Work Text:
There’s a reason Travis ‘Teacake’ Meacham always takes the night shift. He tells those who ask that it’s helping him get back on his feet and adjust to life after prison. But the true reason is so people don’t find out what he really is - a vampire.
It happened back when he was in prison. One night, his cellmate, a recluse who, funnily enough, never seemed to eat much in the cafeteria and slept most of the day, suddenly cornered him in their cell. Even now, Travis has hazy memories of that night. All he can remember is waking up in the prison infirmary the following night, exhausted with two distinct bite marks on his neck.
It definitely took some time for him to get used to his new powers and thirst for blood. Unsurprisingly, prison isn’t the most supportive environment for a vampire. But now, his work affords him the luxury of sleeping all day, and he can use it as an excuse for any exhaustion people may notice. Not only that, he can feed on the deer and other wild animals in the woods surrounding the storage place, preventing the risk of him being found feasting on a human.
For once in his life, Travis was doing well.
Until Y/N came to work at the storage place.
As Y/N does her nightly checks, Travis watches her through the cameras, completely mesmerised. She’s so beautiful. A deep yearning builds within his gut, a persistent feeling he can't shake. Since Y/N began working at the storage place, an insatiable hunger has consumed Travis, growing from deep in the pit of his stomach. He’s tried to satisfy it with his usual meal of animal blood, but it’s never been enough.
Still doing her rounds, Y/N turns, glancing up at the camera with a smile. The sight of her face immediately triggers another surge of hunger in Travis, so intense it nearly causes him to drop to his knees. He heard about this when he first became a vampire. Your mate. Someone you feel an intense pull to, with a desire to nurture them and consume their blood, no matter if you’re vegetarian. Someone tied to you by an unbreakable bond. At first, he thought it was a joke, that it was just some ancient love story that’s completely implausible in the real world.
But then Y/N came to work here, and Travis realised just how wrong he was. And how fucked he is. Because of course Travis’ mate is his coworker, the one person he doesn’t want to feast on. How could he possibly inflict pain on someone so beautiful? How could he scar her and drink from her like she’s nothing but a meal? He would destroy the entire world before he would allow any harm to come to her, even if it meant his own death.
And if he doesn't feed soon... his death might come sooner than expected.
“Are you alright?” Y/N asks. Travis swallows hard, his throat dry. When did she come back? Even with his advanced hearing, he never heard her come back in.
"Yeah..." he grunts, his knuckles white as he grips the edge of the desk so tightly he could leave deep gouges in the surface.
“You sure? Cause you look like-” Her voice echoes through his mind, her scent filling his nostrils.
So sweet, so delicious, yet so forbidden...
And Travis is so fucking hungry.
“Y/N. Just go away.” he hisses. His pupils dilate, and he can feel his fangs sharpening.
“Excuse me?” She scoffs. “You don’t have to be such an asshole, I was just asking-”
“I said, leave!” He yells, turning around. Y/N’s eyes widen, her breath catching in her throat as she stumbles backwards, a wave of pure fear washing over her at the sight of his wild eyes and fangs. “Oh, shit.” He murmurs. Y/N lunges for the door, but in an instant, Travis runs in front of her, blocking her path. “Look, Y/N, just calm down.”
“Calm down?!” She sputters, her voice full of alarm. “You’re a fucking vampire, Teacake! How the fuck am I supposed to calm down right now?!”
“I’m sorry, okay! I didn't mean to scare you,” he pants, his voice a jumbled mess of hunger and desperation, "I'm just s-starving, and I think I’m starving for you, and-" Her heartbeat thunders in his ears, and he registers it slowly calming down. He then realises she’s staring at him, her eyebrows drawn together in a worried frown.
“Sorry, just trying to make sense of this. So you’re a vampire, and you’re hungry.” She repeats, and he nods. “And you’re hungry for…my blood? Why me in particular?”
“Well…” he murmurs, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. How the hell is he supposed to explain this? That some old story says they might be bound and mated together? That he has to feed on her, or else he’ll die of hunger?
“Answer the question, Teacake.” But she’s looking at him, waiting for an explanation, and she’s so beautiful.
No, she’s fucking ethereal.
And the more he looks at her, the more he realises Y/N seems…interested in this whole thing, rather than afraid.
“So there're these things called mates, someone who is bound to a vampire, and whose blood sustains them,” he explains.
“And I’m yours?” she replies.
“Well…maybe. I only feel this way when I’m around you, so I think so.”
“...Oh. Okay.”.
“That’s it?” He frowns, brow raised. “I just told you I think I'm your mate and I have to feed on you, and you're okay with that? You’re not weirded out at all?” When she shakes her head, his brows furrow even more. “You’re taking this insanely well…like a lot better than I thought you would’ve.”
“I think I’m still dreaming.” She responds, and he chuckles. “But honestly, I kinda get it. The whole idea of us being mates.” Seeing the confusion on his face, she chuckles. “I like you, Teacake. A lot. Regardless of destiny, or whatever's keeping us together.” He takes her hand, and she gasps. “Jesus, your skin is like ice,” she giggles playfully.
“Comes with the whole vampire thing. And seriously? You just said some romantic shit about how you love me regardless of fate, and now you’re laughing at me?” he asks, but can’t stop himself from laughing either. He can’t ever be mad at her, he realises.
“Sorry, sorry.” She smiles. “Are you still hungry?”
“Starving,” he blurts out, immediately realising how that sounds and shaking his head. “But don't worry, I won’t feed on you. You’ve just had a massive shock, and I’ve never fed on a human before, so I don’t wanna hurt you or go too deep-”
“Teacake.” She cuts him off. “I want you to feed on me.”
“Really?” he asks, voice full of disbelief.
“Yeah, you look exhausted, and guessing since I’m your mate, my blood can heal you?” He nods, and she bites down hard on her tongue. Soon, a small bead of blood blooms, growing bigger and bigger-
Before Travis can even form a reply, she pulls him closer, her lips meeting his and offering him a taste. Her blood is everything he dreamed it would be. He savours the sweet, warm flavour, feeling a surge of renewed energy that grows and grows the more he feasts. Oh god, he can’t get enough. He pulls her even closer, their bodies flush together as their lips return to each other in a deep, ravenous kiss as he continues to savour her taste.
Y/N moans with delight, and he responds with a deep, warm chuckle, the two sinking deeper and deeper into each other before coming up for air. Travis grins, the sweet, metallic taste of her blood still clinging to his fangs as he wipes any remnants away with his tongue.
“Holy shit. That was…incredible.” Y/N breathes out. “And you licking my blood off your fangs is…insanely hot, actually.”
“I think you enjoyed that more than me.” he chuckles, his voice husky as he takes her hand and interlocks their fingers. A faint trace of blood still sits on her lip, and he gently wipes it away with his thumb. “Thanks, sunshine.”
“Sunshine? Really? Can you even go out in the sun?” she asks, grinning. Her eyes twinkle as a thought pops into her head. “Does it make you sparkle?”
“No, I don’t sparkle! I’m not Edward fucking Cullen!” he scoffs, incredulous, as Y/N continues laughing. “Yeah, I can go out in the sun. It just hurts me after a while. It’s like a really bad sunburn, hence the night shift.” He explains. “But I know the sun revitalises things and helps them grow and keep warm, and your blood helps me keep going. And of course, you’re warmer than me now, so… you’re my personal sunshine, in a way.” He blushes, suddenly embarrassed about his cheesy explanation. Surprisingly, though, Y/N smiles.
“Awww, that’s adorable.” She beams.
“Are you mocking me?”
“No! It’s cute!” She insists. “I’ll need to think of a nickname for you…my little bloodsucker.”
“That’s fucking awful. Just keep calling me Teacake.” he groans.
“Work in progress.” She chuckles. “So, what now?”
“I think I’ll need to take you out on a date first, sunshine.” Travis smiles, pecking her forehead. “After all, we’ve got the rest of our lives together to plan.”