Fireflies in Moonlight [boyxboy]

Chapter IX

~Thursday 16th April 1962~           -Rammone-

There were five bedrooms in Rammone's home. Two masters that he and Katalina took for themselves and three guest rooms. In reality, it was pointless for Rammone to have a bedroom for himself given that he didn't sleep but it was nice to have somewhere to disappear to. Somewhere private even in his own house, somewhere Katalina knew to avoid when he was in his worse moods. Katalina used her bedroom mostly for... Recreational practices. Rammone kept his distance, although he couldn't do much to prevent hearing everything.

Their bedrooms were furthest apart from one another; Katalina's south facing and Rammone's to the north. At night, with the curtains drawn, Rammone could look out across the garden, watch the staff bustle around the palace not so far away. Sometimes the sight was comforting, other times Rammone kept himself in the dark, lighting his room by flame and lantern, avoiding the moon gazing down upon him. That night, however, Rammone wasn't in his own room.

The three guest rooms were rarely used, pointless in their entirety really. In the past, before the conflict had grown so bitter between his kind and the wolves, Rammone had acquaintances that might stay for a night or two. His father used to say he liked taking in strays, Rammone wasn't so sure Conall was right anymore. Or perhaps he was. Perhaps, now, Conall was more right than ever. Rammone dispelled the thought as he often did, refusing to let the memories of his father sour his evening.

A soft whimper had Rammone's eyes opening, lost in inky locks and the warmth of human flesh. An had stopped struggling, movements growing weak now as his consciousness slipped away. Rammone didn't stop. Even as he felt the human's hand slip away from his own, his skin forming back around the red crescents that An's nails had left across his flesh, Rammone didn't stop. An's heart was slowing, the dull throb of every beat a symphony in Rammone's ears. He listened closely, waiting until just the right moment, until the precipice of that crescendo.

Finally, with the sudden pressure of An's head slumping forward against Rammone's temple, the vampire stopped. Lifting his lips from An's neck, Rammone supported the human's head, resting him back on the sheets behind. Pale, with a thin sheen of sweat, An's brow furrowed. His other hand held onto Rammone's wrist, discomfort contorting his expression, longing settled into his features. Rammone didn't allow his gaze to linger, nor his thoughts to bloom. He set to work instead, collecting fresh bandages laid out neatly beside him.

Rammone used only one hand, thankful that it was his left, more dominant to his right. Pushing aside An's hair, Rammone pressed a warm towel to the wound, counting down the seconds like Katalina had taught him to. Humans healed so slowly, their blood clotting in minutes and hours rather than mere seconds. It was tiresome. Or it had been. In the dungeons, Rammone had found treating An's wounds to be a chore, often wishing he could hand off the man to another to care for in the aftermath of his feeding.

And, yet, now, sitting there with him, Rammone felt at ease. There was no ire, no irritation; nothing. Rammone was content to take the time, happy to sit beside An and ensure no infection set into the broken flesh. Perhaps he should have worried. Perhaps he should have been afraid. Rammone wasn't. Katalina appeared so gleeful recently, her subtle smiles and soft words about the human Rammone was keeping only fuelled the vampire's new desires.

Then again, Katalina spoke of love. She teased Rammone relentlessly, talking about blood bindings and weddings and a unity between worlds. She was joyful herself, pleased with a recent lover with whom she had spent more than one night. For the first time since the death of his father, Rammone felt as though he might be happy himself. Perhaps it was too strong a word, and most definitely had Rammone kept the thought to himself, but something had changed. And, ashamedly, An was the cause.