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Henry wanted Alex from the moment he set eyes on him. They’d met in the alleyway behind the seedy club Henry chose to find his meal for the night. The options available weren’t exactly appealing to him, so he stepped outside to give Pez a call. Henry figured he’d meet Pez at another questionable bar, and he could rely on his charming best friend to do the heavy lifting.
When he stepped outside, Henry quickly saw that he wasn’t alone. Alex was leaning against the wall, letting out a long sigh and slowly blinking long, dark lashes. His cheeks were flushed and his curly hair looked a bit wild, as if he’d been dancing and drinking all night. Henry’s gaze traveled hungrily up and down the length of the gorgeous stranger, and for the briefest minute, he almost felt alive again.
“Having fun?” Alex asked with amusement in his voice, giving Henry an unsubtle once-over. He tilted his head to the side as he waited for a response.
“I suppose, yeah,” Henry finally answered with his eyes locked on the tan expanse of Alex’s neck, exposed and practically begging Henry to sink his teeth into it. Not here, Henry reminded himself, not yet. They exchanged names and a few more pleasantries, and Henry easily convinced Alex to come home with him.
During their walk, Alex promptly revealed his infuriatingly charming personality. He rattled on about his sister June, his meticulous plans to become a civil rights attorney, and his strong opinions about everything under the sun. Henry listened to this outpouring of sincerity and sass, and he simply didn’t have the heart to go through with his plans.
Henry hadn’t made a genuine friend in decades, and he couldn’t bring himself to pass up the chance of building that with Alex. Alex was surprisingly amenable to Henry’s shift in demeanor, agreeing to stop at a café instead of going home together. They talked for hours on end and exchanged numbers before parting.
Henry went out and fed the following night instead. Sometimes he thinks it’s the best decision he’s ever made.
Three Years Later
Henry can’t honestly say he’s too surprised at how Alex handles the whole ‘ I’m a vampire ’ revelation. During their time as roommates and friends, Henry and Alex have learned all of each other’s quirks and patterns. He knows that any shock Alex feels will quickly subside into support, and that’s pretty much how it goes.
Unfortunately, Henry forgot to account for Alex’s insatiable curiosity and penchant for leaving no question unanswered. It’s one of the things he loves most about Alex, but he’s also never been the subject of Alex’s hyperfixation. He’d find it annoying if it were anyone else, Henry thinks during the third morning of endless interrogation.
He’s sitting down to drink a much-needed cup of tea when Alex comes and leans against the doorway of their shared kitchen. Henry rolls his eyes and prepares for the questions that won’t stop coming.
“So, why do you have a reflection?” Alex asks critically as he nods his head towards the small decorative mirror on the wall.
“It’s just another myth, Alex,” Henry replies after taking a sip of his steaming Earl Grey. “We spread that one ourselves to make finding us more difficult.”
Alex points out the window above the sink. “The daylight thing is a myth, too, right?”
Henry laughs a bit smugly but not unkindly. “Actually, that one is true,” he says as he holds up his hand in front of him. He nods to the golden signet ring on his pinky finger. “I wear this for protection. I’m honestly not sure how it works - vampire magic, perhaps.”
“Magic,” Alex scoffs as if that’s an absurd possibility despite his newfound knowledge of certain mythical creatures. Henry shrugs and nods as Alex goes quiet, undoubtedly making a mental note to research it later. Henry finishes his tea and places his mug in the sink, enjoying the bit of silence while it lasts.
“You’re going out tonight,” Alex states as he plops down next to Henry on the sofa. Henry pauses the episode of Bake Off and raises an eyebrow in response. “Are you going out so you can, y’know…” Alex trails off and gestures wildly with his hand, taking two fingers and poking the tips into his neck, making a theatrical biting motion with his mouth.
“Am I going out to feed?” Henry says bluntly and hides his amusement at Alex’s small grimace. “Yes, that’s the plan.”
“You’re not going to - when you feed on people you don’t, like…” Alex trails off, looking uncharacteristically uncomfortable. Henry feels his spine stiffen when he realizes what Alex is asking him.
“I don’t kill people, Alex, if that’s what you want to know.”
Alex’s expression turns guilty. “Sorry,” he says with wide eyes and a sincere tone. Henry’s posture relaxes and he immediately forgives Alex - he always does. It’s always been that way with Alex, if Henry’s honest with himself. “I just didn’t know for sure, but I didn’t think you would, Henry. I’m sorry.”
“It’s alright,” Henry replies quietly. “Do you have any other questions or would you like to enjoy today’s episode with me?” After a beat of silence passes, he picks up the remote.
“Can I come with you and watch?” Alex says hurriedly as if the question wasn’t supposed to ever leave his mouth. He has the decency to look mildly embarrassed.
It takes a long moment for the words to fully register. Henry’s never let anyone watch him feed before, not even the few humans he’s seriously dated here and there. In those relationships, the men were happy to supply Henry with their blood, but no one’s ever asked to watch it happen.
Henry thinks he should be more surprised, but Alex simply works this way. His curiosity and good-natured nosiness outweigh any filter, especially when it comes to their close friendship. Henry does, however, shock himself with his reply to Alex.
“Why not?” Henry says before he can think twice. “If you think you can handle it, you can watch.” He doesn’t wait for a reply, turning his focus back to the television. Alex takes the dismissal and nods, only fist-pumping once as he promptly stands and leaves the room.
The club is dark and just questionable enough that Henry doesn’t stand out lingering in a corner booth and surveying tonight’s crowd. Alex is glued to his side as if they’re a couple, and Henry normally would revel in this. Unfortunately, Alex’s behavior makes Henry far less approachable, so he can’t help but feel slightly annoyed.
“Alex,” Henry murmurs lowly, eliciting a shiver from Alex’s body. Interesting, Henry thinks to himself. They’re pressed so closely that he can practically taste the salty layer of sweat on Alex’s skin. He shoves the thought away quickly. “Why don’t you go and get a drink at the bar?”
Alex huffs and puts on an exaggerated pout but says nothing in response. His behavior is unusual tonight, but Henry chalks it up to nerves about watching the feeding that’s soon to come. “You’re scaring off my potential meal,” he says teasingly while nudging Alex’s side with his elbow.
“Fine,” Alex mutters. “Don’t start anything until I’m back though,” he adds before exiting the booth. He says it as if the two of them will be feeding together. Henry briefly entertains the fantasy of that scenario, of turning Alex into an immortal being and sharing meals and a lifetime together. An endless forever with Alex is something Henry can only consider a foolish desire.
He’s pulled out of his thoughts as a sandy-haired man appears next to him, smiling slowly and openly.
“Hello there,” the man says while eyeing Henry without a hint of subtlety. In any other scenario, Henry would find this boldness off-putting. Right now, he’s too hungry to mind at all and figures it’s a convenience. “Wanna dance with me?” the man asks.
Henry glances over to the bar but doesn’t spot Alex. “Sure,” Henry replies, deciding to take the opportunity while it’s there. Alex will catch up with him in a bit. Anyways, it’s not like Henry plans to feed in the middle of the dancefloor. They slide out of the booth and Henry lets the man take his hand, leading him into the small crowd.
A sharp jab to his shoulder causes Henry to pull his face away from where it’s nuzzled into the man’s slender neck. He smells nice and appetizing, and Henry’s been fighting off the desire to sink his teeth in right here and now.
He instantly forgets all about the idea as he turns to see Alex, who’s staring at Henry with a scorching look that’s reserved for when he’s truly pissed off.
“Henry,” Alex says flatly, anger coming off of him in waves. “You said you wouldn’t start until I came back.”
“I haven’t done anything, Alex,” Henry sighs, letting go of the man reluctantly. The stranger’s gaze darts between Henry and Alex, and he takes a small step backward.
“Am I interrupting something?” the man asks warily. Henry wants to say no, but he knows this doesn’t look good. He doesn’t know how to explain it away easily. The man’s attention is already slipping away as his eyes scan the crowd for an escape route.
“Actually, you are,” Alex replies with venom in his voice. Henry whips his head around, stunned at what he just heard. Before he can say a word, the man throws his hands up as if to say ‘ good riddance ’ and hastily walks away. Great, Henry thinks, there goes his dinner.
“Are you happy with yourself?” he asks Alex without bothering to hide his frustration. Alex simply stares at Henry angrily but doesn’t respond. Henry scoffs in disbelief at such childish behavior, snatching the amber-colored drink from Alex’s hand. He can’t feel the effects of alcohol, but he makes a show of gulping it slowly. Henry sees Alex’s eyes track the movement of his throat as he swallows. He licks a few remaining droplets from his lips before arching an eyebrow.
“You owe me a drink,” Alex says as he snatches the glass away. His voice is rough and deeper than usual.
“And you owe me a drink,” Henry retorts hotly. He steps into Alex’s space and nuzzles the crook of his neck. His lips barely graze the skin, drawing a full-body shiver and audible gasp from Alex. “You owe me,” Henry repeats. “Don’t you agree, Alex?”
Henry honestly doesn’t know why he asked the question. Aside from the part where he’s craved Alex for three years, he doesn’t know why he picked now of all times to act on it. Perhaps he was pushed to the brink by Alex’s possessive antics tonight. Perhaps it’s the way Alex is so clearly curious to see Henry feed. Perhaps all these things combined to make Henry finally take the risk and ask.
“Yes,” Alex breathes out quickly. “Fuck, please, yes, let’s go.” He sets his empty glass on the nearest surface and brings his hands to cup Henry’s face. “C’mon, Hen.”
Henry pulls back enough to take a careful look at Alex. He sees the rosy color flooding his cheeks and the way his pupils have turned into massive jet-black marbles.
“Please, what?” Henry asks, needing to truly confirm what’s happening right now.
Alex’s eyes flutter briefly and he leans in, lowering his voice as he whispers “Please feed from me.”
His words are genuine and desperate, and Henry knows he’s helpless to deny Alex. It’s not like he ever could say no to him.
“Yes, alright,” Henry murmurs, pressing his thumb to the underside of Alex’s jaw. His pulse is strong and fast, and Henry fights the immense urge to start feeding then and there. He can wait just a bit longer, he says to himself. Alex is worth it.
“Let’s go home,” Henry says, leading Alex to the club’s closest exit.
The short walk is filled with silence as they hold each other close. They arrive home just minutes later, and neither Henry nor Alex wastes another single moment. Henry is thrumming with anticipation and excitement as he presses Alex up against their closed front door. It’s been centuries since he’s felt this way about feeding. Instead of a mechanical routine, it’s intoxicating and all-consuming.
“Are you sure you want this, Alex?” Henry asks while nosing at Alex’s warm neck. He gently grips his chin, tilting Alex’s head to gain better access.
“So fucking sure,” Alex replies, hands eagerly grabbing at every bit of Henry’s body he can reach. “Do you ever fu-” his words cut off as Henry pushes up his shirt and drags his nails down Alex’s sides.
Henry grins into Alex’s skin before pulling back to look at him. “Have you got a question for me?”
Alex inhales a ragged breath and meets Henry’s eyes with a heavy-lidded expression. “Do you ever fuck people while you feed from them?”
Henry’s hands grip Alex’s hips reflexively. Truthfully, Henry doesn’t usually do that. It’s been a while since he’s had sex - longer than he’d care to admit. But right now, what he wants is everything Alex is willing to give. His body, his blood, Henry needs it like a drug.
Henry smiles hungrily and leans down to whisper into Alex’s ear. “Why? Do you want me to fuck you, Alex?”
“Fuck, yes,” Alex groans out, making Henry smile even wider. “Please, fuck.”
Henry turns his head until their mouths brush together. He threads his fingers through Alex’s hair and grips it lightly. “Yes, love. Of course.”
They shed their clothes as they fumble down the hallway, leaving them half-naked by the time they reach Henry’s bedroom. Alex’s tight briefs do nothing to hide how hard he is, and Henry takes a moment to appreciate the sight. His eyes are locked on Alex’s body as he discards the rest of his clothing.
They’ve seen each other barely clothed before, a natural occurrence over the years living together with an easygoing dynamic. Until now, though, Henry’s never allowed his gaze to linger on Alex’s toned, bare thighs. He’s overcome with the image of his teeth sinking into them, consuming Alex in more ways than one.
“You’re stunning,” Henry murmurs and delights in the way Alex’s cheeks flush.
“Hush,” Alex mumbles, not quite like his usual confident self. He tries to play it off jokingly. “I’m a sure bet, no need to try and flatter me.”
Henry shakes his head as he steps forward, closing the distance between him and Alex. “I mean it, Alex,” he says softly, placing his hands on Alex’s hips. “You’re so beautiful. I’ve wanted you since the first night we met.”
Alex bites his bottom lip before giving Henry a small smile. His mouth is red and glistening from their frantic kissing. Henry can’t help but lean forward to gently press a tender kiss to Alex’s lips.
“Me too, H,” Alex whispers once they pull apart again. “Wanted you so bad then, want you now, want you all the time.” He walks backward towards the bed, grabbing Henry’s hand to guide him along. He sits down as his legs hit the mattress, and Henry quickly climbs into his lap while shoving Alex onto his back. He leans down and tangles one hand into Alex’s wild curls, tilting his head so their lips meet again. Alex whimpers into the kiss, grabbing at Henry’s hips to desperately shove his pants down as much as possible.
“Fuck,” Alex gasps as his hand slides into Henry’s briefs. Henry’s hips jerk forward when Alex begins stroking him, and Henry grips his shoulders to steady himself. A smug smile appears on Alex’s face. “Does that feel good, baby?”
Henry’s eyes flutter at the pet name then he quickly schools his features. No, he tells himself, he’s not letting Alex get the upper hand. Henry is the strong, unyielding, centuries-old creature in this equation. He’s not letting Alex get away with anything tonight.
Henry doesn’t answer Alex’s question and instead climbs off him to reach into his bedside drawer. He grabs a bottle of lube and a condom. Although the undead don’t have to worry about STDs, Henry wants to be considerate either way - he’ll gladly give Alex the reassurance of protection.
He moves up the bed until he’s sitting with his back against the headboard. He gestures for Alex to come closer and reaches out a hand to guide him. Alex climbs into Henry’s lap, unabashedly eager and so, so beautiful. Henry can see a dark, wet patch forming in the front of Alex’s briefs where he’s leaking. It shoots a bolt of red hot heat up Henry’s spine. That might be his favorite thing about Alex, he thinks to himself as they discard their underwear. Alex makes him feel so many things.
Alex settles in Henry’s lap and begins jerking his cock again. Henry is pulled from his thoughts and redirects his focus. There’s no time to get lost in his head when Alex is right here, perfect and ready and wanting.
“Would you like to ride me, love?” Henry asks as he reaches around to grip Alex’s ass. He spreads his perfect cheeks apart and moves one hand down, grazing a dry fingertip against Alex’s tight hole. Alex shudders violently from head to toe and his eyes flutter closed.
“Yes, baby,” Alex moans as he nods. Please, yes.”
“Well, since you asked so nicely…” Henry responds while uncapping the lube. He tears the condom wrapper open, but he’s deterred by Alex batting it out of his hand. Henry looks up at Alex, his expression gently posing the question ‘ Are you sure? ’.
“Want to feel you,” Alex says with fierce certainty. “Want to feel all of you.” Henry strokes Alex’s cheek and nods his head in agreement. He coats his fingers with lube and works a single wet digit into Alex. Alex keens loudly and grinds down, seeking out more of the sensation.
Henry feels drunk on Alex’s responsiveness, his sounds and movements are full of undeniable need. Henry works his way up to three fingers as Alex pants and bears down eagerly. Once he’s certain Alex is ready, Henry slicks himself up and slowly pushes inside as they both moan freely.
Alex works his hips down, making small rocking movements that Henry matches with his own motions until Alex is fully seated on Henry’s cock. Alex goes completely still, his eyes closed as he takes heaving breaths. It feels indescribable to Henry, being surrounded by Alex’s tight heat. He knows that this feeding will be like nothing he’s ever experienced before, knows that he’ll feel it through Alex’s entire body.
Henry glides his hands down Alex’s chest, pausing to tweak his nipples and trace circles with his fingertips. Alex opens his eyes and starts to rock his hips, quickly working up to fully bouncing, his head lolling back and forth as he moves. Henry grips Alex’s hips hard enough to leave marks and fucks up into him. He adjusts the angle until Alex is making incoherent little sounds and desperately grabbing at Henry’s hair.
Henry smiles up at him. “Is that it, love? Does it feel good?”
“Yes, fuck, baby,” Alex rambles as he makes nearly pornographic noises. “I’m close,” he slurs, blinking slowly and gazing down at Henry. “I’m so close.”
Henry nods in acknowledgment and leans forward, pressing a hard kiss to Alex’s lips before moving down to his neck. He gently pecks the smooth skin a few times and grazes his teeth carefully over one small spot. Alex realizes what’s about to happen and gasps, clenching tightly around Henry’s cock. Henry sinks his teeth in, and he feels Alex start to come almost instantly.
Alex’s blood gushes out hot and quick, tasting more delicious than Henry could have ever imagined. Alex lets out a broken wail, sounding utterly destroyed as Henry continues to fuck him and feed from him. The noise is enough to push Henry over the edge, sucking and drinking every drop of blood he can get until he spills hotly inside of Alex.
When Henry’s hips are finally still, Alex lets himself fall forward, boneless but still gripping Henry’s shoulders tightly. His breathing is ragged as Henry carefully cleans up a bit of spilled blood, licking reverently over the puncture wounds in Alex’s neck. Once he’s finished up, he softly kisses Alex’s cheek and maneuvers him off his lap to lie on the bed.
Henry grabs tissues from the nightstand to wipe the mess from their bodies. He twists sideways to throw them away, stretching languidly before turning back to face Alex. He’s surprised at how brightly Alex looks at him, seeming relaxed yet still sharp. Henry is used to people falling asleep immediately after he’s done feeding. Then again, Alex always seems to be the exception to every single rule.
“Hey, sweetheart,” Alex says, his voice raspy and deep. Henry can’t help but smile fondly.
“Hello, love,” Henry replies, leaning down to kiss Alex. He keeps the pace slow and sweet, letting himself enjoy the moments of tenderness. “How do you feel?”
“Fucking stellar,” Alex responds with laughter in his voice. “More than stellar. Am I supposed to feel like this? Like, insanely satisfied?”
Henry shrugs one shoulder, not knowing how to answer him. Though he’s always respectful when he feeds, he’s never cared enough to ask anyone how it feels for them. “Well, you did just have quite the orgasm,” Henry says.
“Damn right,” Alex replies as Henry rolls his eyes, leaning in to quiet Alex’s chatter with more indulgent kissing.
The next morning, Henry is brushing his teeth when Alex comes up behind him.
“So, your fangs don’t leave scars, huh?” Alex asks as their eyes meet in the mirror.
Henry shakes his head, rinsing his mouth before he responds. “They don’t. When I tend to the wound afterward, something in my saliva heals the bite and prevents scarring.”
“Right, magic or whatever,” Alex says faux seriously as he steps forward, wrapping his arms around Henry’s waist from behind. Henry takes a long look at their reflection, from their tousled hair to the love bites littered across Alex’s chest. The sight of them together like this makes Henry’s sarcastic retort die on his tongue.
“Shut up, you,” he mutters distractedly without looking away. Sometimes Henry wonders why he’s so enamored with the mouthy man pressed against his back.
Alex smiles devilishly in the mirror. “Why don’t you try and make me?” he retorts as he spins Henry around so they’re face to face.
Oh right, Henry thinks to himself as he pulls Alex into an eager kiss. This is probably why he feels the way he does.