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Shelby stared down at the crypt staircase long after Scott and Avid had both disappeared. They know she was the one who joked about the two of them getting some privacy and cuddling together but now they almost wished she had gone down with them. Avid had been distraught, his hysteria leaking through their coven bond in sad pulses.
Dying was never pleasant - but for her fledgling to die for his first time alone and scared (he mentioned a stake-). Shelby shook her head, trying to clear the haze of protective instincts clouding her mind. Scott had warned them before they sired anyone that the instincts of a sire towards their fledgling was usually potent.
He himself wasn't very affected by them. Owen didn't have any fledglings. Pyro had once mentioned that he never felt safe enough to indulge in his instincts around his fledglings.
It seemed Shelby was the exception. The odd one out yet again.
She was pulled out of her thoughts by Scott lunging up the stairs, quickly rallying everyone to gather at a newly turned beacon. Shelby hadn't even noticed it going to neutral.
"Give me one second" they called, eyes still set on the stairs "I need to check on something". Without a word, she jumped down. They heard someone calling her name - maybe Sausage, but it was swiftly shut down by Scott.
Shelby didn't pay it any attention.
"Avid?" they called, tracing the bond she had with her fledgling until it lead her to a small room carved into the wall. It's sparse, she thinks it might be Drift's - but it's hardly furnished. Just some storage and a crafting table tucked into the corner.
Avid was stood in the middle of it, arms wrapped around his trembling form. He looked terrible. Bloody tears streamed down his face, getting lost in the fabric of his capelet as they fell. His claws had dulled down into blunt nails, hints of purple seeping into his eyes.
He was weak. Vulnerable. Not safe.
Shelby wished they could offer him blood, but the rational part of her knew it would leave the coven at a disadvantage to have another vampire at low levels.
Avid opened his mouth to greet her, but all that he let out was a low whine, sad and scared. Shelby feels a sound like a bird's trill build up in her throat. Something they had only ever heard Scott do in front of her. Something about it seems to calm Avid down, his shoulders relaxing minutely.
Reflexively, she leaned forward to hug him. Avid quickly reciprocated, desperate hands clutching at her clothes as he shook in her embrace. He was colder than a fledgling of his age should be - he didn't have enough blood in his system at all.
Shelby peered over his shoulder as they looked around the room again. Despite being her room, it barely smelled like Drift. Didn't even have some bedding for her fledgling to rest on. Her instincts trilled in concern. This wouldn't do at all.
"Come with me" she commanded, releasing her hold and instead grabbing his wrist. Avid followed without question; maybe due to it being instructions from his sire, maybe because he trusted them as his friend. It didn't matter which it was.
She wasn't sure where she was even going, their instincts screaming so loud she couldn't think. Safe where fledgling danger safe nest where?
They blinked, realising she had come to a stop outside her own room, quickly pushing open the door.
Avid it seemed had even less resistance towards his instincts than she did; the moment they released their hold he dove for her bed, upsetting piles of pillows and blankets she had haphazardly arranged in an order that just felt right.
The more aware part of her brain was a little weirded out by how easily her friend just jumped onto their bed without even asking. The vampire-sire part of her brain crooned happily, watching her fledgling burrow into the sheets with a small sigh.
Nest, her instincts insisted fledgling nest safe.
'Nest', huh? Owen had mentioned something about that. Not in detail, but if it functioned anywhere similar to how animals used them no wonder this was what she considered as a safe space.
She knows as a sire she's naturally protective over her fledgling, but when they move forward to try Avid get comfortable she knows that was all just her, trying to help someone she cared about. They tapped him on the shoulder, requesting his permission quietly before carefully removing his capelet, laying it down gently beside the pillows. It hopefully still smelled like Scott despite how long it had been since he wore it, the scent of coven would be comforting to a nesting fledgling.
Avid simply watched her, pupils widening till there was only the thinnest ring of red around a sea of black, flecks of purple swimming in his gaze. It was absolutely endearing and Shelby let out a soft purr towards him, smiling happily when she gets one in response.
Her fledgling has been hurt. Had been hurting since he first stumbled into town. The world was cruel to him but the nest will help. Shelby will help. As his friend. As his sire.
She scanned her room, trying to find more things to comfort their fledgling.
Drift's jacket - the one she had worn constantly as a human - was laid across her chair at the desk. Shelby held it up to her nose, satisfied with how much it smelled like the detective. They held out the coat, trilling happily when Avid grabbed it without hesitation, adding it to the pile of scents on the bed.
She brushed his hair away from his face, placing a small kiss on his forehead.
The soft care was familiar, which was odd because her sire had never done this for her. There was just something about the gentle way she was combing their fingers through white strands that left a phantom feeling of the same being done for them.
Shelby felt a pang in her heart when she realised - she was acting exactly like her dad.
The way he would tuck her into bed and kiss her goodnight after reading them a bedtime story. She hadn't thought about those days in years, at some point growing too old for such things according to her mother.
The warmth and melancholy flowing through her no doubt leaked through their coven bond as Avid gave a sad little whine.
She wished she had something of her dad's to add to her nest too.
She wished she had anything of him left.
They missed him.
A pulse of impatience came through the coven bond. No doubt Scott or Cleo, waiting for them to join them. Shelby sighed, letting her hand fall away from Avid's head despite his sad whimper.
He would be okay.
His eyes had drifted shut at some point, breathing evening out before it slowly stopped completely. Unconscious habits no longer working his unneeded lungs.
He looked younger like this. Shelby forgot that she was actually older than him, both in human and vampire ages.
Seeing his face now, Shelby doesn't see the town maniac he had been known for. She doesn't see the impulsive human who burned down her house, the scared hunter holding a stake with trembling hands, the manic vampire with a thirst for blood.
All they see is a fledgling. Her friend. The one who had asked her to turn him, who wanted to be a part of her coven, her family. The one who, barely a day ago had promised he would do anything for them if she asked.
More irritation through the coven bond, Shelby stood up from where she was sitting on the bed, wiping her eyes to erase the small tears that had formed.
She took one last look at Avid before she left, their heart settling when he didn't stir.
Impulsively, she locked the door, pocketing the gold key swiftly.
Avid was her fledgling. No one else needed to be in their nest.
A bat flew past her as she lunged up the stairs, probably Pyro judging by it's fur. She paid them no mind, making her way to the rest of the coven to join in on beacon desecration.
When she got back hours later, Avid was peacefully asleep.
She clambered in beside him, curling around his frame with a happy purr as they kept him safe.