Paradigm Shift [On-going]

Keeping up appearances

After a month of living through the newborn phase, two weeks of suppressing, four weeks of intense training and adapting daily to his power, Dean was finally ready to get back to 'normal' and Frederick didn't need to verbalize his thoughts for Dean to know he was proud and just a little smug as he joined Dean for a celebratory meal. Frederick brought with him an assortment of blood sausages, steaks, meat joints, and minced meat. After showing Dean how to store them correctly, he cooked them both a steak and, as Dean watched Frederick cook, the sight of the meat was strangely appealing.

"I contacted Dr. Zen and bought some of those gummies and capsule things you were talking about" Dean mumbled as Frederick flipped the steak over

"I'm glad" Frederick replied. "I know you are a 'vegetarian', but it always helps to have them in case of emergency"

Frederick finished cooking the steaks and placed them on plates to rest. Despite them looking appealing, Dean was reluctant to try them. He had never enjoyed meat cooked any other way than well done when he was human and, as Frederick cut up his own piece of steak, it surprised him it wasn't still moving.

"Trust me Dean" Frederick voiced. "It tastes a lot better than it looks"

Dean took Frederick's word for it and cut into his own steak, giving it a tentative sniff before popping it into his mouth. The meat was tender, flavorful and juicy and the burst of flavour as he chewed into it had a satisfying metallic tinge to it that provided the satisfaction of the animal blood and the fullness of eating.

"Ok" Dean said as he swallowed the piece of meat "I admit. That's pretty good"

Frederick smiled. "Vampires do not need to live solely on a liquid diet. Animal blood can be consumed through meat, as a dip or even as a sauce"

"I never thought of using it like that" Dean admitted

"Tell me Dean" Frederick said as he chewed on his own piece of meat. "How did your personal training with Gy go?. I know you successfully completed the training, but he failed to tell me anything beyond that"

Dean huffed "Well he's definitely a character. The dude seems to be stuck in the past"

Frederick nodded. "He is certainly essentric, but he is very good at what he does"

"Why is he like that?" Dean asked. "Stuck in the past, I mean?"

Frederick thought for a moment. "He has never told me about his life before he became a vampire and I did not want to read his mind, as I sensed it was a difficult subject for him. I know he was transformed some time during the 1980's and that was when he was at his happiest during this time"

"Well, I guess that makes sense" Dean mused. "Stick to whatever makes you happy. Screw what anyone else thinks."

"Now that you are ready to re-enter society, what is the first thing you want to do?" Frederick asked.

Dean didn't even need to think about it, he already knew the answer "I want to see my brothers again"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Remember not to move to quickly, try to act naturally. Don't stand still for long periods of time...

Frederick's words ran through Dean's mind as he waited for Roman and Seth to arrive. He'd arranged to meet up with them next time they were in town, and he tried to remain calm. This was the first time he had been out in public since becoming a 'vegetarian', and he was putting his newly learned techniques to the test as he looked around. The diner wasn't busy but there was an elderly man sat in the corner booth that smelt of mothballs and stale beer and a teenage girl in the center booth that was chewing gum obnoxiously and the sound her false nails made as they came in contact with her phone screen was agitating him.