Chapter Text
“hoc-vinculum-tibi-dirumpo-mala-creatura Owen. I break this bond for you, evil creature.”
Owen stood at the edge of the tower, eyes getting that last look at the sun that he wanted. Ironic wasn’t it? That everything started and ended here… hah! What are the fucking chances!? Louis had turned him here on this very tower all those years ago. 200 years of pain was hopefully coming to an end now.
The sun cast rays of light across the treeline as he smiled softly, it had been a while since he last smiled… he hoped Louis would be proud of him… when the choice of death or being cured came he wanted to pick death. He craved the sweet relief of death. He’d been a passive suicidal for years, ever since he first got his disease. Not that he was actively trying to kill himself, he rather just waited for the opportunity. And now was that opportunity. Death.
“Owen… my love… you don’t need to die. It doesn’t need to end here.” That voice… Louis.
Owen made a choked sound, tears immediately springing to his eyes as his knees shook. Something broke inside Owen at his lover’s word…
“Live. For me. Please.” Louis continued, Owen could almost feel their hand on his head as he crumbled to his knees.
“For you…” he choked out as he chose to live. He’d do anything for Louis, including living on in this hell hole.
He felt darkness begin to take over his vision as in his fading peripheral he saw Abolish walk slowly over. He’d forgotten the other man was even here.
“Owen. I’m going to hook my arms under yours so you don’t fall off the tower.” He said and Owen opened his eyes to look over at him. When did he close them?
He gave a jerky nod, eyes slipping shut again as his body slumped sideways and Abolish’s arms slipped under his, lifting him backwards to lay in the middle of the tower. He let out a shaky breath, forcing his eyes open one more time to stare up at the sky, the stars above streaked with red and yellow from the setting sun.
“Thank you…” he whispered as his body went limp and he took his last moments in as a vampire.
Abolish watched Owen go limp in his lap, he had the former vampire’s head in his lap so he’d be comfortable in his last moments. He had seen the hesitation to accept being cured but when Owen had initially crumpled to his knees and started mumbling to himself. He assumed the vampire was seeing things or someone from his past as his brain fought to convince him to live.
It was an interesting moment to witness and he gave them as much space as he could but he didn’t want Owen to pass out and fall off the tower since he wouldn’t survive that as a human or vampire turning human.
When the former vampire finally passed out he lifted him into his arms to carry him down from the tower.
When Owen had asked for the cure he was adamant on doing it up here and now Abolish thought he would have a workout getting him back to town. To say he was surprised at how light Owen was would be an understatement. He knew the man was small, as he was the smallest of the vampires and probably the humans too. He wasn’t tiny but definitely wasn’t tall. The addition of how thin he felt was also concerning since now he could easily starve to death.
He climbed slowly down the rotten stairs and down to the ground, these stairs would probably be as old as Owen if not older so it was a miracle they held as he made his way down them.
Abolish walked his way down the hill with Owen cradled in his arms, the man’s soft brown curls splayed back like a waterfall. Owen’s head was nestled into his shoulder, their hair was somehow still stunning even during this shitshow.
His pace was pretty slow since he didn't want to jostle Owen’s body too much and he was in no real hurry back. He listened to the soothing sounds of nature, his foot-falls all that disturbed it.
Making it to the edge of the river Abolish turned right down to follow the water till he was met with the stepping stones. Because, one he wasn't swimming with a deadweight in his arms -no matter how light- and two it meant he didn't get wet, since wet clothing was horrible and when his suit was wet it was way worse.
Abolish hopped across the rocks with Owen held tight, sighing in relief once he was across. He walked along the shoreline still since it was still a pretty long walk till town and the treeline was still mostly rocks and cliff. Once that turned to trees and forest he angled his way into the forest, footsteps now softened by the moss and leaf litter, only tainted slightly with ash from his recent fires to drive the vampires out.
When town came into view Abolish let a slight uptilt of his lips crease his face, finally back. That was one hell of a walk… He paused when he got to the gates, knowing this would be a pretty big deal since Owen was the first vampire to be cured.
Abolish walked Owen into Doctor Legundo's house and pressed the door open with his shoulder, armour clinking against the wood. Had Owen been around since these trees were planted? Did he plant them? He may never know. Huh. That was a thought.
“Legs?” He called into the dark room, Legs’s house was pretty bare bones since the doc hadn't bothered putting any decorations up, though not a lot of them had. He was pretty sure a few people had banners up and Avid had been adamant about silver everywhere but that was all he could say for sure.
Setting Owen on the corner bed Legundo had for patents Abolish straightened up, fixing his suit jacket and walking to the door to go check where Legs was since he hadn’t gotten a reply.
He stepped up onto the makeshift wall they had set up around the inner town, meaning to look around for… well anything.
By anything he hadn't meant seeing a gore covered Legs and Cleo and Pearl walking in past the old town walls.
“Fuck!” Legs winced, stumbling back away from a concealed silver block and into Cleo, who hooked their arms up under his and held him for a moment as he snarled and thrashed before calming down and leaning on them. It seemed very out of character for Legundo to fight them like that…
Immediately Abolish concluded that Legundo was turned, and by the gouge marks in his side and throat he assumed it was unwillingly.
He went through a few possible sires in his head. Cleo was a possibility but he didn't think they would do it if Legs said no. Scott would do it if Legs was unwilling but the elder vampire wasn't currently turning people, just killing. Maybe Owen, but Owen was unconscious in Legs’s house.
He shrugged to himself and walked over, it became very clear that Legundo had been turned, he had bloody bite marks covering his throat and the wound on his side was worse than Abolish expected.
“Legs…? Are you okay?” He asked as he got closer to the pair.
“Fine.” Came Legundo's reply, the snappyness didn't surprise him considering that Legs didn't want to be turned and now he had been. Abolish suspected Legs planned to live their life then die, to be at peace. And now that choice was gone.
“Legs got turned…” Cleo started
“Could I ask by who?” Abolish added
“Owen.” Legs said, the name was spat full of hatred and betrayal.
“And I'll assume it was unwillingly judging by your wounds.” He stated, only mildly surprised it was Owen. Owen must have come straight from turning Legs for the timelines to match up since turning took roughly a day from what he and Legs had observed.
The doctor just nodded.
“I'll warn you then, Owen is asleep in your house Legs.” Abolish said, remembering he had deposited the former vampire there.
“WHAT! WHY THE HELL IS HE IN MY HOUSE!? I-” Legundo blew up only for Cleo to shove their wrist into his mouth to make him be quiet and calm down.
“Let's figure out why he's in your house before rushing to conclusions, Legs.” They said calmly before gesturing to Abolish to speak. Abolish assumed they could sense Legs’s distress and as the honorary town vampires sire, took it in their own hands
“Thank you.” He nodded acknowledgement to Cleo “So. I cured Owen. It was mostly willingly and after that he passed out, so I'll assume it worked. I brought him back here and put him in your patent bed, Legs. I can move him now if you need me too though.” he recounted.
“No no. It's fine… im going to go sit down…” Legs mumbled, pulling away from Cleo and wiping his mouth.
“Don't do anything irrational Legs.” Cleo murmured, letting him go with a squeeze to the shoulder.
Legundo just nodded, which abolish was happy to see since the excessive swearing and snapping was making him uncomfortable.
“Abolish? Can we talk?” Cleo asked as Legundo walked away.
Abolish nodded and stepped down to their side. He already knew what they were going to say and sighed heavily.
“He's losing it.” He said, no tone needed.
They nodded, dropping onto a rock jutting out of the torn up ground. He followed, sitting next to them and offering a wrist for them to drink. He noticed her pale complexion was a shade lighter and so decided that he would probably get further with this conversation if Cleo wasn't starving themself.
They pushed his arm away with only a slight hesitation in their eyes.
“No thanks.” And he shrugged and moved his arm back to his lap, if they didn’t want it he wouldn’t push the matter.
“We have a plan Abolish. We might be able to leave.”
He stared at her blankly for a moment before the words fully registered… They were getting out. Finally free from this deathmatch! Wow… He looked back up at them.
“Where do we start?”