blood will have blood

This is not supposed to be happening. He carefully planned it so that this wouldn’t happen. He was just going to find him and everything would be okay again. It’s embarrassing that he couldn’t even manage that without messing it up. None of this was even in his control which infuriates him but he was trying. Possibly his worst mistake in the last hundred years. He was just a few minutes too late costing him potentially everything. And somehow managing to stick him with a nuisance of a dying man instead of his brother who is no where to be found. 

Technically he is dead rather than dying. Perhaps he means literally, seeing as he is dead. Just technically alive, and dying, it seems. Regulus is no stranger to this, the man laying on the bed is dead. He also appears to be dying from something that he has never seen before. In all his years no one has ever gotten like this. At least not for as long as it’s been. A day already, he thinks looking out to see that the sun is coming up again already. This is not going to go well. 

Really, he could leave him to die or to let whatever will happen, happen. It wouldn’t be a problem and it wouldn’t be hard for him. There’s not much Regulus actually knows about him, but it’s enough to be sure that he doesn’t like him. A possibly eighty year old grudge, but that’s neither here nor there. It’s not going to change, he only needs him for one thing. After that, well he could die for all he cares. Truly die, never to be seen again. 

He’s not in the business of saving others. Not typically. There are some make shift families of vampires that travel together and are more the type to take in strays. That’s never been Regulus. Or Sirius for that matter. On the flip side he is also not in the business of killing anyone else off. Except for perhaps the foolish hunters that pop up every so often looking to kill them. They’re more a nuisance than anything, but it’s easy enough to take care of them. Which he only does for very specific reasons. Otherwise it’s up to everyone else to have their own self preservation instincts. 

Which clearly this idiot does not have. As if on cue, he starts to writhe around, letting out low groans.  Regulus takes a seat in the arm chair that he’s positioned next to the bed for the time being and settles in. While the man was sleeping, he paced around the flat trying to figure out what to do next. It’s hard to replenish the blood in his system when he’s more often asleep than awake. It’s not like he can inject him with it, he has to drink. 

He puts his feet up on the edge of the bed and leans back. The man doesn’t end up waking up, just rolls around like he can’t find a way to get comfortable. He probably can’t, whatever is wrong with him can’t be enjoyable. On and off for most of the night he’s been spitting up blood. Even in his mostly unconscious state. It doesn’t look like blood should, and the only reason he can guess that it’s blood is because there is nothing else it could be. 

All of the dribbles and strands of spit coming from him are almost black. Rotten. Something is eating him from the inside out, poisoning him perhaps. He should have some more blood, but there’s a chance that anything he drinks will end up exactly the same. That’s a problem for later once he’s coherent. If he becomes coherent again that is. To him it doesn’t matter that much, really it would be okay if he dies at the end of this. As long as Regulus gets the answers he needs from him before that happens. 

Hours pass by. The sun fully rises and shines in the sky, so Regulus is stuck here for at least the rest of the day. If he needs anything he could make it work, he has enough experience avoiding the sunlight. But it’s easier to stay in and he has everything in this flat that he thinks will be needed for now. There’s a stash of blood in the fridge, there’s changes of clothes, there’s a television and books to entertain himself. It’s a standard hideout and he stocked it before the other night, just for different reasons. 

He wasn’t expecting this to turn into a makeshift vampire hospital, but here they are. There aren’t any places to actually take the man other than here. No one has documented anything like this before, and if they had Regulus would know. He’s spent years and years traveling and learning all of the ways that people might try to kill him. Not because he is the one stupid enough to fall into traps that could kill him. No, that honor falls with his idiot of a brother. Regulus may have his own downfalls and struggles that come with those, but being fooled easily is not one of them. He is just trying to be prepared to inevitably need to clean up his messes. 

The current mess comes to him in the form of this man, whose name he does not know, with something poisoning him and earning him a bedridden space in his flat. With his brother no where to be found, because he wasn’t where he was meant to be. He’s either dead or on the run, Regulus now assumes. He was certain that Sirius would be there. A hunter was tracking Sirius, but so was Regulus. He was meant to get there before the hunter. He was meant to get there in time to save Sirius. And now he’s just… gone. 

It’s infuriating. It’s been nearly a century and the ungrateful piece of shit just goes missing. He was never the one to do that, Regulus honestly didn’t think he had it in him. In all of the years they have been alive, he’s always known where Sirius is. Keeping tabs was simple. He hates to admit it, but it was a comfort to him. Knowing that he was alive and well… yeah. Just that he was alive. There are always going to be people that don’t want them to exist, for a while they weren’t sure if they wanted to exist themselves. But they do, and it’s better that they do, they have learned to enjoy it. 

Right now though, the only assurance he has that his brother is alive is a gut feeling. Regulus would know if he were dead, really dead, so he’s not. He’s alive. And this idiot of a dying man in front of him is the only hope he has at finding him again. A man who should not be a vampire, but for some idiotic reason is. Maybe if he wasn’t, they wouldn’t be in this situation. He would have gotten Sirius back sooner, they would be together again. 

But no. It’s never that simple. 

He has multiple problems that he needs to fix now instead. The hunter is still out there, Sirius is still or newly missing, and this fucking guy is dying in his bed. That’s the worst part of this. He shouldn’t be here, he shouldn’t be dying, he shouldn’t even be a vampire. He was never meant to be turned. Except he is here because he is the closest thing to Sirius and he couldn’t come up empty handed this time. He couldn’t leave with no new leads. It’s been so long since they have seen each other, this was supposed to be it, they were supposed to have each other back now. He thought he could save him and get his brother back all at once. 

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The entire day, the man doesn’t fully come to. Easier for him, though much more frustrating in the long run. It gives Regulus more time to plan, though that is not going very well either. Sirius was meant to be there. He tracked him to the safe house, and he was supposed to be there. He was there. That hunter did the same thing, just not quite as fast as Regulus. They weren’t able to move as fast for one. But really their downfall is that they were tracking Sirius at all. 

No one is allowed to do that. No one should be able to do that. 

For a while the man started to spit up more of the not-quite-blood. It was on and off and just a bit at a time. Regulus expected it, he doubts it will stop until he’s either dead or all of it is out of his system. Dead is the more likely outcome. He’s not fooling himself into thinking he can actually save him, not that he really cares. All that he needs is him to be coherent enough to talk for just one conversation. Tell him where Sirius might be, since he wasn’t at the safe house that the hunter found. 

He’s starting to think that Sirius was never there at all, that he got something wrong. That he was no better than the hunter. They were simply tracking a vampire, not specifically Sirius. Right? It wouldn’t make sense for them to be tracking Sirius specifically. Unless he’s gone and pissed someone off, which really wouldn’t be beyond him. But he’s not believing that just yet. As much as he hates to admit it, he might have actually gotten something wrong. 

Somehow, his only shot at finding his brother now lies with a dead man. There’s nothing more he can do but hope that he gets better. He will know where Sirius is. He will know if Sirius went to a different safe house that Regulus doesn’t know about. He will know more than Regulus. 

Because he’s spent the last seventy years with Sirius, while Regulus was on his own. 

It takes a while for him to really wake up. More than just leaning over to throw up blood that is. His eyes are glazed over and his cheeks are entirely hollow. Fully a shell of a person. Or vampire. It’s been a long time since Regulus has seen anyone look like this. And those times were humans, the only way to save them would have been to turn them. He’s not one to do that, he doesn’t turn people. 

That’s not to say that he’s some high and mighty vampire that is above doing anything. He’s killed countless people and drank from even more. Regulus just doesn’t turn anyone. No one should be subjected to this life, an eternal life. Not without fully knowing what they are getting themself into and having people that will be there with them. In all of his years, he’s had friends and lovers and even a make shift family once. A few vampires, ones that he has met along the way, but no one that he can have for the rest of his life. The rest of time. The only one he has for that is Sirius. Who until recently, he had assumed wasn’t in the business of turning anyone. He was never meant to turn anyone. Clearly that was an incorrect assumption based on the man laying in his bed. 

Regardless, he’s never encountered this type of illness, if that’s an accurate way to describe it. The blood within him is poisoning him. It shouldn’t be able to kill him, at least not on it’s own. He may become so weak, that he’s not able to feed, and then he would wither away. Until someone else stumbles upon him and properly kills him, burns him. He’s a fool to try to stop that from happening. He doesn’t have a choice though, this could be the only lead on where Sirius is. The hunter is still out there, possibly tracking Sirius and he can’t have that. 

“Thirsty…” The man groans, one arm groggily reaching out. 

Regulus reaches for a cup of water. He doesn’t know how the man will react to blood right now, though he will need to drink soon. So water is safer. Let him wake up, regain his bearings and what not first. For now too they are stuck in this safe house and while Regulus keeps all of his possible hide outs stocked with enough blood to survive, this one doesn’t have and excess. Definitely not enough for both of them if they will be here for a long time. 

This was only supposed to be a one or two night stop over for him and Sirius before they decided on somewhere new. If that. If they could get away faster, they would have to keep the hunter from finding them. It’s never that simple though. The most likely situation would have been spending the day here and leaving the next night when they could safely travel. The hunter would be dead before they skipped town, and they would be free to go on their next travels together. 

After a hundred years apart. Their longest stretch, and yet it keeps getting longer. 

“Small sips.” He instructs before cautiously asking. “Do you know what happened?”

The man shakes his head, then looks around confused. He tilts the cup up to his lips and promptly spits the little water he had out. Not in the way he has spent the better part of the day and last night spitting up blood. This is just in disgust. Like he hates water or something. To be fair they don’t need to drink water or anything other than blood, but it’s not harmful. It’s just extra, not necessary to survive. 

“Do you want something else? I think I have tea.” He offers. “What’s your name by the way?”

“James.” He answers, eyeing him suspiciously. And again he shakes his head at the offer. James then looks down into his cup and is brow furrows. “Er- no. This is fine. I ah, never mind. Not really thirsty actually.” 

He immediately knows its a lie. He’s dying, of course he’s thirsty. Water just won’t quench that thirst. Not much can. He’ll just have to hold on a little while longer. Regulus doesn’t really know how much longer, or what will be the sign that he can give him blood. It will just be a waiting game. James will have to deal with it. But either way, even if he was healthy James wouldn’t be able to overpower Regulus to get what he wants. That being blood, or really anything. He’s been a vampire for maybe seventy years, while Regulus has been one for almost three hundred. Big difference in skill and strength. 

“Fine. Don’t have anything then.” He pushes up to leave him be. 

“Wait!” James weakly calls out. 

“Yes?” 

“I told you my name, so what’s yours?” 

“Regulus. I have some things to do, get some more rest. You’re still very weak.”

His to do list is very short in actuality. He just doesn’t want to talk to him. It’s nothing that James can help him with just yet. Not in a real sense. First thing is to heal him up enough. So him getting some rest would actually help to cross that off. The rest of the list is daunting. Short but impossible. Over the years to do lists have become a comfort to him. They were back then too, in his past life But they help to shorten the time. They help to make life seem less never ending. Little things to cross off, ends to reach. Before doing it all over again that is, but that’s hardly the point. This is what the current one looks like, neatly transcribed in his current journal. 

1. Heal mystery manJames
1. (figure out why Sirius is a traitor)
2. Find and kill the hunter
3. Find Sirius
4. Run away to new country

So you see, it’s simple. Not at all complex or something that would pose problems for him in the future. It was much simpler before. Back when the only thing he was trying to accomplish before he would start over was to find Sirius. That was a few drafts of this list ago. It’s changed quite a bit. A few intermediary lists had to be worked through, most of which are complete in one roundabout way or another. This is just the current situation. This is what he needs to do now. 

It’s not as simple as it seems. If he knew how to do any of the first three things, they would already be done. The first is the hardest really. James can’t keep any blood in his system, he’s wary to give him any more. At least not until he’s purged what is currently rotting him from the inside out. Then he will be able to tell if it’s the blood or something still inside him. Ideally all he would need to do is almost completely dry James out, just before he gets to the point of no return. Then slowly bring him back with a little blood at a time. 

Something tells him that it won’t be nearly as simple as that. Just his luck really. Finding him just adds more to his plate when he doesn’t want to do any of this to begin with. The hunter now needs to die too. Which if he had found them when looking for Sirius in the first place, they would have died too. But now they really have to. They can’t stay on the loose. Another step in the process of getting out of here. He’s been here for too long. 

Regulus hates staying anywhere for too long. It just causes problems. It becomes harder to get blood bags and harder to drink from the vein without raising suspicion. It’s overall just too much to stay for too long. He’s been close to here for a long time already. Months. At least a month longer than he prefers, but that’s because he tracked that Sirius would be making his way near here. Close enough that it wouldn’t make sense to try to leave. It would make coming back too complicated. 

So now his supply and the grace he gets with local law enforcement and emergency responders has run out. It’s how the hunter managed to do anything at all. Sirius isn’t stupid enough to be tracked so easily, and of course neither is Regulus. But maybe James is and that’s where it all went wrong. Yet another reason he has to lecture Sirius on it when he finds him again. Not only do they know not to turn anyone else by accident, doing everything possible to avoid it, they also know not to turn anyone on purpose. 

There’s no way for them to know what anyone will be like. If they will make a good vampire. If they will refrain from killing even when they do drink fresh. If they can handle themselves discreetly enough to keep from causing problems for other vampires around. James here is a perfect example of that. He’s gotten himself on the brink of death, caused Sirius to go missing, and left Regulus with a big fucking mess to clean up. It’s aggravating. At least he has reason enough to tell Sirius I told you so when they see each other again. 

Despite never turning anyone else, besides one, or having his own pack of vampires, he does have quite a few connections across the country and most of Europe for that matter. Most others know very little about him, but he knows everyone else. It comes in hand to know what everyone else is up to and where the different packs are at any given time. Keeps him from worrying. Sometimes if he catches the scent of a hunter he’ll warn whoever is near, but only if he actually likes them. 

He got a tip about Sirius through some of the Italians. They saw him and saw that a hunter had been following his movements through the countryside. Regulus had been tracking his brother by that point too, wanting to reconnect the next time he moved cities or countries. That will still happen somehow, just with a lot of extra shit in between. What no one said about Sirius’ movements though was that he had someone else with him. He wasn’t expecting James at all, no one ever knew that James existed. How is that possible?

He hates it. Regulus fucking hates it. How has there been another vampire presumably traveling with his brother for the past seventy years? And not a soul living or dead knew. All this time, it wasn’t that Sirius didn’t want to be attached to anyone, which has happened for stretches of time before. It was that he didn’t want to be with Regulus. They have gone decades, one or two at a time without each other. Needing space. That’s how you cope with and manage that you have eternity. 

This was different though. He thinks about it all night. The sun is down and he could go out and do anything, pick up anything he needs. But he doesn’t. He lets his thoughts fester and bubble over like a forgotten kettle on a stove. Thinking about the last time they saw each other. Thinking about the time they could have been spending together. It’s been at least thirty years since he was going to find Sirius. It took a while to even get a scent on him, but then he started moving too fast. So he waited. 

Little did he know he was galavanting around with his new vampire best friend. No need for Regulus anymore. No they have had enough time already, or so it seems. The thing is, seventy years ago he saw them. He saw that Sirius was settling in to stay somewhere for a few years. Putting down roots, as temporary as they may be. He always liked to do that, which was what often led to their time apart. Regulus hated to do that, he feels too exposed like that. On display almost. 

He saw James. He saw them hanging out. It’s how he knows that Sirius broke his promise. Now he’s not even sure if his brother was ever going to find him again. Maybe he’s the only one any of it has ever mattered to. 

It’s before the sun comes up again, but still deep into the night that James wanders out of the bedroom. His eyes go wide in shock when he sees the lamp on next to the chair that Regulus is curled up in. He has a book in his lap but isn’t reading it at all. He has a notebook and a pen next to him too, with his list that taunts him each time he looks at it. 

“What are you doing up?” He groggily asks, surprisingly looking a bit better. 

“Nothing else to do. Don’t need to sleep either.” 

“Oh, right sure.” He slowly comes over to the couch that’s empty next to Regulus. “Mind if I…?”

“Alright.” It’s hard to not let the anger seep through, but he pushes it down his throat as far as it will go. “Is there something you need?”

The question seems to take him by surprise. He thinks for a moment, eyes going wide, but then he shakes his head. It’s confusing, but really he doesn’t care enough to dissect it. Whatever he wants, though actually no. He can’t just have whatever he wants. He needs to rest and get better so that he can help him find Sirius again. This is quite infuriating actually because Regulus is stuck here with him and losing Sirius more and more by the second. Literally each moment that passes, Sirius is probably getting further and further away. 

“Oh er- no. You can sleep if you want, sorry I’ve been taking up your bed.” It’s annoying that he’s nice. 

“I don’t need it. You’re the one who needs to heal.”

“Do you know what happened? I feel like crap but I don’t know what happened.” 

“You don’t?”

“No. I- I didn’t think I could get sick.” 

Stupid and arrogant. Or so it seems. The thing is he’s not entirely wrong, they can’t get sick. Not in the typical sense that human do. And Regulus also hasn’t seen this exact thing before either. He could try to reach out to any of the other vampires he keeps tabs on, but that’s more than he wants to do. He’ll figure this out on his own somehow. Worst case, he gets what information he can from James and then leaves him. Leave it up to him whether he lives or dies. 

“Well you can. You’re not invincible James. Even if you think you are.” He shakes his head in a definitely condescending way. He’s not afraid to make it known how he feels about him. “You were poisoned. I haven’t figured out how to get it fully out of your system yet. Or what it was. I just found you like this.”

“Why are you helping me?” Jame skips over the mention of poison, clearly not having the answers either. 

“You’ll be able to help me in return. I would have left you to die if you couldn’t.” It rolls right off his tongue. He means it. 

That shuts him up. The rest of the night until the sun comes up they move around each other. Regulus rations his stash of blood, only putting a small amount in a mug to sip on. Enough to keep up his strength for now, enough to keep going. He’s saving more for when he has things to do. For when he needs to take on dealing with the hunter. Something like that will require full strength, or as close to that as he can get without fully bleeding someone dry. 

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A full day goes by without either of them talking much. James goes back to sleep during the day and wakes up twice to throw up. Emptying the blood from his system, still coming out black. All Regulus can hope for is that this comes to an end soon and that he will be free of the poison. There isn’t much else he can do. If that’s how it ends, if that’s how James goes, after he’s done as much as he can, that would be fine. 

Sirius wouldn’t have a reason to hate him for losing his friend. At that point he could even skip over telling his brother about any of it. He could say he’s never met James, doesn’t even know he exists. In that hypothetical conversation, just the fact that Sirius asks about him would give him reason enough to still chew him out for his existence. No blame would be on him. It would be fine. He can’t however find Sirius and mention that he couldn’t save his friend. Not that he would, but in the off chance that it would slip, he has to make sure it doesn’t.

He hates James, but he needs him to get better. He needs him to be able to drink again and get his own strength back. It would always be easier to go against the hunter with two of them instead of alone. At the back of his mind he wonders if he would be able to let James accidentally die in that fight. No blood, at least no vampire blood, on his hands. Simple as that. 

It’s now, when he walks back into the bedroom as the sun goes down that James looks up at him weakly. More present than he was earlier when he was spitting up blood. But he looks pale. Ghastly. Dying. His cheeks are hollow, sunken in much more than they were yesterday. It’s not looking good. All of the color has drained from his cheeks and it’s honestly concerning. There is no end in sight. Regulus has never been optimistic, in all of the centuries he’s been alive there is nothing that could get him to be optimistic. But right now he’s even more pessimistic than usual. Worried that James is a lost cause. 

It’s only been a few days, so maybe he’s being dramatic. Now is not the time to just flat out give up. Not yet at least. Besides, he needs to get back to Sirius first. And to do that he needs whatever information James has about him. Once they figure that out then he can happily give up on him. The one possibility, now that it looks like there is little to no blood left in his system, is trying to give him blood. Just a little taste. See how he reacts to it and then he can give him more if it goes well. Regulus is not going to waste any on him. At least not when he doesn’t have a plan to get more yet. 

James looks up at him, attempting to sit up and practically falling back down. He’s deteriorated since yesterday. Whatever is eating his insides is getting faster. Stronger. Could it be that, could it be a parasite of sorts? The hunter could have put something in someone and used them as bait for James and Sirius. Would they do that though? The hunters that Regulus has come across in the past wouldn’t, but that’s not to say there aren’t any out there that would. The most ruthless ones that care more about killing the vampires than saving people. 

It’s really such a small portion of people that die at the hands of vampires. At least when you don’t include those that would have died anyway or the ones that turn. Many of the vampires will seek out people that are dying, and then drain them. When they are in need of extra blood. They can find car crashes and drain the victims that would have died before getting to the hospital anyway. It’s less painful for everyone. And those families ultimately think they died on impact of the crash. 

“Hold on, don’t try to sit up.” Not that he would successfully be able to anyway. 

He slips back out of the room and pours a small amount from the open blood bag into a cup. He grabs a straw, not wanting James to spill by missing his mouth or anything. Blood is not at all easy to get out of the bedding. He just had some, so he only gets the one mug. James is still laying there, eyes glazed over, when he returns. 

“Here.” He holds it out, but realizes he probably won’t even be able to hold it. Instead he positions the straw in James’ mouth. 

Slowly, he takes a sip. His eyes go wide, nearly bulging out of his head. Suddenly he’s wide awake, alert. The blood shouldn’t work that quickly. He wouldn’t get that much strength back from a few drops of blood. 

“Wh- that’s blood.” James sputters, though keeps from spitting any of the blood out. His eyes jolt open wide. 

“Very observant.” Regulus dead pans. 

“You- you just gave me blood. In a mug.”

“I am aware. Is that all?” 

His eyes shift, uneasy. “Why would you do that?” 

“Why would- What are you asking? James you’re not making any sense.”

“What kind of person gives a sick person blood in a fucking mug?” 

At this, Regulus can’t help but laugh. A full body laugh. He hasn’t laughed this hard in a long time. Perhaps since he was last with Sirius. Together they always laugh at the most simple or most ridiculous things. Oh he just knows that his brother would be laughing with him at this. 

“The kind that is trying to heal you. Or if you would rather not get any blood, I can keep what is left of my stash to myself. I’ve no reason to share with someone who is not going to be grateful for it.” He pull the mug back to himself and swallows the little that was there. 

“You,” James’ eyes grow even wider. “You’re a vampire.” 

“Are you just putting this together?”

“I had no idea. So, you know I’m a vampire too. Or did I just fuck that up by asking?” 

This is too good. Funniest thing to happen this century perhaps. It will be a long time before he gets to laugh like this again, so Regulus takes it in. Not bothering to answer James. His demeanor should tell him enough. That yes, he knows he is a vampire. No, he doesn’t go around making sick humans drink blood. That would just be insane. Though he’s quite sure, or at least has an inkling that someone has probably done that before. None of the vampires that he’s come across, but he wouldn’t put it past some of the more sinister ones. 

His laughter is rudely and frustratingly interrupted. The coughing erupts through the room, managing to echo when there aren’t even good acoustics. Spatters of blood spewing from James’ mouth. He’s not able to keep any of the blood he drank down. Whatever was stuck in his system from the hunter isn’t entirely gone. It was a mistake to try to give him anything. Maybe he though he had dried him out, but it still wasn’t enough. Everything needs to go before he tries to intake anything. That might be the only way. 

“Why am I doing that? Why can’t I keep it down?” He weakly asks, looking to him like he knows everything. Pleading and begging for Regulus to help. 

He’s trying, he’s trying harder than he thought he would for someone whose mere existence he hates. 

“I don’t know. I thought it would have been out of your system by now.” Regulus is at a loss. 

“I’m thirsty…” James lets out a labored breath, lifting his arm out, trying to grasp for the mug again. 

He shakes his head, a scrap of pity filling him up. “It’s empty. You shouldn’t have anything though until we can figure this out.” 

His heart breaks. James is too weak and close to falling apart to fight him on it, but it’s obvious that his spirit is broken too. Perhaps starting to lose hope, the same hope that Regulus didn’t have to begin with. That’s hardly good. One of them should have hope. It won’t be him, it has to be James. He falls back now instead, accepting that he can’t have any blood to drink. Denying a vampire blood is cruel, normally he never would. It’s just what has to happen now. 

Regulus gives him time to think, time to adjust. To accept his possible fate. The inevitability that he may not heal from this. Sure, James has only been a vampire for seventy years give or take. Not very long in the grand scheme of things. Barely any time at all compared to Sirius and Regulus. But in that time he’s adjusted to the fact that he will live forever. Most likely has embraced that fact and at times even looks forward to it. 

Now though, he might not. The chance that he will die is much higher than it used to be. James has already died once, but this time would be permanent. No coming back, no living forever. After life is this, but after this… There’s nothing. 

He leaves the room, deciding to take a shower instead of continuing to sit around. It’s much needed. This is the longest in a while that he has just sat around the flat without leaving or really doing anything. it feels gross and he wants to wash it away. The water falls around him and soaks through his hair. It feels good, almost scalding hot but perfect right now. It’s time that he doesn’t have to think about anything else. All there is right here and right now is the fresh feeling of water on his skin, remnants of the taste of blood lingering on his lips. 

It can’t last forever though and the water eventually runs cold. That’s his sign to get out and he lightly towel dries his hair. Enough that he can then shake it out and run his fingers through the light waves of his hair with leave in cream. It will look nice enough for a few days, unless he ends up finding and fighting the hunter during this time. In which case he will need to wash himself again, likely with the addition of scrubbing blood from under his nails . 

When he returns to the bedroom, James is where he left him. Reality is back and there is still nothing he can do. At least it’s not on him. He’s attempting to help only because of Sirius, but it’s not his fault tis is the present situation. Regulus is not at fault and he never would be. This is why they don’t keep company. This is why it has only been the two of them for so long. It’s easier and better when it is just them. Less room for error, less room for things to go horribly wrong like they seem to be doing now. 

“Am I going to die?” James asks without looking up at him. 

He contemplates not answering, he’s not looking at him, maybe it’s hypothetical. Instead he says, “You’re already dead.”

“Ha ha.” 

“That’s the only answer I have for you. Maybe you will, maybe you won’t. I don’t know.” 

“Is there a reason you’re helping me? You said that the other night, right?” He change the subject, though not to one he would rather discuss. Not yet at least. 

“Yes.” 

“Care to elaborate?” 

“No,” Regulus breathes out. “Not right now. We need to get you better first.” 

Technically true. If James can get better than he can actually be of help to him. He can do more than just give him more information on where Sirius is. It’s more than that though. Getting that information is crucial, but it won’t do any good right now if he can’t act on it. His brother will be gone from wherever he currently is before they manage to get there. Unless he leaves James behind. Don’t get it twisted, he is absolutely considering that. It would be easier and help him to be successful much faster. Sirius would never forgive him though. 

Never is a strong word, and possibly hyperbole at the moment. The two of them have a long time to go, so they would eventually work it out. And you can’t blame Regulus for this either, because he’s not the one who betrayed his brother first. Sirius is the one who turned James when he shouldn’t have, when he promised that he wouldn’t. So it’s a favor to him for Regulus to not leave him for dead. But still he knows that’s a choice that he’s making, and it does have logic behind it. He just can’t talk about Sirius yet or he’ll be tempted to run with the first scrap of information he has. 

“Can I have more blood? I think I feel okay enough again.” He asks, hopeful. 

There is some of the color left in his cheeks. He has a deeper complexion to begin with, origins of which Regulus isn’t quite certain, but that doesn’t stop him from looking on the verge of death. Less so at times, but to be fair he is already dead. All vampires have a look about them. Sometimes it’s more obvious than others, like when you haven’t had a drink in a while, or if you’ve used up a lot of energy in a short period of time. 

James hasn’t had much, definitely hasn’t kept much down either, but still. He does need it. And at some point or another Regulus will need to give him more. He knows that much to be true. He can’t let him wither away to nothing and there is little to no chance of him getting enough energy to get up and look for a blood source on his own. So it’s up to Regulus. Annoyingly. 

“Just a sip. We can start giving you more each time and seeing how you react to it.” 

“Like with testing allergies.” He nods along. 

“What do you mean?”

“Did you not ever do that when you were human? Trying out adding potential allergens into your diet to see how your body reacts to different quantities?” 

Regulus shakes his head, an astute/pretentious pout on his face. “Well, no. I didn’t have allergies. I’m not certain that was done when I was human though. It’s been… well a long time. Longer than it has for you.” 

“How do you know how old I am? How old are you?” 

“I just know. Now do you want more blood or not?” He turns without waiting for an answer. 

꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷

Their days go like this for a week. Well, nights more so than days. This flat wasn’t one the brothers frequented so the windows were never fitted for the necessary shields for the sun. So he’s taken to being nocturnal for the most part. Though really he operates on the schedule that James’ body dictates. When he’s up, so is Regulus. They don’t talk very much. Each conversation they have lasts for a few minutes, at most, and then fizzles away. Usually if they get too close to anything that Regulus would rather not talk about, or just because he’s not in the mood. 

Most of the time he is not in the mood to talk to anyone. It’s not overly specific to James, but it also isn’t not specific to him. To clarify, he hates James. It’s not necessarily his fault that Regulus hates him, but in their time together, he has not given him any reasons to revise his opinion. He just hates that he exists, so he hates him. Simple as that. 

After the two sips of blood that night, the third since everything went to shit, Regulus refused to give him any more. He ended up spitting it all back up and more before morning came. Every time that they think nothing more can come up, something does. When he thinks there will be a peaceful moment where James will roll over and go to sleep for a few hours, he erupts into a coughing fit that nothing will soothe. 

They don’t try again with anything until a full twenty four hours later. Better to be safe really. Besides there is nothing else that can be done. Why make a bigger mess than necessary? Waiting doesn’t seem to do any good though. Not that not waiting would have given a different result. This is just how it is and it’s infuriating. That’s the annoying truth of the matter. 

James can’t keep down any blood. 

He couldn’t before, but he’s been dried out as much as he can be and still nothing will work. Nothing will stay in his system. It would help if he knew what happened, but he doesn’t and James doesn’t have the answers either. There really isn’t much else they can do but wait. And in James’ case, hope. 

On the fifth day, they try a new tactic. A drop every two hours. Increasing to every hour sometime in the middle of the night, hoping that the smallest amount will stay. For much of that night they thought it was working. It should have been working. James was keeping it down. Or at least, the ten or so drops of blood he got were not sprayed from his lips and onto the bedding. Until they were. Until enough pooled in him to come out all at once. 

He really doesn’t know what else to try. They could keep trying this, they should keep doing something at least. What Regulus knows is that the drops of blood he is providing James are keeping him awake and alive enough for now, even if that quickly goes south every time. So that’s all they can do for now. 

By the sixth night, Regulus is growing antsy. He wants out, he wants to be on the move. It’s a while past when he had planned to leave the area and now he’s found himself stuck. It does occur to him that if they can’t figure out how to get James’ strength up enough soon they will need to move anyway. They could still go out and look for Sirius as long as they have somewhere that James can rest at the same time. That’s not the easiest thing to work out. Regulus would much rather not. It could mean burning through more safe houses and towns and flats that he has hidden and planned for the future. It would cost him those. James isn’t worth that. 

On top of that is really another problem. Well to Regulus it is a problem. They aren’t low on blood yet, he’s been only having what he needs. And there’s James who isn’t draining that in the slightest. Though he is being wasteful. It’s just not very good. it’s older than he likes it to be. A few months since he stole it and stashed it here. When he has a choice, he much prefers no more than a week old. Fresher blood tastes better. Though he’s not exactly after it for the taste right now so much as the strength. 

That is also a factor in the blood vampires can drink, though all blood bags seem to be the same. He hasn’t found a certain blood type or time since drawn that lends itself better to any skills like speed or strength. The fact that Regulus hasn’t found any information on that, means that there is none. He’s not the oldest vampire alive or anything, but he’s been around long enough to know. he’s samples a wide enough variety. He’s needed to build up his strength before. 

So after a week of hiding in this flat with James, he’s had enough. He needs to get out if only for a bit. James has still been sleeping most of the time, it’s not like he could do anything and talking is not a good activity for the two of them. He tries to plan his exit around when he falls asleep, just to avoid conversation about it. In the kitchen he scribbles on a piece of paper a note to say he’ll be back. He puts it right next to James where he will see it when he wakes. 

Just as he gets to the door he hears the now familiar accent from James. “Where are you going?”

“Just need to go out for now. Be back before morning.” 

“Did you really write in perfect cursive on a sticky note?” He lets out a snort of laughter. 

“Yes, it’s the most respectable way to write. Good bye James.” 

He doesn’t say where he’s going, because he knows there would have been a fight about it. Regulus needs something fresh. it will help clear his mind. Most of the time he sticks to blood bags and hasn’t had a problem doing that. Most of the time. There are still times like now that he craves it. The urge and desire is always there, just pushed to the back of his mind. Not at the front because he is still satiating himself with blood. Often times more than just the amount he needs to survive. But still it’s rarely fresh from the vein. 

That however is exactly what he needs right now. It’s like a fix that he’s been itching for. He can control the urge perfectly well. He has always been able to. That’s only a slight lie. He’s always been able to since getting it under control. At first he wasn’t as good at that. But now he’s disciplined and knows how and when to decide to treat himself. He also knows how to keep it discreet and how to ensure there is no trail for anyone to track him afterward. Maybe there’s a faint trail to a vampire in general, but never to him. 

Usually he will have a plan or an exact target in mind. Someone that he’s tracked to ensure they won’t cause trouble after the fact. He hasn’t exactly had time for that this week, so really this is all up to luck. Though he does have more than enough skill with it. He’s been doing this long enough, it would be embarrassing if he couldn’t manage tonight. 

Walking out into the night air he feels like he can breathe again. Fresh air going into his lungs even if they don’t need it. Regulus has been cooped up for too long and with someone he would much rather not be with. Sue him for relishing in the simple pleasures of a past life. The moon is only a small crescent now, but the stars are out and littering the sky. Adjusting to life in the darkness is hard for a lot of vampires at first. Not for them though. Sirius and Regulus had always loved night and the night sky, so they just got to spend more time with it. Easy enough. it was everything else that took some time and patience. 

He turns now to head into the center of the town and pushes his brother from his mind. Regulus can’t be distracted right now. He doesn’t know this town or its people well enough to properly predict when he will run into someone suitable or where he can take them for a short time. Most of the buildings are small, but a good amount have alley ways that are dark. Looking around there are a few people out and walking, all in different directions. Some towards a pub, some out of town, some just out for a stroll. 

Miraculously, as if they knew he would be coming, no one is in pairs. Everyone is alone. So if he can catch up to someone far enough away it won’t look strange to walk with them into an alley. It would just look like a couple ducking away to have a moment alone. He’s done that enough times, both real and for this same reason to know that it works. It fools everyone. No one wants to follow to check on someone that might be trying to have sex just adjacent to out in the open. 

A man around the age that Regulus appears, comes out of a store, not far from him. Perfect. Regulus picks up his pace and meets the man nearly toe to toe. As if he just appeared out of no where. He hadn’t even used his actual speed this time, he just happened to pick an easily startled man. Well, no that’s not even right. He just looks confused, standing slightly taller than Regulus, but close enough that their eyes still meet without craning his neck. 

“I’m glad I ran into you.” He says loud enough to assure passersby that nothing is amiss, but still keeping it casual. 

“I’ve no idea who you are.”

Regulus smirks. “That’s alright, just come for a walk.” 

It isn’t always this easy, normally there’s a fight or some arguing. A need for persuasion. This time though, the man considers it for a second, then shrugs and begins walking. No pressing to be told more, no running in the opposite direction. Much easier than he had anticipated, but a very welcome surprise. Makes his night easier and he might even be able to get a second one in if he’s in the mood. That would e overkill, but he really deserves it. He’s being so good by healing James even if it isn’t successful. 

“I’m-”

“Don’t need to know your name. We won’t know each other long enough for that to matter.” 

“What is it that you want?” 

“Well, you’re going to come around the back of this building with me, and then I’m going to have a drink.” 

“Bring enough for me to have a drink too?” He asks, now interested even more. 

It amuses him, so Regulus lets himself laugh and almost even smile. “You wouldn’t have the same tastes as me. If one day you do, feel free to come find me then. For now, just lean up against the wall.” 

The man obliges, leaning lazily and kicking one foot out and crossing at his ankles. “Mind if I smoke then?” 

His eyes roll as the man takes a cigarette and a lighter from his pocket. Regulus shakes his head and plucks both things from him. This is a common occurrence. Everyone thinks that back alleys are a place to smoke, which to be fair they are, but they are also for this. For a moment he studies the man, trying to find the best spot. 

Easiest to cover up, easiest to heal, easiest to forget. It’s a game. He’s perfected it over time, but he still has to consider it with every person. Picking which are the most important factors right now. It’s not hard to achieve two of those three, which is all that is actually necessary. There is also the factor of quantity. How much blood he wants to drink right now. Some spots, like the wrist won’t give as much as easily, but is the cleanest and safest bet to go with. 

Regulus will never get tired of the neck though. It surprisingly less intimate, and it’s much more inconspicuous in public to have your face buried in someones neck. It’s just the messiest option, though provides the easiest access to a major blood supply. For newer vampires, or ones like Regulus used to be that can’t control themselves, he’ll never recommend the neck. One second too long and you’ve killed someone. 

Right now, well right now Regulus wants to drink. He goes right for his neck, with just lips to start. He’s not entirely sure of the contact, but the man’s hands come up ad drag along his back. He’s not pushing him away, and as much as he hates strangers touching him like this, he puts up with it for the benefits he is taking on his own. While mouthing at his neck to find a vein, he lets his fangs pop out, ready to pierce the skin. 

The second they poke through and blood emerges, he feels instant relief. The man squirms at the change in sensation, but leans into it. Unaware what’s happening. Regulus managed to pick one that isn’t going to shove him off, isn’t going to ask questions. Perfect. Maybe if he has to stay here longer he could find this guy again and double dip. He hates to do that usually, but he tastes quite good. It’s been a while since he’s had any right from the source that this is perfect. Not the best he’s had, but much better than blood bags. 

He knows when to stop. He’s trained himself to never drink for too long. The neck will last longer than the wrist, but there is still a limit. Regulus pulls back, retracting his fangs and now licking up the blood coming from the punctures to clean around the wound. His fangs leave the smallest marks, he’s worked to be efficient and undetectable. It’s as if nothing ever happened. 

The man is slightly light headed, more so seems to be in a haze than anything. He’s not going to fall over or pass out, unless he’s particularly squeamish or anemic. He brings the pad of his thumb to the corner of his mouth to catch the single droplet of blood he can feel, licking it up as well. Clean and simple. As he knows to do, Regulus stopped long before anything bad would come about. Before it’s a noticeable amount of blood taken, no more than what someone would get drawn for a standard blood test. He could have gone for longer. If he does that though, he doesn’t end up stopping until they’re just shy of drained. Still alive, but in need of help. 

“That’s all, carry on with your night. You never met me.” Regulus looks at him and gestures to the exit of the alley. 

His fingers brush his own neck where Regulus just was, but they come up clean. “That’s it? You just wanted to… what? Kiss my neck?” He doesn’t respond so the man continues. “Can I at least have that cigarette back? It was my last one.”

He hands it to him and walks away before anything more can happen. There’s new blood coursing through him and he can feel it. A bit more energy in each step. New life to him. A better and stronger determination to get through his list. Maybe he needs to skip over the first step, it’s proving potentially impossible. But he can absolutely track and kill the hunter that dared to think he could find Sirius. That’s someone that he plans to bleed dry. No remorse there. 

James is asleep when he returns, a mug next to the bed, stained a deep red. There’s a wad of tissue stained a deeper color, almost black. He’s looking even more hollow than earlier, it’s barely been a few hours. If blood, the one thing they need to survive won’t help, then what will? Maybe he should have brought James just to get a drink from the vein, maybe that’s what he needs. It could go down easier.