(The little Vampire) Tony X Rudolph 'Slice Of Life'

Chapter 1: Snapshot

COMPLETED 9/2022, original story on Archive Fiction work⭐️

Vampires and modern tech don't mix. Or do they?

Snapshot

"Is that right?" Rudolph says, floating up from his perch on the roof, hovering.

The party has settled and both the Sackville-Bagg and Thompson families settle in the castle for much-needed rest. Tony and Rudolph remain on the roof, unwilling to accept the sun rising in under an hour where the magic of the night will end. But, for now, Tony decides that just laughing and talking would have to be the perfect ending to an amazing night; so he keeps laughing.

"Dude, you don't even know! There are so many amazing things in modern America! We have things called cell phones that can deliver messages across the entire world in a second!"

"Tony," Rudolph chides, folding his arms and flipping upside down next to Tony, "I do know what a telephone is."

Tony jumps to a standing position and starts climbing up the roof to the open window.

"I'll show you what I mean, follow me!" Tony motions Rudolph to the window, jumping in and going to the room, diving right into Tony's duffle bag.

"Where is the stupid thing?" Tony murmurs. Rudolph, suddenly, appearing by his side seemingly out of nowhere. It's not Tony's fault that he jumps.

"Scared, mortal?" Rudolph teases, circling Tony once before perching on the coffin that's beside the bed.

"Dude, you so need a bell." Tony laughs and finally finds his cellphone and pulls it out.

"Prepare to have your mind blown," Tony says as he places the phone in Rudolph's hand, "It's called an 'iPhone 8' and yes, that's the whole thing."

Rudolph turns it around in his hands a few times, shakes it once for good measure, and then goes to drop it casually on the floor with a sly grin.

"No! No-no-nonononono!"

Instinct drives Tony to move, constantly dropping and catching his phone a way of life, and has his hands on Rudolph's before the vampire can fully let go of it. Rudolph splutters, pulling back and accidentally falling backward off the coffin, Tony following close behind as the phone goes airborne. Tony watches in dissociative horror as it sails across the room in slow motion...and lands on the bed, only a foot away, safely.

After the dust settles, literally and metaphorically, Tony takes in his surroundings. Half on the floor, half on the coffin, face pressing cheek-first into the floor next to Rudolph's shoulder who is gracefully floating an inch off the ground. Doing nothing to help Tony's mashed face. So unfair.

"A wittle welp pwease."

"Why? I'm perfectly comfortable as I am." Rudolph's voice is teasing, arms folded primly as he lifts a dark eyebrow, teeth glinting in the candlelight. "But I suppose I do need you to show me the full capability of your telephone device."

With that, Rudolph grips Tony's shoulders and floats them both back up and over the coffin to standing. Tony flails halfway, arms gripping Rudolph's jacket tight before finally regaining balance enough to stand on his own.

"Thanks." Tony rubs the back of his neck and smiles, Rudolph returning it with sharp teeth.

"Now show me your phone, mortal."

Tony retrieves it and they sit on the bed and explore. Tony reveals the secrets of texting and emojis, of social media and google, and finally of video calls. Sam, the friend he randomly selects as tribute, unfortunately picks up, bleary eyed and cranky. Tony can't really blame them.

" Yo, Tony! It's like, 4 am, what gives?"

"Oh, um. Hi, Sam. Sorry to bother you, I didn't actually think you'd pick up. I'm showing my friend how a phone works. He's European." Tony hears Rudolph snicker in the background and hushes him. Sam squints into the phone screen, eyes unadjusted to the sudden light, the room pitch dark behind her.

" That doesn't explain why he's dressed up like it's Halloween, Tony."

Tony freezes, looking at his own picture in the small box, a small, black dot, Rudolph , is in the corner waving and making faces...like he doesn't know he can be seen. Tony almost drops the phone in surprise.

"S-sorry again, Sam. Gotta go. I'll talk to you soon, goodnight!" He hangs up before she can respond, only a faint grumble and curse before the screen is black. Tony approaches Rudolph with curiosity.

"Did you know that you can see yourself on camera?" Rudolph blinks, disbelieving and then curious.

"No, we can't see ourselves in photos, so why would film be any different."

Tony runs over to Rudolph and sits down on the bed next to him, turning on his camera's phone and holding it up to take a selfie.

"Say cheese!"

"What does cheese have to do with the phone?"

Tony sighs and snaps the picture. When he recalls the photo he sees the side of Rudolph's face next to his own, looking at him in the moment the photo was taken. Tony almost throws his own phone.

"Let me see, let me see!" Rudolph snatches the phone from Tony's hand and flies up to the ceiling, pausing to look as he walks on it like a normal person would on the floor. He freezes and slowly starts to sink to the floor, a hand coming up to touch his face.

"I've never-" He moves the phone around like he can somehow get a better angle and looks at the picture one more time before handing it to Tony, "I've never seen my reflection before...is that really what I look like?"

"Heck yeah, man. You're so cool!" Tony hopes a pep-talk will lift Rudolph's spirits, "Your teeth are sick, you have like, perfect spikes in your hair, and don't get me started on the eyes. Totally awesome."

Rudolph places a hand on his chest in pride, his worry fading and being replaced with snark as he jumps up to sit on the top of the bed, feet hanging off the edge. A mirror of another time.

"Tell me something I don't know, mortal ."

"Oh ha ha. See if I give you a pep talk again." Tony walks over to the side of the bed and motions for Rudolph to join him. Rudolph does, hanging upside down from the bed, his head next to Tony's, their cheeks brushing when Tony shifts to align the camera.

"Smile," Tony said this time, and Rudolph does, a big, open smile that Tony can't help but match. He takes the photo and immediately sets it as his background.

They spend the remaining time before the sun rises taking photos, examining Rudolph's teeth, and seeing if Rudolph can be recorded on video. Yes, he can, Tony has the proof.