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

Chapter 2: Let me care for you🌡

Tony gets sick EVERY family vacation. This time is no different.

"Will he be alright?" Rudolph asks, hovering beside Tony who lays miserable in bed.

"Don't worry, Rudolph," Tony's father puts a reassuring hand on Rudolph's shoulder, "This happens to Tony every vacation. It's kinda become a family betting game. Speaking of-"

As he turns to face Tony's mother with a hand outstretched, Rudolph takes the opportunity to get a little closer to Tony in this sickened state, gliding over the bed and centering himself over Tony's miserable face.

"I'm right here," Tony wheezes, dry and hoarse; his best attempt at a sarcastic remark.

"Yes, I can see that," Rudolph chuckles, a nervous, small sound. "Then maybe you can answer my question?"

Tony nods and gives Rudolph a small smile and a wink before closing his eyes, straining around a swallow that looks painful.

"Yes, vampire, I'll be fine. My throat just feels like it's made of sandpaper and I'll probably have a fever for half the day. I'll be better in a few days." Tony's soft smile is genuine, and Rudolph finds himself smiling back even though Tony can't see it.

Tony's mom comes to the side of the bed and Rudolph glides to the side and out of the way, his hand still on Tony's, desperately checking for continuous signs of life.

"Alrighty then, we'll see you later feel better, sweetie." Tony's mom says before kissing Tony on the forehead and leaving with her husband. They are alone at last.

Tony opens his eyes blearily and sits up, getting up from the bed and coughing so hard that he has to sit down on the edge to recover. Rudolph stays by Tony's side, floating down to the bed and putting his hand on Tony's back, scorching hot against cool skin.

"I'm fine," Tony rasps, barely words, hand clutching at his throat in pain.

"What can I do?" Rudolph asks, helpless in a way he's never felt before.

Tony shakes his head, sparing his voice, and points to his bag in the corner, "iPad."

Rudolph is well versed in Tony's new technology, able to identify each device and turn them on and off. He flys over to the bag and retrieves it, hitting the button to turn it on. When the screen stays black he tries again, brow creasing.

He tries again.

Rudolph looks over to Tony on the bed as he hears soft laughter. Tony is laughing at him , making grabby hands, and smiling with all of his mortal teeth.

"And what, exactly, is so funny?" Rudolph says with folded arms, a small smile playing among the fangs; Tony takes the iPad when Rudolph approaches the bed again.

"You seemed so confused and hurt. Like, why would it be so mean to you?"

Tony holds the proper buttons for an allotted time, Rudolph supposes, and the screen lights up. He'll never understand new technology. As the screen loads, Tony is trying to get up from the bed again, finally on his feet with no coughing, but wobbly.

Rudolph hovers; the left side, then the right, and then behind just in case Tony falls.

Rudolph hovers more; hand on Tony's arm as he walks, on his back when he leans to get things from his bag, and again, on his shoulders as Tony tries to get into bed but ends up coughing at the edge.

Tony finally makes it into bed, looking up, and when he sees Rudolph hovering over him, barely a foot away, Tony startles.

"Rudolph! Jeez, I didn't even see you get there. Ouch-" Tony grabs his throat again and forces a clearing cough that refreshes his voice. "Could you be any more of a helicopter parent? It fits you perfectly because you fly. Heh," he slurs, "Look who's funny?"

Rudolph blinks, confused, and sits on the bed next to Tony, "Are you alright?"

"No, not really." Tony responds honestly. "I'm in so much pain and I'm so hot, this fever is cooking me."

"What would help the fever?" Rudolph worries, Tony's health sounding worse the more awake he becomes.

"Just-" Tony puts his hand out, eyes locking onto Rudolph's, the haze of fever brightening the blue there.

Rudolph takes Tony's hand, as he always will.

Tony gently pulls Rudolph next to him, asking him to kick off his shoes and jacket; he does. By the time Rudolph has finished, Tony is also changed, just in a tee shirt and soft pants. Tony paws at Rudolph again, this time until he's down on the bed next to him. Tony yanks the covers up and grabs the iPad and looks to Rudolph like he has the answer to a question he doesn't even know.

"Lights?" Tony whispers, voice tired and wispy. With a smug grin, Rudolph snaps his fingers and the candles around the room extinguish. Tony's eyes are shocked when Rudolph looks back to him.

"How-is it magic?"

"Of course not, mortal." Rudolph chuckles and looks at the iPad.

Tony is fine accepting that there are just some things he is better off not knowing about.

"So what are we doing aside from sitting awkwardly under the covers?"

"Movie." Tony murmurs as he swipes through pictures of all kinds with titles until he finds the one he wanted.

Rudolph squints at the small text and reads it aloud, "Twilight. Is it a western?" Tony can barely keep a straight face, "It's a, hm, classic?" He hits play before he drops the facade and laughs.

They make it until the sparkles. Rudolph's outrage is music to Tony's ears, laughing hard and dry. Worth it. He sinks further into the bed, handing off the tablet, and then laces his fingers with Rudolph's after he settles the screen in a less precarious position. Rudolph has never felt this warm before, this alive . He pulls Tony closer and relishes in the warmth of the moment, of Tony , everything else eclipsed by the obsession of it.

They make it towards the end of the movie, or so Rudolph can only hope, when he feels Tony slump over into his side, head resting on Rudolph's shoulder, a heavy, comforting weight. He can feel the heat coming from Tony in waves, still running concerningly hot. Rudolph pulls Tony in closer, leeching some of the heat to hopefully give Tony some relief in his sleep.

Rudolph doesn't remember the end of the movie.

Rudolphs knows, as he wakes, the feeling of Tony's body next to his, much cooler than before, and the memory of falling asleep next to him.

He wants to do it every night for the rest of eternity.