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

Chapter 4: Christmas Vials 🦇

Their first Christmas? Weirder than expected.

"Merry Christmas, vampire! Did you get my package?"

Tony is practically vibrating at the foot of his bed; he'd been waiting for this phone call the whole week, excited to see how Rudolph's first 'actual' Christmas is going. They did all of the lists and pep talks over the phone or on video call; it's going to be amazing. Okay- Tony knows it's not going to be much, but he hopes his gift will be enough to get them through their first holiday.

" Tony? Can you hear me?"

Tony sighs and rolls his eyes with a fond smile.

"Yeah, Rudolph, I can hear you. As usual."

" Sarcasm works much better in person, Tony. Especially when I can't see your facial expression. And, yes, I did get your package. And, no, I did not open it as you requested."

Laughter rings between their phones until, finally, they grow quiet; only the sound of wrapping paper being fiddled with on the other end of the line.

"Are you ready to open it?" Tony's voice is soft when he speaks, "I can put on some music for the 'best holiday of the year' to make it more authentic?" Tony taps his iPad to play some classic carols.

" That's what you mortals call music? I'll never understand your world, Tony. Alright, I'm opening it now, should I be worried? It's not something I have to hide from my parents, is it?"

"I guess that depends on what you can and can't show your parents. Just open it and you'll see...put the phone on speaker so you can use both hands, remember when I showed you that on the cliff and you almost dropped me?"

Tony chuckles at the grumbling and snarky noises drifting from the other line among the sound of ripping paper and the occasional comment from Rudolph such as, 'why are there so many layers' or, 'why is the contents of this present so cold?' Then the line goes entirely silent. Tony starts to panic.

"I-I wasn't sure if this would be weird or something, I talked to Gregory about it and he said it was a great idea. I-if. You don't need to-"

" Tony, Tony, please. Stop talking for a moment."

It feels like the longest ten seconds of Tony's whopping 14-year-old life.

" I wasn't saying anything because I didn't know what to say. When you said a gift, a present, I thought you had perhaps written a letter or were giving me an odd human trinket. But this is so much more than that. I don't know how to say thank you."

"Keep looking in the box," Tony sighs into the phone, "There's more. It will make more sense...I hope"

Tony knows exactly what is in the box and where each thing has been meticulously placed; he can imagine Rudolph's expression when seeing some of the gifts, smiling at a black hoodie and sweats, clutching at the book of stories and poems that Tony wrote; but he can't imagine what he looks like when seeing the small, blood-filled vial attached to a chain.

"Gregory said you would be able to, um, smell the blood through the glass. And I thought-since I can't be there, at least part of me can be...I'm sorry this just got really weird. It sounded so much better in my head." Tony knows he's rambling through nerves, but he can't stop until Rudolph cuts him off.

" It's almost like you're here, Tony. I can smell it. It's the most thoughtful gift I've ever been given. Thank you."

"Are you alright? You sound like you're hyperventilating."

"I'm fine, fine. Just really relieved that you like it. Merry Christmas, I miss you. More than you know."

"I miss you too, darling, my heart bleeds for you. I wish I could see your face."

Tony's face flushes hotly at the term of endearment; even though the words are embarrassing, it still feels right somehow. Rudolph is so different from him, but Tony finds that he likes that. Likes him. They feel right together.

" Tony?"

"Sorry, sorry. I'm here, just thinking." Tony tapers off before speaking again, "You should try on the hoodie and pants! I know it's different from your normal vampire getup, but trust me, you'll be a million times more comfortable when you sleep."

" Alright, mortal. Hold on a moment."

"By the dark star, these are miraculous!"

Best. Christmas. Ever.