Chapter Text
Avid convinced himself to go back to town six times as he stumbled through the underbrush, tripping over rotten logs and smacking his face into needled branches. But each time he turned to go back (because being alone in these woods was stupid) he saw Sausage avert his eyes, Martyn shrug with an apologetic wince, and Drift stare at him silently. Pearl’s pitying grimace and Cleo’s cold glare. Heat burned through his chest, stung his eyes and he ran further into the woods. No one in town wanted him there. Vampires were real and in Oakhurst, but no—Avid was the dangerous one. Forget vampires, the beacons should have been enough proof that something supernatural was involved!
After everything he’d done to help those people! He only crafted his own armor after giving away his silver to anyone who needed it several times over. He’d pushed everyone into building safe homes. He handed out garlic to anyone who didn't have it. He was the only one taking this seriously!
Avid scowled as he thought of Shelby throwing him under the carriage for the jail cell. If Scott (Avid) lost control, what did she think was going to happen? Her dad was killed by werewolves! Out of everyone, she should have understood.
Owen (and his suspicious as hell sob story) made Avid sound cruel. It wasn't like the tests were invasive or harmful! Not to people anyway.
Avid’s breathing was ragged and his vision grayed at the edges. Despite the fire in his chest, his fingers felt cold. Why was it always so cold? In the corner of his eye, Avid spotted a sheep idly grazing. His stomach lurched and he grabbed the nearest tree trunk, pressing his forehead against its bark, eyes squeezed shut as he swallowed down raging hunger.
“I’m human. I’m still human. I still have time.” Avid whispered over the throbbing in his neck.
Pitifully he wished he was back at Merp Manor, safe in a warm bed. Or figuring out how to brew something alcoholic. Sausage had been onto something with that.
No. This was just another reason why he shouldn't go back to Oakhurst. It was safer this way. He was used to being on his own (liar).
He screamed with frustration, punched the tree, then immediately yiped in pain as he scraped his knuckles. Stupid. This wasn’t how this was meant to go. He was supposed to find whatever vampire turned Elle into a monster, then he was supposed to kill it or (and) die trying.
Avid breathed heavily through his nose. He needed to calm down. Unless he wanted to just lay down and starve to death, he needed to make some kind of shelter. He focused on that. He wasn’t going back to Oakhurst. He wanted to be as far from the vampire tomb as possible. Preferably by a beacon that he could turn or one of the book crypts. Someplace he could start restocking his alchemy supplies.
West of the lake beacon, he finally decided. Anything central was too close to everyone else. The pale oak forest wasn’t an option. The south was too open. People went fishing at the east river.
Now armed with a goal, Avid pulled his axe from his inventory and cut down the tree.
Once he had a pile of logs, Avid set off. He also dug up some seeds, deciding to lure any chickens he came across later. Shelter first. Creepers were hissing in the shadows cast by the red moon through towering trees. It was midnight and he was back at square one.
The house he ended up constructing was much smaller than Merp Manor. Single story. One room. No windows. It was fine. No bed yet, so he laid on the wooden floor and listened to the zombies outside groan. After a couple hours of that, it was morning, so he got up and went back to work. He tore up his floor and broke down the stone beneath the dirt. Furnace. Torches. A table and chair for experiments. Trapdoor for his mine entrance. A silver block for his door. He killed a couple sheep and crafted a bed. His soul shuddered as another beacon lost its holy light. He ate the last of his garlic.
The following night, bleary-eyed, Avid was cutting down another tree near the lake. His stomach felt like it was trying to digest itself, so he was going to have to go hunting soon. He’d planted more garlic and wheat in a patch around the shack, but it would be a while before it was ready.
“Avid!”
Avid nearly chopped his foot off, his axe slipping from his hands and thudding to the ground. He pushed his bangs back as he wheezed, “Shelby! You can’t sneak up on me like that! Geeze!”
Shelby stormed up to him and jabbed a finger into his chest. “Where have you been!? Drift has been losing her mind!”
“Really?” Avid crouched and fumbled around for the axe’s handle, head cloudy. “Uh, sorry. I just… couldn’t go back to town. Didn’t feel welcome anymore.”
Shelby’s angry frown softened and she folded her arms around herself. “Oh. Yeah, I get that.” Then she glared harder. “Now you know how it feels!”
Avid looked up and squinted. “What does that mean?”
“The way you treated Scott! He’s moved out too, y’know. And making me do those tests.” Shelby’s voice trembled and Avid stopped to really look at her. Her hair was windswept and she smelled faintly of smoke. Something was wrong. Why was she out here in the dead of night anyway?
“Well, I apologized to Scott. Even though he is a vampire.” Avid said, too tired to muster any heat to his voice, “And… I didn’t realize I upset you so much with the awareness center. I’m sorry. I was trying to keep everyone safe. But I’m gone now, so you won’t have to worry about that anymore.”
A wet sniff made Avid’s eyes go wide. “Shelby?! What’s wrong?”
Shelby pushed her glasses up to rub at her face. “Nothing. I’m fine. It's just been a really awful night. When I saw you I came over to yell at you, but you’re not even who I’m mad at, so it's not working.”
“Who are you mad at?” Avid put a hesitant hand onto her shoulder, leaning his axe against the tree stump.
“Martyn.” She spat, hands balled into fists.
“Martyn?” Avid wracked his sleep-deprived brain for what on earth could have happened since he left to make Shelby so upset. “What did he do?”
Shelby opened her mouth, then closed it. She blinked at Avid like she was just noticing him, eyes sliding to his hand still comforting her shoulder. “Um. He… he almost burned down my house. Yeah, that’s it. I put it out, so it's fine, but he came out of nowhere swinging his lantern and someone could have gotten hurt!”
Avid rallied in agreement. “No kidding! I’m so sorry, Shelby.”
“So,” She fussed with her glasses some more. “Where are you living if you’re not going back?”
Avid was suddenly embarrassed by both his sad hovel and rumpled state. When Renhardt left Oakhurst, he built up a cozy cabin. Avid had a survival shed. He pulled his hand back from their shoulder to wave vaguely west. “Uh, that way a bit. But it's not done!” He made an aborted gesture at the tree stump. “Hence. Wood.”
Shelby squinted, trying and failing to spot his shack through the trees, then looked back at him with a concerned expression. Avid began to regret his breakneck pace the previous day. He hadn’t slept or bathed and he knew it showed. Self-consciously he tugged at his bandage.
“I’m fine. Really. This is better for everyone.” He said. “You guys don’t have to deal with the crazy guy anymore.”
“I don’t think you’re crazy.” Shelby looked offended on his behalf for a moment, then bit their lip. “I just think you should consider, maybe, vampires aren’t all that bad.”
“In my experience, they’re pretty bad.” Avid laughed bitterly and gathered up his logs. “Listen, if we see each other around, great. But it's late. And I’ve got work to do.”
“Oh.” Shelby stepped back, hurt in their voice. “Okay.”
Avid tripped over a rock, caught himself, then offered more softly, “Drift will let you sleep in my old bed if your house is all smoky. Martyn should be more careful.”
“Yeah... You too.” Shelby gave a little wave goodbye as Avid shambled off.