Whispers of Blood

Chapter 4 - Breaking

He loses track of time somewhere in the way, but Crosshair pulls back eventually, head resting on his shoulder.

"I didn't mean to do this," Crosshair whispers in his mind. "I didn't know it would hurt you so much."

He doesn't know what to say to that. Hunter wraps an arm around Crosshair's shoulders, clinging to him. Holding him. "It's okay," he says, and it's not, but he understands. It was a miscalculation. That's why Hunter's supposed to do those things. Anyone could've made that mistake. He didn't... there was too much he couldn't account for.

"I thought the turn would take longer. It was supposed to."

"It's okay. I just – I –" He doesn't know how to say it. "Crosshair, please, I can't..."

Crosshair pushes back from him, lifting his hand to Hunter's neck, touching him lightly. Tears are hovering in his eyes, and that makes the hurt burning inside him even worse. "I don't want to lose you."

"You won't," Hunter says, holding his gaze. It's not realistic. He could – maybe – he needs to protect all his brothers, but he can't do that when he can hardly...

"You said that before."

They're alone now. Hunter doesn't remember the others leaving, but they're alone. That – makes sense. He has a marginable increased level of clarity now. Not enough to talk, though. "I don't – I'll make it work." Somehow. He can't leave Crosshair. Crosshair is the one who understands what it means to be a vampire in the first place. Hunter doesn't. Like it or not, he needs him.

But he can't – Omega and their brothers need him, too.

"I'll just have to take that?" Crosshair asks. He doesn't look happy, but Hunter has no idea what else to say.

"I'm sorry," he says again, because that's really all he can say.

Crosshair sits back, sighing. "Fine," he grumbles, "But we're not making a habit of this."

Hunter lurches forwards, half tackling him before he finishes talking. Crosshair yelps ungracefully, but he doesn't wait, sinking his fangs into his brother's neck. They're in a sort of tangled pile on the floor, and it's not exactly... comfortable, but he doesn't care right now. How Crosshair manages to sleep on Hunter like this, he has no idea. It is not comfortable.

"I just said yes," Crosshair grumbles, "You don't need to attack me."

Hunter growls wordlessly at him, snuggling closer. His blood tastes like him somehow, and Hunter's missed Crosshair so badly. They all have.

Crosshair lifts his hand, lightly stroking through his hair. It feels weird, but he sort of likes it.

"I missed you," Hunter whispers in his mind. Their bond feels much brighter now, more alive, and it feels... better, even if being this close with Crosshair – or anyone – unnerves him a little.

He huffs. "Me too."

This time, Crosshair doesn't push him off.

Hunter pulls back once he's fairly confident he's capable, anyway, not wanting to push it too far. Crosshair is still, no doubt, angry at him. It's just that the feeding has made him a bit... more himself. Would that really help? Hunter doesn't really know. If it heals – which it has him, because his shoulder doesn't hurt anymore, though he's still tired – then it might heal his mind, too.

He doesn't want to hope too much.

Crosshair flips them over, smirking playfully. There's a flicker of light, of life in his eyes that reminds Hunter so much of when he was young. He looks more tired, though. There's a faint scar on the right side of his head, that Hunter's seeing up close for the first time. It doesn't look pleasant. (And Hunter misses his hair, which is ridiculous, but he does. The gray is part of what marked Crosshair as theirs.)