensation of hearing was failing Edgar and he could just barely make out Ranpo's words, "Go ahead. I'm not giving you all day, alright?"
A head craving back, a hum to which Edgar felt the vibrations but heard nothing, and not a second later he lunged forward, hissing and fangs out to pierce the skin on Ranpo's neck, right above their jugular. Ignorant to the hiss of pain let out by Ranpo, Edgar was quick to latch on and begin to suck at the dribbling blood. He felt a yank at his locks and eased up, locking over the wound to try to subside the pain. The saccharine taste of Ranpo's blood spilled over Edgar's tongue, sugar and iron filling his senses.
Ranpo spoke in a shrill voice, "Easy, easy– I don't like pain, it's annoying, don't make it painful, 'kay?" They looked down at Edgar through their peripherals. "It isn't that bad I guess. It feels weird? Hm, yeah weird." They were aware Edgar was not exactly listening at this point in time.
Time passed as Edgar slowly but surely got his fill, feeling a tap at the base of his neck. It leans back off of Ranpo, blinking as its eyesight starts to focus. Studying their demeanor, regret settled into the pit of Edgar's stomach, Ranpo looked like a wreck. Too pale for Edgar's liking, eyes half open.
Panic set in, "I'm– Oh, Ranpo, dear, I'm so sorry! My apologies! Did I drink too much? Do you need a minute? Do you need a snack? Is your blood sugar low? I know you have high blood sugar regularly, oh what with all those sweets you eat, are you lightheaded perhaps? Quickly, can you breathe alright, are you in need of water–"
A weak hand to his mouth, Edgar was silenced. Ranpo jested with a feeble tone at him, "You're giving me a worse headache than I already was getting. I want to sleep. I want you to make me food later."
Edgar slides off of Ranpo's lap to sit beside them on the couch, fixing to go fetch a snack immediately for them before he realized there were none. What a bother it was, Ranpo ate them already, not that Edgar kept much around after all, only enough for Karl and Ranpo's stash.
Slender fingers interlock with Ranpo's own and they feel a tug on their arm. Taking it as a guide to lay down, the two lay down on the couch, Ranpo on top of Edgar with his head on its chest.
Ranpo took a minute to break the comfortable silence, "Feeling better?"
"A little, yes. By no means will I ."
"Great."
"Hm, yes." Edgar runs his free hand through Ranpo's hair, resting his head against the arm of the couch and closing his eyes fully.
"Hey Ed?"
"Yes, Ranpo dear?"
"You're too cold."
Edgar sighs, lips curling upwards with a smile, "Ranpo, my love, I am truly sorry but to change that fact would be out of my abilities, I can only wear so many layers. Will you warm me up?"
Ranpo curled against him, "Yeah yeah, I'll do my best."
Light rays peak just through the drapes from the rising sun just as the two fall asleep.