Chapter Text
There had to be someone out there. Anyone.
Parad resisted the urge to click his tongue in annoyance, not wanting to give it away if someone did show up. It shouldn't take this long for someone to come check to see what the calls for help were, even with the weather. Weren't humans supposed to be nosy?
But if there wasn't anyone, if no one showed up… One hand went to his chest, clutching his shirt tightly as he realized it was going to be another night without… he was too weak, too much blood lost, and if he couldn't find someone that might kill…
No, if he had to, he'd go kidnap someone. Or something. He'd find something that'd work.
He was not going to lose M. Not after what happened back there.
Not after that fucking botched surgery to remove Parad.
"Sound pathetic," he coached himself. "Look scared. And no ambulance. Remember to say there's no time." Parad looked back at the unfinished building, taking a deep breath. "I'm going to help you, M. I won't let you die."
With those words, he started walking, calling for help. He tried to stay out of the rain as much as possible, the feeling of water against his skin making him feel as cold as that operating room and - Parad swallowed, and the next call for help held a bit more desperation than he expected.
No one. There was just no one out on a rainy night like this. Parad felt his hands trembling and a helpless snarl curling his lips, knowing M didn't have much longer. The surgery had already been stressful, enough that his infection might take over. He was already weak, but… he needed to eat. He was going to be fine as long as he ate someone.
M had to be fine.
He had to live.
But he was so pale, so weak…
"Help!"
The plea burst out of him, driving him to his knees and wrapping his arms around himself. "Help," he repeated, a whisper. "I can't let him die."
Nothing but rain.
Parad let himself look up at the night sky, covered by thick clouds, and tried to think. There had be someone he could just drag over there. He wasn't strong enough to teleport them — he had given too much blood just to keep M from succumbing to death — but he could knock them out and drag either M or the person…
He couldn't help but press his hands to his mouth to keep the sob in, eyes screwed closed. M wouldn't survive if he tried to move him like that, and he didn't know if he had the strength to drag someone to M. He had told himself if he couldn't find someone he'd do it but he didn't know if he actually could.
None of this was going to work. He couldn't save M, and he was going to be without the host he had grown inside and saved and…
"I can't lose him," he whispered, fingers moving to dig into his arms. "Someone. Anyone. Please!"
Parad heard someone kneeling in front of him, and his eyes snapped open as the person held his shoulders, angling the umbrella in one hand over both of them. A man, young, well dressed. Maybe M's age, or close to it. Very intense eyes, with quite a few beauty marks. Handsome, he thought. This man would be considered handsome to some.
He guessed. Not like he found him incredibly handsome.
"I'm a doctor," he said, and Parad wanted to laugh at how he didn't sound comforting at all. Cold, distant, but… he was a doctor, just like the man who saved M's life all those years ago. Doctors saved people. M had a dream of being one, of saving people too. Maybe, if he lived, Parad could help him with that dream. "Do you need an ambulance?"
Nevermind. Doctors were bad. He forgot that M's need to save people wasn't just M, but every doctor.
"No…" Damn it. He could see it in the doctor's face. He might just call one anyway, if he was a good doctor. And it seemed like he was. "It'll take too long," Parad told him hastily, hoping that'd make him put the phone away. "My friend- he- I don't know what to do."
Was that pathetic enough?
Definitely not, since the man was already pulling out a phone. "Take me to your friend," he instructed, already dialing. Parad watched, mouth dry, knowing it would be over if anyone found M. He'd be taken away. They'd realize who they were, and Parad would be taken from him. Without thinking, Parad grabbed the man's wrist, the one holding the phone, and yanked. He tried to change it, make it look like he was too impatient, needing to drag him to his friend. With hope, the sudden motion would make the phone fall to the ground.
It did, and when it crunched under his foot instead of being kicked away like he aimed for, he swallowed back real fear. He was too eager, and the doctor would realize it. He'd know what was going on. But M… this was food. This would save him. He paid no attention to the angry, then suspicious look on the doctor's face as he dragged him. M came first.
The doctor wrenched his wrist free as soon as they entered the building, that suspicious look melting into a professional mien as he rushed to M. Which… wasn't surprising, given the state he was in. His M was filthy. Blood from healed surgical cuts staining everything from his white jacket to his gown and bare legs and feet. Dirt matting his hair and caked all over. And M's breathing was ragged, a lot more pained than before. Parad held his breath as he realized how bad M was doing.
He wouldn't last another night. This had to be it.
The doctor knelt before M, and Parad saw his chance. Before the doctor said anything, Parad dove, wrapping his arms as tightly as he could around the doctor. "I'm here, M," he panted, heart about to burst out of him. "I'm here, and I brought food. A human."
"What are- unhand me!" The doctor immediately tried to break away, and Parad grit his teeth. He was too weak, and M… he wasn't moving.
He just sat there, eyes dull. Unseeing.
Parad felt a desperate noise escape him. "Please," he pleaded, knowing he couldn't hold on to the doctor for much longer. "You have to eat something."
Nothing. M didn't even twitch.
A thought occurred to him. M had never actually bit him. Parad had always done it himself, frantic to feed him. Maybe he didn't understand the doctor was food until he bled? Parad looked at M, wondering. That's what it had to be. So if he… Parad snapped his head down, biting the doctor and starting the blood flow. This had to work.
Oh, the doctor tasted good. But this wasn't for him. He forced himself to stop drinking and look at M, hoping. Praying.
M had lifted his head, nose twitching.
That was good, right? "Here. I got it started," Parad told him. "Please, M, you're dying. Please…"
When M crawled to them, achingly slow, Parad felt like crying. This was working. He watched M lick at the doctor's neck, then wrapped his lips around the wound, suckling at the blood. "That's it," he crooned, resting his head against the doctor's in relief. "You're doing so well." Parad pressed his lips to M's hair, sighing. He was going to be okay.
The doctor had stopped struggling, instead making pained noises as M drank. That was fine. He wasn't going to get away now. M would be able to get as much blood as he needed now
Parad was hungry too, though. And the doctor tasted so good. If they killed him, Parad thought as he changed sides, biting deeply into the other side of his neck, then that was fine. He'd take responsibility so M didn't stress over it and make his infection worse. Parad had just gotten him to eat, after all. He wasn't going to lose him to the infection. But he could say it was his fault the doctor died. Let M keep his hands clean of death. Parad had been a part of M for his entire life. He couldn't let him break down now.
Not when his entire purpose before being horribly removed had been to love him when no one else would.
The flow of blood changed, weakened. If they kept going, he would die.
M ripped his head away, gasping. "No," he managed, voice rough and weak.
No?
"M?"
"He's not dying," M panted. "I won't-" Parad sighed, knowing what was coming next. He knew M wanted to save people. But could he save this human? Parad couldn't let him try and withdraw into himself again when he failed. "Phone. I need…"
"Stepped on it. Accident." And it actually had been one. "M, it's okay. It's not your fault. It's-"
"I have to save him," M said, looking up at him. "Parad, please. There has to be a hospital nearby." One hand gripped Parad's pants as M pleaded. "Please, help me."
He could refuse. The human would remember. Maybe even tell others who'd believe him. Someone who knew about them, and would try to get them back.
But M would hate him if he refused.
Even if it was to save their own lives.
"He might tell someone who knows about us," Parad tried, hoping M would understand. Maybe if he did, it'd be okay. "We'd be separated. We could die, M."
He knew he wouldn't win this when M looked at the doctor. "I want to be a doctor just like him," he whispered. "I can't let a patient die."
Damn it.
"Fine." Parad leaned down, throwing one of the doctor's arms around his shoulders and standing. He had enough blood for this. One trip with one person. Parad closed his eyes, pulling up a mental map of the area. It only showed places he had been to, the map woefully unfilled as he realized there was so much still undiscovered. But his mini map showed a hospital nearby they had passed by on their escape. Parad reached out, grabbing the nearest waypoint and dragging the doctor with him.
Rain immediately soaked his hair, clothes, very skin. But they were there. Parad got the doctor standing on his own, then shoved him to the door. The doctor took several staggering steps, the automatic doors opening and a nurse inside screaming a name as the doctor collapsed.
But he was in the emergency room and his job was done. Parad reached out for his home point, easily teleporting back to M. "He's being taken care of," he told M, voice dubious. "We need to find a new hiding place. He's going to tell someone."
M bit his lower lip, but nodded. "It feels like a dream," he whispered. "Like I'm having a nightmare. They hurt us, Parad." He wrapped his arms around himself, and Parad nearly dove to do the same to him. "What am I, Parad?"
"Mine." His to protect. To love. "Any humans that want to hurt you again are going through me. I won't let anyone hurt you like that again."
"Parad…"
He reached up, tilting M's face to him. "I'll give you as much of me as I need to. I'll keep you alive. I was made because you wanted someone who would love you, and I do. Forever, without any hesitation. If you want to save humans, I…" Parad let out a breath. "I'll save whoever you tell me to."
He was made to love M, and really… who else could he think to love? Parad wasn't just someone made from loneliness. He was M. He was made directly from him, the virus inside him forming Parad made so perfectly for his M.
Who else could he even consider?
"Parad…"
"But we need to go. Somewhere safe."
M nodded. "And… and you love me? That's not a dream?"
"Forever."