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"I didn't know where else to go. Pete's gonna be so pissed."
"Well, I guess coming here makes the most sense."
Awsten tried opening his heavy eyes, but he felt all kinds of sick. His head hurt, his mouth hurt, and he felt absolutely freezing. He made a vague groan to express to the others in the area he was conscious, and their conversation immediately stopped for a second.
"Are you gonna tell him?"
"I guess it's my responsibility."
Awsten finally managed to open his eyes, and honestly he wished he hadn't. His head seemed to pound even harder. He didn't dare to try sitting up at fear of actually getting sick.
"Uh, mornin, buddy."
Awsten turned his head to see Mikey sitting on the opposite end of the backseat of their touring van, looking a bit unsure and nervous about something. "Mmm?" He blinked the weariness from his eyes, trying to assess the situation. Why was Mikey Way chilling in their van with them? He glanced to the side and saw Otto leaning over to face him from the seats that were in front of him, and he closed his eyes again.
"What's going on?"
"Nothing--"
"Oh come on." Awsten cut off Otto as he opened his eyes again. "Something's up." As he spoke, his mouth seemed to ache more.
What had happened to him?
As neither spoke up, Awsten finally found the strength to sit upright, despite his panging head. He did his best to recall what happened before he passed out.
They had a day off between Warped dates. They were supposed to be playing LA tomorrow, and the band decided to pay their good friend Mikey a visit. At least, he had helped with bass on Cluster, so Awsten considered him a good friend anyway.
Awsten was going to meet up with Otto and Geoff after meeting up with Mikey, and they were all gonna grab some lunch together at some local diner that Mikey had recommended over their texts. Awsten remembered knocking on his door, and then… nothing.
And now he was waking up in his van with Otto and Mikey staring at him.
Where was Geoff?
"This is your fault, you tell him." Otto prompted Mikey, who frowned in response.
"I know, I know. I just… don't know." Mikey laughed dryly as he ran a hand through his hair, looking at Awsten. "This just hasn't happened to me before."
"Just tell me what's up." Awsten returned the frown to Mikey. "Stop talking like I'm not fuckin' here. What happened?"
"Alright, fine." Mikey sighed and shook his head. "So, you're familiar with the supernatural, right?"
"Duh." Awsten responded, moving a hand to Otto, which just phased through him. "Otto's dead. Hard to keep that a secret from bandmates." He laughed.
"I really don't like it when you do that, it feels weird." Otto shuddered as Awsten pulled his hand back. "Like, give a guy some warning."
"What, you don't like me in you?" Awsten teased.
Otto rolled his eyes and slunk back down in his seat a bit so Awsten wouldn't get the idea to do it again.
"And Geoff's hot enough that we have to blast the AC in here all hours of the day just so we don't melt." Awsten continued.
Yeah, it was definitely weird to find out his bandmates weren't human those years ago. Otto as a ghost, that was a bit easier for Awsten to accept. He'd always known there were ghosts out there. It was only a matter of time before he officially made contact with one. Accepting Geoff was a bit harder. When his guitarist had told him he was a fire fairy, Awsten's first reaction was to laugh and call bullshit. But, seeing his wings, and getting singed way more than once by his conjured fire? Yeah, he had to learn to accept that too.
It was definitely weird, but Awsten had grown used to their magical antics, even moreso now that they were on their first Warped together.
"But what does that have to do with anything?" Awsten asked, shaking back to the present conversation. A shiver ran down his back again and he went to grab for a blanket, wondering if the aforementioned AC was blasting now.
"Okay. Well, you know there's more than just ghosts and fairies out there, yeah?" Mikey asked, fidgeting with his hands.
"I guess that makes sense." Awsten nods. He hadn't thought about it much, but it doesn't seem like something that would be all too farfetched. "Why? Are you one?" He laughs.
"Yeah, actually." Mikey smiles sheepishly at the other. "You'll come to find it's oddly very common in our community."
"So, why come clean n-- shit!" Awsten groaned, putting a hand up to his lip that he'd accidentally bit while talking.
Talking had felt weird since he'd woken back up. He could almost hear a slight lisp when he was talking, as if there was something in his mouth. He opened his mouth to rub at his wound, shivering again as he felt wetness there. "Ugh. Ew." Awsten pulled his hand away and took a look, confirming there was definitely blood on his fingers from the bite.
Gross. He couldn't stand the sight of it. Awsten pulled his hand away again, and saw Mikey staring at his hand. "...what?"
Mikey shook his head and exhaled, glancing at Otto before looking back to Awsten.
"Guess you didn't fully drain him." Otto laughed a bit, reaching to grab a napkin to hand to Awsten to clean up.
" Drain him ?" Awsten's head shot in Otto's direction. "Why the fuck can't you guys be direct with me? What. Is. Happening?"
"I'm a vampire. And now you are too."
Awsten's gaze shifted over to Mikey as those words floated around in his mind. A vampire ? Yeah, honestly, if it was anyone else but Mikey Fuckin' Way who admitted to that, Awsten wouldn't take it seriously. But the dude was nearly a walking stereotype of one. It wasn't that that gave him pause.
"I'm--"
"Listen, okay." Mikey reached out to Awsten's shoulder to make sure he didn't run off. "You dropped by at, uh, a bad time." He said, squeezing his shoulder. "You came, like, half an hour earlier than I thought you were gonna. I was going to go out and feed before we met up for lunch, but--"
"What the fuck Mikey?" Awsten cut him off, shaking his hand off his shoulder. He took out his phone and turned the camera selfie mode to see himself.
He looked like himself. At least, as far as he could tell. He saw the wound on his lip still bleeding, and he almost turned his phone off there, not wanting to see it. But, Awsten kept looking, reaching over to lift his upper lip up.
And there sat a sharp set of fangs, nearly digging into his bottom lip and threatening to puncture it again.
At that sight, he quickly closed his mouth and dropped his phone onto his lap, looking wide-eyed at Mikey. " What the fuck, Mikey? "
"I-" Mikey sighed and ran a hand through his hair again nervously. "I was thirsty, I knew that Otto and Geoff weren't human, so I… I guess I kinda assumed you weren't either and just, mm, went to town?" Mikey shook his head. "I- either way, I fucked up."
"Yeah, no shit." Awsten grabbed another napkin from Otto, holding it up to his lip again so he wouldn't have to see the blood. "And, what, this isn't reversible or something?"
"If it was, I would've reversed it ten years ago, Awsten." Mikey mentioned with a frown. "Any of us would."
"So there's more ?" Awsten's head was reeling again. The news, along with seeing his own blood like he had, was making him want to go back to laying down, blissfully unaware.
His blood…
"Fuck. Mikey. Do I have to, uh, feed ?"
"Y-yeah." Mikey nodded. "Probably sooner than later. Especially just being turned, the first week is hell."
"I'm gonna fuckin' vomit."
"I'm-I'll help you out." Mikey says, moving a hand back to Awsten's shoulder to settle him. "When I was turned, I kind of abandoned my Sire for months because of what happened between us. Hell, I was just lucky Gerard was able to help me out as he had."
"You've got me and Geoff too." Otto piped up. "We're all gonna take this in stride together."
"God." Awsten finally gave in to lay back down again. "This is bullshit."
"I know I can't apologize enough, Awsten." Mikey responds with, frowning at the fledgling vampire.
"No, you really can't." Awsten agreed, closing his eyes.
A vampire. The idea was weird. When he thought about it, he didn't need to breathe. He felt no instinct to keep doing so, other than the fact he'd been doing it his whole life prior. Life? Is he even alive anymore? He's no ghost like Otto, obviously, but vampires are supposed to be, like, the walking dead or whatever. Or was that zombies? Are zombies real too?
Fuck .
Awsten shivered again and frowned. At least the chill had an explanation now. Even if Mikey didn't fully drain him, as they'd so delicately put it, the lack of blood running through his body?
Yeah.
Also.
Ew again at that thought.
How the fuck is he supposed to survive as a vampire if their whole thing is living off of blood? Awsten felt queasy every time he saw some, hell even thinking of it was making his head ache again. And the fact he's supposed to willingly stomach the stuff? Like, and enjoy it?
"Awsten, hey." He felt Mikey shake his leg gently. "I know this is a lot. And I definitely understand wanting to just space out about it, but…" Mikey trailed off.
"You need to drink something." Otto finished for him.
"Then get me some fuckin' OJ." Awsten frowned, opening his eyes and staring down the ghost.
"You know that's not what I mean." Otto sighed.
"Here." Mikey reached over and helped prop him upright again. "I'm the one who took your blood in the first place, so just drink the blood back from me--"
"St-stop saying that word." Awsten said. "I mean it when I say I'm gonna vomit about it."
Otto and Mikey exchanged looks before Mikey spoke again. "Fruit punch?" He offered instead, with a small smile.
Awsten couldn't help but laugh a bit at that.
"Just, y'know, close your eyes and imagine you're sucking down some Kool-aid or something." Mikey said, offering an arm out towards the younger.
"Mm." Awsten still had his reservations, but as Mikey moved his arm closer, he couldn't deny that really good smell that came with it. "Don't you need that for you though?"
Mikey shrugged. "I can always drink from someone else--"
"No way, dude. You ain't turning anyone else." Awsten furrowed his brow at him. His gaze shifted over to his friend, slightly floating off the seat in front of them. "Do ghosts have… juice ?" He found himself asking.
Otto is already dead. And it would mean that Mikey could just keep what he had and be fine, or whatever. And Awsten wouldn't have to worry about turning Otto into a ghost vampire. Would he? Are those things? He doesn't know whether to be amazed or scared at the thought of one.
The undead dead?
"I mean, I've bled in front of you before." Otto recalls. "Splintered drumsticks and shit like that."
"Well, I mean…" Mikey cut in. "Usually it's supposed to be, like, a vamp tradition for a new one to feed first from the one who turned them, but I guess we're all pretty untraditional." He laughs a bit.
"Yeah, fuck them rules." Awsten laughed slightly as well before shifting his gaze back to Otto. "Is that, er, okay?"
Otto sighed loudly and shrugged. "I guess it has to be." He says. "I don't know how good I'll taste though."
"I'm less worried about the taste and more worried, like, about hurting you, dude." Awsten admits.
"What, like you could kill me?" Otto laughed. "I'd like to see you try, sucker ."
Awsten rolled his eyes. "Listen, if I have to deal with these shitty ass puns from you now…"
Mikey laughed a bit too before stretching his arms out. "I'll give you two some space." He says, reaching to open up the van. "I gotta make sure Geoff is getting the right stuff, anyway."
"What is he even doing?" Awsten asked.
"Pete showed me this thing he used to make when he was a new vamp that is like, uh, I guess tofu for vamps. It mimics the stuff that bl-- fruit punch-- gives to us. It tastes like shit, but it's probably best for you especially."
"Well can't I wait for him to come back then?" Awsten asks. If it means he doesn't have to actually drink the real stuff, he'll jump on that.
And he definitely pockets away in his mind that Pete Wentz is totally a vampire too.
Mikey shook his head though. "It takes time to get it right. You'd need to drink something before it's properly made."
Awsten sighed loudly. "Okay, Dad ."
Mikey smirked and reached over to ruffle up Awsten's hair. "Yeah. Give him hell, son ." He joked before stepping out of the van to give the two some privacy.
Otto phased through the seat separating them and took the spot where Mikey was previously sitting.
"How do I, er…"
"Just bite, I guess." Otto says. "You've seen spooky horror movies with vamps. Like that. I think."
Awsten stared at Otto, gaze shifting over to his neck.
Well, that's the classic go-to, isn't it?
"I'm sure you've got some instincts that come with this whole cha--!" Otto cut himself off as Awsten nearly instantly moved closer to him, putting his face right up into the crook of his neck. "Ch-change…" He managed to finish.
Awsten took a deep inhale.
It didn't smell the same kind of enticing as what Mikey had presented to him. If what Mikey had was, like, a fresh hamburger, what Otto had smelled more like one that had been sitting out for a few hours.
Not bad , by any means. But not the most appetizing.
Appetizing?
Awsten almost gagged at remembering what was going on, but he shoved it down. Unfortunately, this would have to be his life now.
Er, unlife.
He still had to figure that whole thing out.
Awsten was snapped back to reality as he felt Otto petting his hair. "I'm- you won't hurt me. Just go for it."
Right. He just had to not think about it. Just… go and bite. Bite down. Munch. Fangs into skin. Bite. Open his mouth and bite into his best friend. And drink his best friend's blood like it was a juice box.
"I don't think I-"
"Yeah, don't think. Do it." Otto cut in, pushing his hand against the back of Awsten's head to keep him there.
That was as much invitation as Awsten needed to give into those instincts that Otto mentioned, biting down hard into the ghost.
The taste was… not unpleasant. After the taste hit, Awsten realized how much relief he felt, sinking his fangs into something. Some one. He didn't realize how badly he needed to bite down and his headache was even starting to go away.
He closed his eyes tight and gripped onto Otto's shoulders as he drank in his blood.
Awsten felt the chill start to subside the longer he drank from him, which made it so much harder to feel the need to break away from him any longer.
He heard Otto groan vaguely, and while his initial reaction would be to stop and make sure his friend was alright, Awsten's instincts that he gave into wouldn't let him.
The more he drank, the less in pain he felt. The better he felt. Warmer, stronger.
Hell, this stuff could even put HEB OJ to shame. And Awsten wouldn't dare say that lightly.
He felt himself move more against Otto, going as far to shift onto his lap so they were in a more comfortable position. For him, anyway.
It was a few minutes later when suddenly he felt the flesh below him vanish and his fangs clasp shut on each other, his body now resting against the seat instead of against Otto.
Awsten opened his eyes again to see that Otto had lost his form and he was now sitting inside him, the ghostly chill overwhelming his once again warm body. He shifted back to where he was sitting before to get out of him.
"Otto?" He asked, unabashedly licking at his lips for more of the taste.
"I-I'm okay. I'm good. Just, uh. Can't hold my form right now." Otto admitted, not moving from the spot he had been in.
"Shit, sorry." Awsten frowned.
Otto shook his head. "I'm good." He reiterates, taking a deep and unnecessary breath. "Gimme a minute."
As Awsten waited, he shifted uncomfortably. He really did that. He drank straight from his friend like that. He didn't seem to see Otto's mouth bulging with fangs, so at least he can rule out ghost vampires.
His mind couldn't get the taste out, though. Half of him wanted more, while the other half wanted nothing to do with this situation.
How was something so disgusting so… good ?
Awsten wiped at his mouth to make sure to get all the last bits, and he gazed at his hand, seeing the smudge of blood that had been wiped away.
This was Otto's.
Or would it be his, now that it was in him?
Oh God, did he really just do that? He drank blood? Otto's blood? And this is something that he's going to have to learn how to continue to do?
This won't be the last time he's going to have to smell blood.
Taste blood.
Feel blood.
As Otto's form started to get solid again, he felt Awsten's head smack down against his lap as the new vampire passed the fuck out.
Better than him getting sick, Otto supposed.
<+><+><+>
Awsten's eyes fluttered open at feeling fingers in his hair.
What a shitty dream that was. Maybe that should be a cue to stop watching those horror movies before bed again. If these are the kind of dreams he has? Even if it was an excuse to be close to Otto, he didn't want to be so close that he literally had his blood in him.
"He's handling it well, it seems."
Awsten's vision focused as he saw Geoff laughing, holding a thermos of something.
Maybe it was soup.
He hoped it was soup.
A good chicken noodle would be so nice right now.
"Yeah, I'm okay too, thanks for asking." Otto responded, still stroking the other's hair.
"Of course you're okay." Geoff pushed his shoulder, which elicited a whine from the other.
"It does hurt still."
"Didn't know ghosts could get hurt." Geoff said, watching Awsten sit upright.
"Of course they can. Love to beat up my boy." Awsten grinned lazily, giving the ghost a good punch against his shoulder as proof.
Otto winced and held his hands up, away from Awsten. "The fuck was that for?"
Awsten just kept grinning at him before stretching his arms up. "Geez, how long was I out? Had a fuckin' weird dream."
He noticed the looks that Otto and Geoff gave each other before they both settled on him.
"...really?" Awsten groaned, moving a hand to his mouth, and sure enough feeling that sharp fang prick his finger. " Fuck !"
"Sorry, dude." Geoff said, handing the thermos he was holding to Awsten. "But welcome to the non-human team, eh?" He smiled at him, trying to make light of the situation they found themselves in.
"That's the," Otto proceeded to make air quotes, "Tofu Fruit Punch ", he smirked, "That Mikey had mentioned."
Awsten uncapped the lid and nearly gagged at the scent.
He wasn't kidding when he said it wasn't like the real thing.
"He told us to tell you it should last you the day if you still feel thirsty. Which he also said is going to be, like, an hourly thing for you as a new vamp." Geoff said.
"We're gonna go properly see him for lunch tomorrow and he's gonna help how he can." Otto added.
"He owes me fuckin' big time." Awsten huffed, capping the thermos again to stop the smell from escaping. "Mikey better be ready to hop on stage with us at any moment's notice. It'd be a start ."
Awsten closed his eyes once again.
Out of all the non-human things he could've possibly turned to, of course it had to be the one that survived on fruit punch , his decidedly least favorite of the liquids in this world.
He wanted to be mad at Mikey. He was a bit, yeah, but he knew it wasn't wholly Mikey's fault.
Wrong place, wrong time, wrong whatever.
Awsten's eyes opened and he smiled to his bandmates, reaching out to pull them both close in a hug. "If this had to happen to me, I'm glad you guys are here to help." He admitted.
Otto laughed and squeezed him back tightly. "If you need another fill-up, don't worry about me." He said.
"Hey, maybe my blood tastes like hot sauce, you're welcome to try it if you need it." Geoff joked, returning the hug as well.
"Geoff, I swear to God, I will vomit if you say that word again." Awsten warns. "Directly onto you. All over you. In all the crevices."
"Gross. You're a disgusting bloodsucker." Geoff laughs again and pulls away from the hug as Awsten makes fake gagging sounds in his direction, which just erupts in laughter from Otto as well.
Awsten couldn't help but to smile despite the events of the day. Definitely less than ideal, but his friends are some of the nicest people he could ask for.
They'll learn how to cope with this change together, as they would any other challenge in their way.