A Monster Like Me

Scars Tell a Story

He knew that this was coming soon enough, and he didn't fight them as Sigma and Nikolai led him down a hallway and into a bright, sterile room. He sat down on the stone chair without protest, knowing that he was no match for a vampire. He waited for Nikolai to bite down on his neck as he had previously, but instead, he grabbed Dazai's wrist and reached for his bandages. 

"NO! DON'T TOUCH ME!!!" Dazai roared, jumping to his feet and trying to yank his hand free from Nikolai. Pop! His shoulder twisted unnaturally, but the vampire held on with inhuman strength. 

"Careful, Dazai~" Nikolai crooned as he forced the struggling man back down. "Tie him down, Sigma."

"GRAAAHHHH!!! LET GO OF ME!!!!"

"Please don't fight, he's only trying to take off your old bandages!" Sigma pleaded as he tied the ropes with shaking fingers. No, no, no, no! You can't take them off!! You can't see!!! Dazai thought desperately as he struggled against his bonds. 

"What's got ya so worked up, huh?" Nikolai giggled. He popped Dazai's shoulder back into place, then reached out a claw and slid it across the bandages on his arm.

Time seemed to stop as the white cloth, his second skin, fluttered lightly to the ground. Dazai was petrified as his bandages fell away, revealing pale skin barred with thin white lines. He'd never wanted anyone to see this, had kept it hidden for so long, but now- 

"Dazai, what..."

Dazai gave Sigma a glare of such hostility that he gasped and stepped back, his words trailing off into silence.

"Looks like he's been using his arms as a cutting board! Hehe~ no wonder he's so upset!" 

"Don't mock me..." Dazai growled, trying to look fierce even though he was trembling all over. He wanted to run and hide, cover up his scarred arms, that piece of himself he tried so hard to keep secret, but that was impossible. He struggled against his bonds; the feeling of the ropes digging into his wrists was a welcome distraction from the overwhelming vulnerability that came with being seen. 

"I'm sorry, I d-didn't know- Nikolai, can you-?" Sigma stammered, looking up at his companion. Nikolai's gaze softened, and he gave a small nod.

"Dazai..." he intoned, his voice low and laced with magic. "Your heartrate is slowing... your muscles are relaxing... you feel calm... you have no will to resist..."

Nikolai continued to murmur soothing nothings, putting forth his power to try and calm him down. Dazai was helpless, bound hand and foot, but the white haired vampire didn't want his human to be upset. His knees knocked together as he finished the spell, but he quickly straightened himself again, fighting off a momentary dizziness. That hypnotism had taken a lot more out of him than it should have.

"There we go, now he's tame as a lamb," Nikolai said cheerily, giving Sigma a reassuring pat on the head. "He won't protest even if we stick him with a hundred needles!"

"Thank you," Sigma said, his shoulders slumping in relief. "Now, how do I do this again?"

"You've got to puncture the vein, but not push all the way through, like this! Watch me closely," Nikolai picked up a needle from a metal tray and carefully inserted it into his forearm. He demonstrated a couple times as Sigma watched, the boy looking a bit queasy, yet determined to get it right. 

"Are you ready? Want me to do it the first time?" 

"No, I think I'm good..." Sigma said, then slowly took another needle off of the tray. This one was much thicker, and was connected to a synthetic tube. "This might hurt a bit, Dazai, but try to relax."