Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Anton’s list of priorities, in order of importance, was as follows: 

1. Viago
2. His pack
3. His job
4. Everything else in the world
5. His own health

He knew he was being ridiculous. He had heard it enough from Viago, in long lectures usually following Anton falling asleep standing up inside The Big Kumara .

Anton rarely slept anymore. His days were spent at his job, working diligently as a park ranger. While the sun was up, all of his energy was focused directly on his pack and the visitors to his park. 

He took every precaution necessary to make sure neither party was harmed. When it came to the pack, this included constantly responding to questions from his packmates over text, sending emails to confirm various appointments on behalf of the boys, and studying the upcoming moon phases. 

For the visitors, it meant sprinting at full speed through the woods to reach an injured hiker, keeping an eye on the weather forecasts, and yelling at couples trying to make out in the forest. 

“You think you are invincible, but you are not,” Viago told him one evening as they walked home in the cold. Anton shivered as Viago held his elbow, clearly more affected by the cold weather than his undead boyfriend. He had been so tired after work, he went to the vampires’ household without even considering bringing a coat.

Anton shoved his hands into his jean pockets, still keeping his elbow bent for Viago to hold. “I don’t think I’m invincible . I just don’t need as much as everyone else. I’m–”

“ THE ALPHA . Yes, we know!” Deacon exclaimed as he approached from behind, pushing Anton away to walk between the couple.

Anton was impressed with himself, since he only growled at Deacon a little bit. Viago was less impressed with him. He shot him a scolding glance. 

Despite the vampires and werewolves of Wellington having been at peace with each other for almost two years, the vampires always seemed to know exactly how to piss off the werewolves, and vice versa.

Or maybe it was just Deacon.

“You deserve the same luxuries as your pack, meine liebe . Alpha or no,” Viago insisted, moving his hand to Anton’s wrist as they moved back toward one another. 

“If you say so, babe,” Anton spoke through a yawn, clearly trying to wrap up the conversation they’d had many times before. He knew it was bad to neglect his needs, but in his eyes, he had no choice.

What’s the point of a werewolf pack having an alpha if he doesn’t give everything he has to his packmates?

Once they had arrived back at the vampires’ home, Deacon and Vladislav made their way to the sitting room, where Stu had recently installed a TV that he had set up to turn on to the historical channel, saving the ancient men from the trouble of the remote control.

Viago took hold of Anton’s hand and led him up the stairs to his bedroom, as was their typical routine.

On an average day, as soon as Anton got home from work, he would put out any (metaphorical and literal) fires necessary at his place (usually caused by the Nathans or Declan), stuff his face with the first meat-based item he could find in the fridge, and drive over to the vampire residence to spend time with Viago.

They usually stayed up together for as long as possible, until Anton eventually fell asleep in Viago’s arms. 

Tonight, though as soon as Viago got Anton into the bedroom that they now shared for multiple nights a week, he pressed him against the door and kissed him with urgency.

That woke Anton up a bit.

He settled his warm hands on Viago’s perfect waist, kissing back with as much energy as he could muster, and Viago began pressing kisses to his jaw.

Please, for the love of God, Anton thought. Don’t make me choose between sex and sleep.

Anton took a deep breath and very gently cupped Viago’s face, pulling him back enough to look at him.

“I can tell where this is going, and I am very much on board…but if we’re gonna fuck tonight, I’m gonna need you to do most of the hard work.” He paused. “All of the hard work.”

Viago smiled, exposing his adorable fangs. “That is 5 dollars into the swearing jar. And I understand, liebling ,” he leaned back in to press kisses against Anton’s Adam’s apple. “Be a good boy and lay down.”

Even in his exhausted state, Anton felt every hair on his body stand straight as a shiver ran through him. Viago is the only person who could call Anton a “good boy” and manage to give him a boner about it.

Anton gave Viago another quick kiss before rushing over to Viago’s open coffin.

When they first started dating, Anton was incredibly apprehensive about sleeping in the coffin. It took almost four months for Viago to convince him to even lay in it. The first time Viago had closed the lid with Anton inside, he thought he was going to have a heart attack.

Slowly but surely, he got used to the confined space, which was significantly easier to handle when he was with Viago. Since his initial panic attacks, the worst experience he’d had with Viago’s coffin came when he hit the back of his head on the lid so hard that it left a giant lump on his skull and a sore neck for weeks.

Anton lied and told people he hit his head on a doorframe in the middle of the night. Viago told the truth and told people that Anton had hit his head on the lid while he was attempting to ride Viago’s dick in the coffin.

In Anton’s defense, he had had a bit to drink that night. And he was deliriously tired. Like always.

Viago eventually splurged on a new, double-wide, extra-tall coffin for the two of them. Custom made. The gesture was touching, if not a little strange. Anton appreciated the extra room immediately, not only for the sexual possibilities, but for the fact that he was no longer going to smack Viago in the face while he was stretching out in his sleep.

Viago approached Anton after grabbing two things: a bottle of lube and Anton’s collar.

“Do not fall asleep just yet, welpe ,” he settled into the coffin, leaving the lid open, and gently ran his hand down Anton’s chest. “Let me take care of you.”

Anton fought the strong urge to whimper, chewing on his bottom lip as Viago unbuttoned and pulled off his jeans. Once again, Viago was making him what he considered to be unreasonably horny.

“Viago…” he breathed and arched his back as Viago fiddled with the waistband of his briefs.

“Bup bup bup!” Viago protested, immediately stopping his movements and pressing his index finger against Anton’s lips. “I thought that I was doing the hard work, my heart. That means you must relax.”

Anton’s lips twitched up in a slight smile and he nodded at his lover. He forced himself to lie flat and took a deep breath as Viago pulled off his t-shirt.

Viago leaned in close and gently kissed Anton’s neck, applying the slightest amount of suction to make Anton’s heart skip. After thoroughly coating the area in tiny hickeys and love bites, he secured the brown leather and stainless steel collar around Anton’s throat, adjusting the heart-shaped name tag that sat just below his Adam’s apple.

The tag said “Property of VVDSSH”, per Anton’s request. The acronym representing Viago’s full name was not ideal, but Viago insisted that he wanted to add more than just his first name.

“I do not want to be mixed up with a different Viago!” He had told Anton while they were customizing the piece online. 

Anton had a very hard time saying “no” to him when he gave such a genuine pout.

“There he is. My beautiful boy,” Viago smiled sweetly at Anton, who immediately blushed from the attention.

When Viago slowly traced a path down to his cock with his finger, Anton couldn’t hold in his needy moan. It was as though the collar had dissolved the last of his inhibitions, the last of his worries. It always did.

Viago ran his fingernails down the shaft of Anton’s half-hard cock, watching his stomach move with shaky breaths. “I could watch you all night, dearest.”

Anton’s exhausted body teetered between the possibility of coming far too soon (extremely horny) or never being able to come at all (extremely tired).

When Viago started to massage his hole with two chilly, lubed fingers, Anton realized that he was most definitely going to come tonight.

Viago fingered him slowly, making very sure that he was stimulating Anton’s prostate as he stretched the tight muscles with his fingers. He knew Anton’s body like his own, and he knew exactly how to make Anton fall apart in front of him.

By the time Viago had properly prepped Anton, the latter was whimpering and pleading into the open air, begging please and Vi and more . 

If the word daddy happened to slip out once or twice, Anton would deny it forever.

Viago pulled himself away to strip himself naked, then prepped his cock with some of their lube. Anton was practically drooling as he watched.

Viago propped himself above Anton with a hand on either side of his head, smiling down at him. “Spread your legs more, welpe . There you go, very good. So obedient for me, hm?”

As Viago pushed into Anton, both men let out long moans, staring into one another’s eyes. They rarely took their eyes off of one another in bed, unless their position made eye contact impossible or uncomfortable. And as much as Anton hated the name, he was partial to a good “doggy style”.

“Fucking hell, Vi…” Anton moaned and held tight to the blanket beneath them.

“Do not curse at me, pup,” Viago tried to speak firmly, but his satisfied smile broke through the facade of anger.

Anton’s already fuzzy sense of time fell even more out of whack as Viago fucked into him, speaking to him in German and sending him to heaven with every brush against his prostate.

It may have been minutes before Anton was cumming his brains out against his stomach, it may have been hours. Probably not seconds. 

“Such an eager puppy dog,” Viago grinned as he watched him, maintaining his steady thrusts.

“Viago, please…” Anton breathed out, his whole body shaking from the overstimulation. “I need you. Cum in me, please. Please make me yours-”

Viago cut him off with a long, loud groan, accompanied by the feeling of him spilling into Anton. His cum was significantly colder than Anton’s, or any other living creature’s, but Anton had grown to love the feeling.

“ Blutige Hölle …” Viago let out a large, ultimately unnecessary breath as he pulled out, watching his cum spill out of Anton.

“Swear…jar…” Anton panted weakly, still struggling to gain control of his body.

“Hush,” Viago scolded tiredly as he reached behind Anton’s head. He loosened and removed the collar, setting it on the bedside table.

Viago laid beside Anton, resting his head on his chest. He always loved listening to his heartbeat.

They laid in blissful silence for about 5 minutes before Anton’s cell phone started ringing from the pocket of his discarded jeans.

“Is silence too much to ask for?” Anton rubbed his hands over his face, sitting up slowly. Viago whined when his boyfriend/pillow moved, laying on his back.

Anton grabbed his phone and yawned as he answered the incoming call, not bothering to look at the caller ID.

“Yeah? Hey, Nate,” he answered, glancing back at Viago as he pulled on Anton’s t-shirt.

“You what? Hey, slow down, mate, you’re drunk. No, no one is mad at you,” Anton held the phone between his ear and his shoulder as he pulled on his jeans,

“You’re at my place? Okay, I’ll be there in ten, I’m at Vi’s. It’s no problem,” he assured and shot Viago an apologetic glance.

“Yup. Yeah. Okay, see you soon,” he hung up and shoved his phone into his back pocket. “Nathan got plastered and started looking through pictures of his ex. He’s a wreck, I need to go keep him company.”

Viago gave a small huff in annoyance. “And it is your job to do this because…?”

“I’m his alpha. I should support him.”

“What if I need my alpha right now?” Viago gave his signature pout. Damn.

“I will be back before you even notice I’m gone,” Anton assured him and walked over, bending over so he could meet Viago’s eyes in the coffin. “I swear.”

Viago sighed dramatically and kissed Anton’s lips, holding his face. “Go, schatz . You are a very good alpha.”

Anton couldn't help but smile. “I love you, babe.”

“ Ich liebe dich , sweet love.”

Anton took back his t-shirt before leaving the vampires’ home, blinking rapidly to clear the blurry dots from his vision. He could have fallen asleep on the pavement.

He found the keys to his Jeep and began the drive home, listening to a radio host ramble on about something or other at a quiet volume.

He thought about Viago. About soft lips and cold hands and little manufactured gasps. He thought about holding him tight, kissing his soft hair, showing him videos on his phone before bed.

He thought about falling asleep with Viago in his arms. Safe and warm. He loved being Viago’s protector. He loved being his cuddle buddy even more, though.

Anton’s face shifted into a tired smile as he thought of his love. He could practically feel himself slipping away into sleep.

Heavenly silence. Peace and calm.

Anton didn’t realize he had run into the tree until he felt glass lodge itself in his forehead.

Chapter Text

Anton woke up in a room that was significantly colder and more sterile than he preferred. 

“What the hell…?” he mumbled and lifted his arm to scratch a gnarly itch on his forehead.

He was shocked to find an IV tube attached to his hand, and a thick bandage secured to his forehead. 

His jeans and t-shirt had been replaced by a stiff hospital gown, and his body was draped in freezing, starched blankets. 

He was overwhelmed with the scent of rubbing alcohol and some kind of vague sterile aroma that he couldn’t place.

“Hey,” Stu said from the corner of the small room, smiling sweetly. He was still wearing his pajamas: an old gray t-shirt and red plaid pajama pants. “How do you feel?”

Anton took a moment to blink away his confusion before he registered the throbbing pain in his skull, and the much sharper pain in his legs. And ribs. And left arm. And everywhere else.

“Like garbage…” Anton replied, shocked by the gravel in his voice. “What happened?”

“You don’t remember? You ran your Jeep headfirst into a tree,” Stu grabbed his phone from the small table. “You weren’t wearing your seatbelt…you got a nasty concussion, and you broke your wrist and your leg. it’s a miracle you lived.”

Anton felt the blood drain from his face as Stu spoke. “Holy shit…I…” he paused and stared at the ceiling. He suddenly remembered the events of the previous night.

Getting drinks. Going home with Viago. Getting nailed by Viago. Getting a call from Nathan. Leaving to go see him. Shit.

“Is Nathan okay? Is he still at mine?” Anton forced himself into a sitting position, his body aching and twinging as he moved. “I should call him, let him know what happened. Where’s my phone?” he looked around frantically.

“Anton. You need to relax. Everyone is fine, Nathan is with Dion. I texted everyone, so they know what happened, and they’ll be in to visit you throughout the day,” Stu said calmly, holding up his hand.

“They don’t need to visit if it’s too big a hassle,” Anton said through a yawn, his eyes fluttering closed once again. “Mm, don’t let me fall asleep, I promised Vi I’d-” 

Viago. Shit .

His eyes shot open and he felt around for his phone once again. “What time is it? Stu, what time is it?” He looked over to his friend, alarm bells ringing in his head.

Stu looked at his watch. “It’s…6:12.”

“At night?”

“No, in the morning.”

“Fuck. Sun rose like ten minutes ago…” Anton mumbled, fighting off the fuzziness of his brain. His breathing began to pick up and he felt his teeth shifting in his mouth. “I can’t find my fucking phone!”

“Calm down. I called the vampires right after I found out.”

“When did you find out?”

“Around midnight. The EMTs called me, since Nathan didn’t pick up. They couldn’t find any emergency contacts on file for you, which is concerning, since you-”

“What did Viago say? Did you talk to him?”

Stu smiled slightly. “He’s worried. I mean, we all are, but him especially.”

Anton sighed heavily. “God, I want to see him…”

“We’re going to try and get him in to visit when the sun sets. But…” Stu trailed off.

“‘But’ what?” Anton frowned and scratched at his ribs, wincing.

“We’re not sure if hospital is the best place for the vampires to be…” Stu quirked up the corner of his mouth in thought. “All the blood and sick people…”

“Well, I’ll just have to go see him when I get out. It’ll only be a few more hours, right?” Anton huffed, choosing to remain hopeful.

“...more like a few days. I’m sorry, Anton.”

Anton groaned and fought the urge to chuck something against the wall. “At least he’s asleep. So he can’t freak out too much…right?”

~~~

Viago was on his third medical website of the day, chewing on the straw stuck into his bloody mug as he read the page.

He had drawn every curtain in the house and settled in the parlor as soon as he had gotten the call from Stu. The thought of sleeping while his Anton withered away in a cold, lonely hospital made his heart wrench. 

“Nick, ask the computer what Anton is doing right now,” Viago told his flatmate, peering over his shoulder at the bright screen.

“Viago, I told you, the internet doesn’t know what everyone is doing all the time,” Nick sighed tiredly, rubbing his eyes. “I’m sure Anton is doing fine, mate. Just…go to bed.”

Viago sighed dramatically and looked to the ceiling. “How can I sleep without my love…?”

“The same way you have slept for the past 300 years, Viago,” Deacon chimed in from his spot on the couch, where he was fighting sleep while laying against Vladislav.

“It is different now! You do not understand, you have not found your true love,” Viago huffed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “He is my heart, he is my soul. He is my world. I refuse to go on without him.”

“Alright, let’s get to bed, Shakespeare,” Nick yawned and stood, leading Viago up to his bedroom by the elbow and closing the door pointedly as he left.

Viago made quick work of stripping out of his clothes and slipping on one of Anton’s rugby hoodies, which swallowed him whole. He loved wearing Anton’s clothes, though he would never admit it, since he often told Anton that his sense of fashion needs “revisiting”.

Anton smelled like musky cologne and bonfires and lavender and pine trees. He always changed his clothes for Viago after he cooked for the pack, since Viago had once complained about the smell of garlic many months back.

But Anton remembered. He always remembered.

He remembered that Viago loved Edelweiss flowers because he used to see them in his garden as a boy. 

He remembered that Viago loved videos of babies laughing, so he always pulled them up on his phone as they lay in bed.

He remembered that Viago liked to be the little spoon, so he always held him protectively from behind. 

Anton remembered everything about the people he loved. He went out of his way to let people know how much he cared, and everyone admired him for that.

He just never took the time to look after himself.

Hence the car accident.

As Viago settled into his coffin, holding the collar of his boyfriend’s hoodie to his nose, his cell phone began to ring with a call from Stu.

Viago pressed answer before he even registered he had. “Yes? Stu?”

“Hi, Viago,” Stu answered in a hushed tone.

“Are you still at hospital?”

“Yeah, I’ll be here for a little while. Did I wake you up?”

“No, I was already wide awake. How is he? Is he in pain? Is he eating enough? Are the doctors being good to him?” Viago rambled on.

“He’s doing okay, he’s asleep right now. His face is pretty busted up…he’s got a black eye and some cuts on his head from the glass. The rest of his body isn’t in much better shape, I’m afraid.”

Viago took in a sharp, but ultimately unnecessary breath. “Oh, my poor love…I will be in to see him as soon as the sun sets.”

“Yeah, about that…are you sure you can handle being in a hospital, mate?”

“What? Do not be ridiculous, Stu, I am not a child.”

“I know that, but…there’s a lot of bloody business around here. Anton included.”

Viago absolutely hated how his mouth watered at the mention of Anton’s blood. “I will be fine. I will eat before I visit so that I am not as hungry.”

“If you say so, I’ll trust you. His mum’s flying in tomorrow so she can stay with him overnight.”

“I can stay with him overnight, she mustn’t worry herself.”

“That’s another thing…the hospital only allows one overnight guest. And I the boys and I figured Anton’s mum should be the guest…”

Viago felt his heart breaking again. “So when am I able to visit?”

“The sun sets around 6:45, and visiting hours end at 10, so…”

“Only three hours?!”

“I’m sorry, Viago, I know it’s not ideal.”

Viago resisted the urge to hiss into his phone, reminding himself that Stu had as much control over the situation as he did. “Well…at least I will get to meet his mother tomorrow.”

“...Viago, I have pretty bad news.”

Shit. Can one thing go well today?

“So…Anton’s mum doesn’t know he’s gay. And he doesn’t want her to know yet. So you are his very good German friend from uni.”

Fuck.

He remembered Anton talking to him about his mother in the past.

“Our relationship’s solid,” he had said as he rubbed his nose against the nape of Viago’s neck. “But…I think she’d be disappointed in me if she knew I liked guys. You know?”

Viago didn’t know, but he nodded anyway. 

“I don’t want her to think less of me. I know that’s probably cowardly…”

“Nonsense, liebling . You are not a coward. You are simply thinking of your relationship with your mother. You are a good son.”

Anton let out a little huff of air, amused. He began kissing Viago’s neck, smiling into his skin.

“One day, I’ll tell her I’ve met the perfect guy, who I love more than life itself, and she’ll get to meet you and see how amazing you are for herself. And then she can come to our wedding, and play with her grandchildren–”

“Grandchildren?” Viago interrupted with wide eyes. “Meaning… our children?”

“I’m sorry, I should’ve asked…is that something that you want? Kids?”

“With you?” Viago envisioned a mini version of Anton running around, laughing and playing and seeking out Viago for comfort. His heart nearly started beating again.

“I would be honored to have children with you someday, my heart.”

“I…I suppose that’s alright,” Viago said to Stu, twisting the drawstrings of Anton’s hoodie around his fingers.

“There’s something else, Viago,” Stu said, significantly quieter.

“Oh bloody hell, is today cursed?!”

“Anton’s mum doesn’t know about the werewolf thing…or the vampire thing…or anything like that…”

Viago closed his eyes tight and moved the phone away from his mouth for fear he would scream in rage.

“Viago? Are you there?” Stu asked into the phone.

“I am here, Stu. Just…thinking. Very hard,” he replied, glancing up to the lid of his coffin. “I can pretend to be a normal human for a few days. That is no problem.”

“You sure? You don’t have to come if-”

“Do not be stupid, of course I will come to see Anton,” Viago snapped into the phone.

“Right, sorry. Try to sleep, and I’ll see you after sunset, yeah?”

“Alright…thank you, Stu. For looking after him.”

“It’s not a problem. Bye, mate.”

Viago sat in silence for a long time before his eyes started to close on their own accord.

He thought of Anton, of his strong scent and warm hands and frankly unbelievable body. He wished he was in his arms, asking Anton questions about what he was doing on his phone, or trying to teach Anton German (Anton still hadn’t caught on).

He slept through the day with thoughts of his lover swarming in his mind.

Chapter Text

“ HURRY UP! ” Viago shouted down the hall from his place by the front door. He was met with various protests from his three flatmates.

He had awoken as soon as his alarm went off, and he had dressed in what Anton had declared to be his favorite outfit on Viago: a white shirt with a navy blue cravat, waistcoat, jacket, and trousers. Anton said it made his ass look perfect .

“Viago, the stick up your arse will not help your wolf get well,” Vladislav told him as he approached the door.

“I did not ask for your opinion,” Viago huffed and opened the door as the rest of the vampires made their way to the foyer. 

“When we arrive, you will all be pleasant and kind to Anton. You will not tease him or call him names. Understood?”

“Yes, Viago.” “Yeah, man.” “Alright.”

Viago led the group to the hospital via bat flight, forcing himself to fly at a pace that allowed the others to catch up.

When they arrived at the main entrance, they stood outside of the automatic doors and paused, waiting for an employee to pass by. 

“You didn’t get permission before we came?” Nick sighed. 

“I did not think it would be an issue!” Viago hissed and waved down a nurse, who was kind enough to invite them into the hospital.

Viago sprinted up the stairs to Anton’s floor at a very clearly inhuman speed, but was luckily unnoticed by the staff and guests of the hospital.

Stu greeted them at the door from the stairwell and smiled at each of his friends, who were genuinely very delighted to see him. Viago, however, had no time for small talk and pleasantries. He bolted to the room where Anton was being held and stopped at the doorway.

“Anton? Mein schatz ?” he called out, unable to see Anton from his place at the door.

“Come in, Viago,” a tired, weathered voice called to him.

Viago rushed into the room and immediately knelt at Anton’s bedside.

“Oh, my beautiful darling…” he reached out and gently stroked his cheekbone with his cold thumb.

Stu’s description of “bloody business” was not a dramatization; Anton’s face was covered in purple-red bruises and still bloody cuts, held together with surgical staples. Viago could see more bruises trailing down underneath his gown from his neck and chest. He could smell dried blood, and it made his mouth water.

Bloody hell, he smells delicious.

Viago forced himself to put his hunger aside and focus on Anton’s eyes, bloodshot and tired.

“It’s good to see you, baby,” Anton smiled sleepily.

“There is nowhere else I would rather be,” Viago assured him and leaned forward, kissing his lips gently, but passionately.

Anton let out a tiny sound in surprise, but reciprocated the kiss immediately, working to push Viago’s mouth open with his tongue.

Within the span of a few seconds, the kiss became decidedly more heated, causing each man to make sloppy noises against the other’s mouth.

“Do not have sex in a hospital,” Deacon interrupted as the vampires and Stu made their way into the room. “I have learned from experience that that is illegal.”

Anton laughed softly as they pulled away from one another. “Good to see you, mate.”

“You look very bad,” Vladislav said bluntly and took a seat beside Stu in the corner of the room.

“Hush. He looks beautiful,” Viago smiled at his lover and pressed another kiss below his blackened eye.

“Nah, I know it’s bad,” Anton laughed. “If it looks as bad as it feels, I’m screwed.”

Viago’s face fell into a sad frown. “Oh, welpe , is it very painful?”

“I’ll be fine, Vi. Promise.”

“That is not what I asked you.”

“Yeah, it hurts, but I can handle it. I’ll be back on my feet the day after tomorrow.”

“Do not push yourself,” Viago gave him a stern look.

“Why have you not healed yet? You werewolves go on and on about your ‘healing ability’,” Deacon frowned. 

“You heal based on how healthy you are,” Stu chimed in. “The better shape you’re in, the faster you heal. Meaning, you need to be eating right, exercising, sleeping…”

“Yeah, all the shit I don’t have time for,” Anton laughed softly. Stu began to speak again, but Anton unintentionally cut him off. “Guess I could’ve slept more…right now I’m healing at the rate of a human.”

Viago whimpered sadly. “I am going to say ‘I told you so’, but I still feel very bad for you…I did tell you so, though.”

Anton rolled his eyes with a smile and reached to hold Viago’s hand. “Yeah, yeah, you were right,” he teased. “Seriously, how are you doing, babe? Did you sleep?”

“Barely. I only dreamed of you,” Viago pressed kisses to his knuckles repeatedly, watching his face. “It is so cold without you…”

“I’m sorry…” Anton sighed and squeezed Viago’s hand weakly. “I…I’m sorry I’m causing all this trouble.”

“‘Causing trouble’? Anton, you were in an accident. Of course we are going to worry about you.”

“I should have been more careful. I know that drive like the back of my hand.”

“You were exhausted. That is why you got into the accident. You refuse to make time for yourself.”

“I’m an alpha. It’s not my job to take care of myself, it’s my job to take care of my pack.”

“You are being ridiculous. You deserve to enjoy things like everyone else does.”

“I’ll enjoy things when my boys stop needing me, which I hope never happens.”

Viago huffed in annoyance. “Anton, are you hearing yourself?”

“Just drop it, Vi. I’m fine,” Anton yawned. They each paused for a few moments. “Did Stu tell you my mum’s coming in…?”

“He did,” Viago nodded, trying not to let his disappointment show on his face.

He must have failed, since Anton let out an apologetic sigh. “I’m sorry. It’ll just be for a few days, okay? And then we can go back to being lovey and shit.”

“Good. As soon as you are better, I am going to take very good care of my puppy…” Viago trailed his hand up Anton’s arm, giving a small smirk.

“Vi…” Anton’s face turned red and he glanced at the other visitors, who were chatting excitedly with Stu.

“Maybe I will get my puppy a new collar…or maybe a pretty new plug. And a new pair of undies to dress you up in. Would you like that?” Viago flashed a grin.

Anton could feel his nonexistent tail wagging.

“...yeah, I would. Now stop it before I get a boner,” Anton laughed and gently nudged him.

Viago giggled and rested his head against Anton’s bicep. He took in a breath through his nose and frowned, lifting the sheets to look down at Anton’s legs.

“Woah, Vi, here…?” Anton mumbled, trying and failing to press his legs together to hide his bulge from their collar conversation.

“They took away your smell…” Viago frowned and let the sheet fall again. “You smell much worse now.”

“Are you telling me I stink?” Anton teased.

“You smell like…chemicals.”

“It is much better than the usual wet dog smell,” Deacon mumbled, which earned him a hiss from Viago.

Anton laughed and kissed the top of Viago’s head. He paused for a moment and looked at the door.

Speaking of wet dogs...

“Oh no…Stu, did you invite all the boys at once?” Anton asked with a twinge of worry in his voice.

“Why are you asking that?” Viago asked.

His question was quickly answered when the Te Aro wolfpack came rushing into the room, all shouting to be heard over one another.

“Okay, okay! Boys, calm down! QUIET! ” Anton shouted over the group, his voice booming. The pack went silent at once, looking to their alpha.

“One at a time, please. If you’re not trying to talk to me, go sit down,” Anton commanded, keeping his stern tone. 

Viago loved making Anton into his little puppy…but he loved seeing his big, strong alpha command a pack just as much. He bit back a smile as Anton gave his boys instructions.

After everyone was settled in, members of the pack approached one by one, each checking up on Anton, asking about the accident, or telling him to get well soon.

Anton responded diligently to each boy, giving them his full attention while still holding onto Viago’s hand.

“Nathan, are you doing okay? After last night?”

“Dion, thank you for staying with him. Did you close the garage door when you left my place?”

“Declan, how the hell did you get that bruise?”

“I scheduled your doctor’s appointment for 3 on Wednesday. Do not be late, Clifton, it’s important.”

“Do you have any new pictures of the baby, Nathan? Aww, she’s beautiful!”

Viago was stressed just watching him. Anton seemed to have everyone’s schedule, personal details, interests, you name it completely memorized.

“I need to call my supervisor, let him know I won’t be in for a few days,” Anton said after a bit, looking around for his phone.

“I already called,” Stu chirped, still huddled in the corner.

“Thank you, Stu,” Anton smiled slightly, grabbing his phone off of the side table. “Oh, I need to email Dion’s eye doctor, he needs a contact refill. And I should see when Clifton’s prescription’s gonna be ready-”

“Anton,” Viago stopped him. “Enough. Rest. Do not worry about busy work.”

“It’s not busy work, it’s important.”

“Nothing is more important than your health, liebling .”

“While I’m just sitting here, I should make myself useful.”

“You are already useful. Stop arguing with me and lay down.”

“Vi, I-”

“ Lay down ,” Viago said firmly, fixing him with a rather frightening stare.

Anton gulped and slowly sunk down into the bed. 

“Very good. Now, let me see your cellular phone. I will check on everything for you,” Viago took the smartphone out of his hand. 

“Are you sure you know how to work that kind of phone, Viago?” Nathan G asked skeptically.

“I am much smarter than I appear,” Viago said with confidence as he entered Anton’s passcode (1632 - the year Viago was born).

He tapped around for about twenty seconds before looking up at Stu and holding the phone out to him.

Stu gave a polite smile and took the phone, making quick work of Anton’s task list.

“Anton, what are we gonna do about Sunday?” Dion asked, looking over Stu’s shoulder.

“Hm? What’s Sunday?” Anton yawned, closing his eyes.

The pack immediately turned to Anton, panic written across each of their faces.

Stu gulped before he spoke, keeping his voice hushed.

“The full moon.”

Chapter Text

Anton prided himself on his organizational skills. He kept neat, detailed date books with notes written in the margins, color coordinated and everything.

He’d never missed a birthday. He remembered the boys’ anniversaries and reminded them days in advance. He remembered every major holiday, and got the perfect gifts for every person every time.

In his 15 years as an alpha, Anton had never forgotten a full moon. 

His heart sunk in his chest as Stu spoke. He opened his eyes and looked at his boys, immediately wincing at their panicked faces.

He failed. He failed them as an alpha.

“Anton, that’s four days away…” Nathan G spoke softly.

“That’s…” Anton’s voice caught as he spoke. “That’s plenty of time.”

“Is it…?” Declan mumbled.

“Don’t fucking question me,” Anton snapped suddenly, surprising everyone in the room, including himself.

Fight the wolf. Don’t do this.

“I…if I load up on protein and sleep for a few hours, I can speed up the healing. I can be out of here by tomorrow night,” he spoke slowly, letting go of Viago’s hand. 

“That’s enough time to visit with my mum, prep for the moon, and get a few shifts in at the park,” he closed his eyes, trying to imagine his calendar in his brain. Trying to calm the hell down.

“Absolutely not,” Viago frowned. “You cannot force yourself to be better. And even if you could, I would not allow you to work.”

Anton’s body reacted before his mind had a chance to.

“Since when are you the alpha?!” Anton whipped his head over to look at Viago, his irises tinted yellow.

The room fell silent. Everyone tensed. 

Viago’s face fell.

Take a deep breath. Count to ten. Don’t lose it.

“Hey, he’s just worried about you…” Dion spoke up, stepping forward. 

“I’m a grown man, I don’t need people to babysit me,” Anton muttered, clenching his jaw.

“No one’s trying to babysit you, Anton-” Nick spoke up from his spot in the corner.

“I don’t need a bloodsucker’s advice on how to run my pack!” Anton snapped.

A chorus of “Woah!” and “Anton!” and “Hey!” came from his pack. The vampires instinctively hissed, which only put Anton further on edge.

“Unless you are an alpha or a lycanthropy expert, get the fuck out. I need to think,” Anton announced to the room.

When no one made an effort to move, he sat up in bed, ignoring as his muscles and bones screamed in agony. 

“ DID I STUTTER?! ”

The wolfpack immediately shuffled out, recognizing the primal command in their alpha’s voice. Nick, Deacon, and Vladislav followed behind them, glaring at Anton. 

Viago stayed where he was, knelt beside Anton’s bed.

“Have you finished your tamper tantrum?” he asked, looking Anton in the eyes.

“It’s ‘temper’ tantrum, not–” Anton cut himself off. “Shut up.”

Viago stood and walked to the foot of the bed, standing directly in front of Anton. 

“I thought I told you to leave,” Anton muttered, laying back with a wince.

“You should not be alone right now,” Viago said matter-of-factly. “I will stand here for as long as it takes for you to calm down. I do not care if the sun comes up.”

“No!” Anton instinctively jumped at the thought. “Just…can you get me a protein shake out of the cooler?”

Viago did as he asked and returned to his place at the end of the bed, staring at Anton as he chugged the chalky drink.

“...I’m sorry I yelled at you…” Anton mumbled after a moment.

“And?”

“And I’m sorry for yelling at the boys.”

“And?”

“And I’m sorry I called Nick a bloodsucker. But he was being-!”

“Bup!” Viago cut him off swiftly. “I do not care.”

Anton shrunk into himself, feeling like a scolded child. 

“Please eat all of the food that the nurses bring to you. It will help you,” Viago said, his tone softer. “I will stay with you until you fall asleep.”

“I’m not tired,” Anton lied instinctively.

Viago’s gaze shifted back to scolding for a moment. “I will hypnotize you if I have to.”

Anton let out a soft laugh, watching his lover’s face.

What did he do to deserve him?

“...thank you, Vi.”

Viago walked towards him and gently cupped his bruised face. “I have complete faith in you, schatz ,” he whispered. “And whatever you cannot do, I will.”

Anton leaned into Viago’s cold touch, closing his eyes. “I love you.”

“I love you, darling.”

~~~

On Thursday night, when his mother was set to arrive, the only visitors allowed in Anton’s room were Stu and Viago.

When Viago had arrived, Anton’s eyes went wide.

“What are you wearing?”

Viago looked down at his outfit and frowned. “Is it bad?”

“No, not bad…”

Viago had borrowed one of Anton’s All Blacks jerseys, which was about three sizes too big for him. He paired the jersey with his favorite jean jacket, embroidered with flowers, and a pair of horrendous pink camouflage pants. He had kept his Victorian-style shoes, though, which did no favors for the complete look.

He was a fashion disaster. Anton adored everything about him.

“Stu said I should try to look more modern,” Viago pouted. “These are the newest pants I own!”

“Hey, you look great, baby,” Anton assured him and held out his hand for him. He was already doing significantly better, his pain dulled down to soreness as opposed to sharp jabs. He did not look better, though.

Viago walked over and bent down, kissing Anton lovingly.

This close to the full moon, Anton was struggling to keep himself together in more ways than one. 

Viago’s ass in those stupid pants was NOT helping.

“You look really good, Vi…” he mumbled against his lover’s lips, reaching out to hold his hips. “Really sexy.”

Viago giggled and rested his forehead against Anton’s, separating their lips. “ Liebling , I know that look…”

Anton couldn’t fight the little whimper that came from the back of his throat. “Can you blame me? You’re wearing my jersey, and you smell like me, and I can see your sexy neck-”

“My neck?” Viago giggled.

“-and your cute ass…fuck, Vi, I need you,” Anton mumbled, breathing heavier.

“As much as I would love to have you, darling, we are waiting for your mother to arrive. And we are in public.”

“Never stopped us before,” Anton smirked slightly and nipped at Viago’s bottom lip.

“Hush.”

Stu stepped inside the room, checking his phone. He looked up and went slightly red. “...am I interrupting something?”

“Yes.” “No, Stu.” Anton and VIago spoke at the same time.

Viago kissed the top of his lover’s head before moving away from him. 

“Anton, your mum is pulling up to the hospital now,” Stu told him and sat in his usual spot in the corner.

“Oh, how exciting!” Viago clapped his hands.

“Vi, remember what we talked about…” Anton spoke slowly. “We know each other from Uni. You’re 35 years old. If you don’t know what to say, just look at me and I’ll jump in.”

“I remember, do not worry,” Viago smiled his perfect smile.

Oh no, Anton thought. How can I pretend I’m not in love with him?

Anton’s thoughts were interrupted by a knock at his door. “Come in?” 

The door opened and the spitting image of Anton walked through, wearing a huge, bright smile.

Anton couldn’t fight the grin that came to his face.

“Hi, mum.”

Chapter Text

Anton’s mother, Wendy Clark, was the bravest person he knew.

She raised Anton and his older sister as a single mother, working around the clock to provide for them. She raised her children to be hard workers and compassionate humans.

Well, compassionate beings .

His mum taught him everything he knew: the importance of volunteerism, the value of a good education, and how to make the best pancakes on Earth.

Anton remembered going to work with her as a kid, sitting behind the counter at the local convenience store, eating an ice pop. His mother never let him touch the buttons on the register, no matter how many times he asked.

When Anton would ask her why she worked so hard, she would tell him the same thing every time. 

“ God put me on this planet to help people, Anton. And the best way to help yourself is to help others. ”

That phrase might as well have been etched into his brain.

“Hi, mum,” Anton greeted his mother with a grin.

“Hi, cub,” Wendy set down her bag and rushed over, kissing Anton’s head. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m better. Still a bit messed up,” he laughed softly and gave her a small hug with his arm that was not covered in plaster.

“I’m just glad you’re in one piece,” she smiled and squeezed his hand.

After she said her hellos to Stu, her gaze fell on Viago, the unfamiliar face standing stiffly in the corner. “Ah, who’s this?”

“Oh, mum, this is my ffffriend from university,” Anton answered, almost fumbling his words. “His name’s Viago, and he’s from Germany.”

“Hello,” Viago raised his hand and gave a tiny wave, an awkward, close-mouthed smile across his face. “It is very nice to meet you.”

“Pleasure’s mine, Viago,” Wendy smiled sweetly. “I like your pants.”

Viago’s face lit up. “Thank you!”

Anton couldn’t resist smiling, giving Viago a thumbs up from behind his mum’s back.

“Anton, have you eaten lately?” Wendy turned to her son.

“Like an hour ago. Why?”

“I made you soup. Italian wedding,” she smiled. 

Anton perked up instantly. “That sounds incredible. Thank you, mum.”

“It’s what mums are for, cub,” she laughed and moved the tray table so that it was directly in front of Anton, allowing him to eat his food off of it. She set down a thermos and a spoon. “Will you be able to eat it yourself?”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” Anton smiled and picked up the spoon, immediately diving into the food like a starving man.

In a way, he was. Before full moons, werewolves developed an even bigger appetite than usual. Anton and the boys regularly went through dozens of pizzas, hundreds of hamburgers, and too many hot wings to count.

Viago loved Anton, but the taste of human food absolutely disgusted him. Around the full moon, he insisted that Anton brush his teeth twice and use mouthwash before he even thought about kissing him.

Viago’s hunger fluctuated. Most days, a good four or five pints of blood held him over. 

Today, he had only had a quick sip, finishing Vladislav’s leftovers. It was maybe a pint.  He had rushed out the door before he had time for a full meal. 

This meant he was hungrier than usual. And being stuck in a room with a human was not helping him keep control.

Anton must have noticed the contraction of his lover’s pupils, because his own eyes widened in concern. 

“Uh, mum, come sit by me, I can show you some pictures of the park,” Anton said quickly, grabbing his phone. His plan was to get her as far away from Viago as possible.

“Oh, that sounds lovely!” Wendy smiled and sat on the edge of the bed, looking over Anton’s shoulder.

Anton stalled for as long as he possibly could, but he knew that his mother was bound to ask Viago about himself, which would put Viago’s attention more firmly on her. He showed her pictures he took at work, a new couch he had bought, and a steak dinner he had cooked recently.

He strategically avoided the pictures of Viago laying in his bed, covered in his cum. And the pictures of Viago wearing his underwear. And the pictures of Viago sucking him off. And the pictures of Viago riding him. And the pictures of the bite marks he left on Viago’s ass.

Since when did we take so many goddamn pictures?

Eventually, Wendy turned her attention toward Viago, who was staring at her as if she was a lobster dinner.

“So, why did you move from Germany, Viago? Why Aoeteroa?”

“Hm? Oh, I…” Viago snapped out of it for a moment, processing her question. His face fell. “I needed a change.”

Anton could tell that he was thinking of Katherine. 

Viago rarely mentioned Katherine anymore, though when they first started dating, she was a frequent topic of conversation.

Katherine had decided to end things with Viago after a few short months of being together. She claimed she wanted to travel the world, and Viago told her that he was content where he was.

The breakup wasn’t particularly messy, but it clearly stung Viago. For weeks after, Anton would bring the pack to the vampire’s house for get-togethers, only to find that Viago was curled up in his room, hiding in a blanket fort of his own making, crying and flipping through romance novels.

“Viago? Buddy?” Anton called one evening as he entered the dark room. He had a beer in one hand, and a cup of warmed blood in the other. The vampires were engaged in an intense round of Monopoly with the wolves, so it was up to him to deliver the blood to Viago.

“Go away. I want to suffer in eternal loneliness,” Viago called out, his voice muffled by the pillows his face was shoved into.

Anton moved forward anyway, kneeling down beside the fort. “That’s a bit dramatic, don’t you think? I brought you dinner, mate.”

Viago went silent for a moment before sticking one hand out of the opening in the blankets. 

Anton smiled slightly and handed him the glass before the hand disappeared into the fort once again.

Anton took a seat on the floor beside the fort, scratching his stubble with his free hand. He didn’t know much about Viago or the breakup at this point, but if there was anything he knew how to do, it was take care of someone in need.

“You know…my last breakup was pretty bad…” Anton offered. When he was met with silence, he took it as a sign to keep talking. 

“I was dating this guy, and everything was going great…and then we got in this huge fight, I don’t even remember what it was about…and he told me I was acting like a ‘stupid mutt’.”

“Oh, no,” Viago whispered. 

“Yeah. I almost wolfed out on him, I was so mad…” he took a sip of his beer. “We broke up the next day. I couldn’t get out of bed for weeks.”

“...did he know? That you are…?”

“Yup. He was actually an alpha from another Wellington pack…”

“I am sorry…” Viago said softly. 

“It was a year ago. I’m basically over it,” he laughed softly. “I’m just sayin’, I sort of know what you’re going through. And you’ll get through to the other side, mate. I promise.”

Silence. 

Anton looked toward the fort. “Vi? Still with me, buddy?”

Viago poked his head out of the fort, his face wet with tears. “Would you like to come in here and talk with me more…? I…like your voice.”

Anton gave him a smile and a nod before crawling in after him.

That was over two years ago, now. 

“A big change can do wonders for your health,” Wendy smiled at Viago.

“So I have learned,” Viago’s smiled as he looked at Anton.

Anton returned the smile and winked.

“It’s nice to see that Anton has a mature friend. Sometimes I worry that his rugby boys are stuck in secondary school,” Wendy laughed.

Viago furrowed his brow in confusion. “‘Rugby boys’...? Oh, you are talking about the wolf p–”

Anton interrupted him with a loud cough that brought the attention back to him. Wendy was fussing over him in no time, giving him a drink of water. The whole time she tended to him, Viago’s gaze remained fixed on her neck, exposed by her ponytail.

Anton was starting to worry.

“Mum, could you go get me a cup of tea from the cafe downstairs? My throat’s killing,” Anton asked, avoiding eye contact with his mother.

“Of course. I’ll be right back,” Wendy kissed his head before rushing out.

As soon as she was away from the door, Anton’s gaze snapped to Viago. “Don’t you dare.”

“Hm? What do I dare?” Viago asked absentmindedly, his gaze still fixed on the door.

“You want to eat my mum!”

Stu let out a laugh. Anton’s whipped around to look at him, murder in his eyes. Stu went silent.

“That is not true!” Viago crossed his arms, looking back at Anton. “...I would like to drink your mother.”

“This isn’t funny!”

“I am sorry! I cannot help it! She looks so healthy, and she smells delicious , and–”

“Ew! Viago, ew!” Anton interrupted. “Don’t talk about my mum like that!”

“What? It is not like I am going to have sex with her!”

“Ah!” Anton put his hands over his eyes. “Fuck, you made me think about it!”

“Swear jar–”

“I know!” Anton snapped. His eyes were beginning to grow yellow, and Viago could see his canines elongating.

He walked over and gently placed his hand on Anton’s heart. Almost instantly, Anton calmed down, taking deep breaths.

“ Liebling , I promise I will not do anything to your mother,” Viago assured him. “I will not lay a finger on her. That includes sex.”

“Fucking hell…” Anton mumbled, letting his head fall back against the pillows. “Go get something to eat, please. Then you can come back.”

As soon as Viago walked towards the door, Wendy came back with a cup of tea for Anton. “Here you are, love.”

“Thanks,” Anton breathed, cursing his luck. 

Wendy made herself comfortable once again, sitting in the plush chair beside the bed. “So, what have you been up to, cub? Besides work. And rugby.”

“Oh, you know…this and that,” Anton hummed noncommittally, sipping his tea. “It really is mostly work.”

“Hm. So I’m guessing that means no girlfriend yet?”

Anton nearly choked on his drink. He was not expecting her to be so forward.

“Uh, nope. No girlfriend.”

“Did Amelia tell you about her friend?” Wendy asked, referring to Anton’s big sister. “She works at a law firm in Te Aro, and she asked your sister if she knew any single guys in the area!”

“Did she?” Anton laughed nervously. 

“Here, let me show you a picture. She’s very pretty,” Wendy grabbed her phone and started scrolling through messages.

“Mum, it’s really okay. I’m not super interested in dating right now…”

“You say that every time I see you, Anton.”

“Yeah, and I always mean it.”

“You just haven’t met the right girl yet.”

Anton was getting frustrated. He always hated this conversation. “You really think that?”

“Yes! If you would just put yourself out there, you could find the perfect girl!”

“Mum, please just drop it…” he rubbed his temples.

“At least look at the picture of Sydney. I don’t see why going on one date with her would kill you–”

“Mum, I’m gay!”

Chapter Text

“Mum, I’m gay!”

It just slipped out. He didn’t expect to say it that day. Hell, he hadn’t planned on saying it for a few more decades .

It seemed like the air got sucked out of the room. Stu took in a sharp breath. Viago went as still as a statue.

Wendy just blinked, staring at her son.

Anton couldn’t read her face. He definitely saw shock, and a touch of confusion, but he couldn’t quite read the rest.

A few agonizing seconds passed in silence. 

“Mum…?”

“Anton…” she began with a measured tone. Anton gulped.

“Is that all?”

Anton paused. He turned the phrase over in his head. 

Is that all? Is what all?

“...huh?”

“Is that the only thing you needed to say?”

“I…I guess so…?”

Wendy laughed sweetly. “I was worried you were going to follow it with something terrible! Cub, that’s not a problem at all,” she rubbed his shin. “I just wish you had told me sooner, I would’ve been looking for a nice boy to set you up with!”

Anton stared in disbelief. She wasn’t upset, not in the slightest. She was smiling, looking at him like nothing had changed. 

Well, he knew that nothing had changed, he just hadn’t expected his mum to adapt so quickly.

“I…oh,” Anton said dumbly, mentally ripping up the long speech he had prepared. He was about to catch flies, the way his jaw hung open.

“You’re still my baby, no matter what. And nothing will ever stop me from loving you, okay?”

“...okay,” Anton hated the way his voice cracked. He was not about to cry. Hell no.

Maybe a little.

Wendy heard the shift in his voice and scooted closer. “Come here, cub,” she cooed softly and opened her arms.

Anton hugged her close, sniffling against her shoulder. He felt like a little kid again, running inside after he scraped his knees playing.

But just like when he was a kid, and just like the here and now, he will be okay .

He will be okay.

Wendy pulled back after a few minutes, gently wiping his tears. “Are you okay, love?”

“Yeah, I’m okay, mum,” Anton nodded gently, looking in her green eyes. A reflection of his own.

“I should tell you something, though.”

“Anything,” Wendy smiled.

“I’m actually…I’ve been dating Viago,” he glanced over at his lover in the corner.

Viago smiled, his fangs peeking out. Anton’s heart picked up speed, smiling back out of instinct.

Wendy turned to Viago, smiling. “Oh?”

“For almost two years,” Anton added. 

“Oh my gosh! Two years?!” Wendy gasped. “That’s incredible! Congratulations!”

Anton laughed. “Thank you, mum. We…we’re pretty happy.”

“Are you living together?”

“No, not quite. We…have very different schedules. It probably wouldn’t work right now,” Anton scratched his neck. “Maybe if I can get a different job.”

“I thought you liked the park,” Wendy frowned. 

“I love it, it just takes up a lot of time. And Viago…works during the day, so I can only see him at night.”

“That’s a shame,” Wendy shook her head. 

“Viago,” Stu spoke up. “Visiting hours end soon. We should get back.”

Anton frowned and looked at his phone. “Oh…I didn’t even realize.”

“Well, you’ll see Viago tomorrow, right? And maybe on Sunday, we can all have dinner!” Wendy smiled.

“Sunday?” Anton turned to her quickly. If he were a wolf, his ears would have shot up. “I thought you were leaving tomorrow.”

“I figured I should stay and help you get settled. And I can cook for you.”

“I-I really thought you were leaving tomorrow afternoon, mum…”

She raised an eyebrow. “Do you want me to leave?”

Shit. A trap.

“I have a thing on Sunday. For work. Can’t miss it,” Anton lied hurriedly. “Viago can stay over at mine, he’ll take care of me. Right, Vi?”

Viago looked at Anton, removing his eyes from Wendy’s neck. “Hm? Oh, yes! I will take excellent care of Anton.”

“See? I’ll be fine!” Anton put on a grin that he hoped looked less strained than it felt. 

Wendy gave him a look. “We’ll talk about it.”

Anton gulped. That was rarely a good sign.

“It was good to see you, mate. You too, Wendy,” Stu smiled as he walked over, giving Anton a side hug. Wendy kissed his cheek and went to grab her bag, asking if he wanted snacks “for the road”.

Viago glided over to Anton’s other side, looking down at him. “I can see the way you are looking. It will be alright.”

“Yeah, I know…” Anton chewed his lip, looking up to his lover.

Viago leaned down and gently kissed his forehead. “Leave the worrying to me, liebling .”

Anton nodded, keeping an appropriate distance from Viago. Still, he could see how the vampire bounced on the balls of his feet.

Anton laughed, recognizing his restless behavior. “You want a kiss, Vi?”

Viago was moving before Anton could finish the question, capturing his mouth in an excited kiss. 

Anton made a surprised noise before kissing back, holding Viago’s waist between his hands.

“Mm, baby, you cut me,” Anton laughed as he pulled back, licking the blood from the cut on his bottom lip.

“Oh no! I suppose I will just have to kiss you again to get the blood off,” Viago gave a terribly unconvincing pout before leaning back in, immediately sucking Anton’s lower lip into his mouth.

It wasn’t uncommon for Viago’s fangs to nick Anton’s lips when they kissed, though it happened a lot less at this point in their relationship. They had had a lot of practice.

“Vi,” Anton gasped out between kisses, gently pushing Viago back. “You can’t be doin’ that. My mum’s right there.”

Viago pouted. “Later?”

“Later, baby.”

Viago smiled and kissed the top of his head.

As the guests prepared to leave, Wendy stopped Viago with a wave of her hand.

“Viago, don’t leave without giving me a hug!” Wendy beamed, opening her arms wide.

Fuck. Fucking shit.

Viago walked over slowly, his eyes fixed on her neck. “Oh, you are too kind, Mrs. Clark…”

Anton’s palms began to sweat. Of course he trusted Viago…well, maybe just not hungry Viago. But he could see the raw hunger in Viago’s contracted pupils. He looked like a hunter.

When Viago had gone even hours without feeding, he turned ravenous. Every human he saw was like a walking four-course meal, and Anton had to literally hold him back from murdering every innocent person he passed on the street.

Anton made an effort to avoid situations where Viago was too hungry for his own good; he kept blood stocked in both of their fridges, and made sure to keep tabs on the local sex offenders, domestic abusers, and, well, assholes. When Viago needed a quick snack, he always let the vampire have a sip of his blood. Anton tried to prevent it from coming to that, though. A “quick snack” almost always turned into fucking on the nearest flat surface.

Wendy wrapped her arms around Viago, oblivious to his impaired state. Viago hugged her back, looking down at the back of her neck.

“Oh, you’re so cold, honey,” Wendy commented. She rubbed her hands up and down his biceps, trying to create friction. “You need to make sure you’re getting enough heat at your place.”

“Mhm…” Viago nodded absently, inching closer to her neck with each second.

Do something. Fucking do something! 

“Viago!” Anton called out. The vampire averted his gaze to his boyfriend, still in some type of trance.

“Uh, I thought you wanted to get home soon, so you can…clean up the living room. Before Vlad has The B–” A pause. “Pauline over.”

Nice save, idiot.

“Oh!” Viago seemed to snap out of his trance at once, blinking dumbly. “You are right! Thank you, dearest.”

He pulled back and smiled at Wendy before glancing back at Anton. “ Ich liebe dich. ”

Anton smiled fondly. “I love you too, Vi.”

Viago and Stu left together, leaving Wendy and Anton alone in the cold, white room. 

“So…you love him?” Wendy smiled slightly.

Anton turned red. “Yeah…I love him.”

“He seems very sweet, cub,” she assured him, sitting down on the loveseat that Stu had been occupying. “What did you say he did for work?”

“He’s, uh…” Anton paused. Wait.

What did Viago do for work?

“He’s an…investor,” Anton lied lamely, hoping his lack of confidence would read as casual. “Got started when he was young, his parents were rich.”

“Oh, that’s a great way to make money these days,” Wendy nodded approvingly. “I look forward to talking to him more about it on Sunday.”

Anton winced and let his head fall back against the headboard. “Mum, I told you–”

“I heard you the first time, Anton. And if you absolutely need me to, I’ll go. But I’m worried about you.”

“Worried? Why?”

“You got into a bloody car accident, Anton! The doctor said you’re severely dehydrated, and that you’re so sleep deprived that you can hardly function. I don’t exactly feel comfortable leaving you alone like this.”

“Mum, I have the boys, and Viago. You know I live with Stu, he takes great care of his mates.”

“He works all day, and so do you. You need a few days with nothing to worry about.”

“Would it make you feel better if I stayed at Viago’s for a while?” 

Wendy paused. “Only if you let me drop you off. The doctor said he plans to discharge you tomorrow night.”

Anton let out a sigh of relief. “I promise, everything will be fine. Viago’s place is great, he’s got…the best flatmates…” he gritted out. The idea of Vlad, Deacon, and NIck knowing that he called them “the best” makes him sick to his stomach.

“I still want to meet them. Make sure you’ll be taken care of.”

“Okay, mum. You can.”

She smiled contentedly and sat back. “Now try to sleep. I need to go through emails.”

Anton laughed softly and rested back as he grabbed his own phone. 

He sent a text to Viago, though he could already feel his eyelids drooping. The text ended up significantly less intelligible than he thought it was, but he was fast asleep from the second he pressed send.

Mum coming to urs tmrrow. No Vlad amd Deacon bullshir plz. Missinh u, bb. xx

Chapter Text

“Nick! Nick, I need you to help me with a text message!”

Viago bolted down the stairs of the vampire’s shared home, holding his cellphone in both hands like it would break at the slightest bump.

Nick looked up from his spot on their couch, sipping blood from a bag like a juice box. “Hm?”

Viago planted himself on the sofa beside his flatmate, nervously chewing his bottom lip. “Anton has sent me a text message and I do not understand what it means.”

Nick winced. “Mate, if this is like last time…”

A year ago, Viago had asked his flatmates for help discerning a message from his boyfriend that read wyd? thinking abt riding ur cock and sitting on ur face 💦 can i call?

“I think he is sending a secret code,” Vladislav had said grimly, looking over Viago’s shoulder at the message. “He is in danger. Why else would he use these cryptic words?”

Viago gasped and covered his mouth. “No! I must go see if he is alright!”

Nick was (unfortunately) meandering by when he saw the commotion. “Let me take a look, mate.”

Explaining the concept of sexting to his 400 year old flatmate was not an easy task. And when Anton sent a picture of himself in nothing but a collar, Nick thought he was going to be sick.

“It is not like last time! I know when Anton is trying to do sexting with me,” Viago said confidently. “I do not understand what he is trying to say…”

He passed off the phone to Nick, who made a point to look only at the latest text, and not the previous conversations.

Mum coming to urs tmrrow. No Vlad amd Deacon bullshir plz. Missinh u, bb. xx

“Oh. He’s saying his mum is coming over to our place tomorrow. I’m assuming he meant ‘ bullshit ’...but I don’t know if we can really stop Vlad and Deacon from getting into bullshit,” Nick chuckled softly. “And he says he’s missing you. ‘Kiss kiss’.” He pointed to the x’s at the end of the message.

“Oh, I am missing him too, and I also send kisses,” Viago smiled, reading over the text once again. His face suddenly dropped. “His mother is visiting tomorrow? Here ?”

“...that’s what he said.”

“ VLADISLAV! DEACON! FLAT MEETING! ” 

~~~

Anton awoke in the early afternoon, feeling almost completely well.

Almost .

His internal pain had gone away almost completely (his external appearance was still rough, though), thanks to a series of medications, an ample amount of rest, and enough protein to fuel an entire nation.

But the full moon was tomorrow. And he sure as Hell could feel it.

“Look who’s finally up,” Wendy smiled, stepping into the room with a tray of food in her hands.

“What time is it?” Anton sat up, yawning. The smell of sausage and eggs made him drool.

“A bit past noon. Your phone’s been blowing up,” she laughed softly and set the tray down beside the bed. 

Anton frowned and grabbed his phone, snatching a sausage on his way. 

24 missed calls. 48 unread messages.

“What the fuck…?” he mumbled as he scrolled through the texts. 

About 45 of the messages were from his pack members. 3 were from Viago.

The pack had sent him frantic messages through the night and morning, asking about chains, locks, track pants, and transportation for the full moon. Nathan G. was having his typical pre-moon freak out, asking Anton the same questions over and over again about whether or not he was sure the chains would hold them this month.

Anton shot off responses to each boy in record time, answering their endless questions and easing their worries. He would be lying if he said the constant stream of questions with self-explanatory answers didn’t bother him, but he truly never minded helping his pack.

He opened his conversation with Viago and scanned over the new messages:

Anton, do you know of a way to remove blood stains from cherry wood quickly? -Viago

Anton, does your mother prefer cooked chicken or raw chicken? Also, how many chickens could she eat in an evening? 6? -Viago

Anton, disregard my previous messages. Everything is okay! :-) -Viago

Anton seriously doubted that everything was okay.

“What’s the matter?” Wendy asked him, sipping from her cup of tea. She must have noticed his furrowed brow as he studied his phone. 

“Hm? Nothing’s wrong…it’s just Viago,” he muttered, debating whether or not he should reply and risk waking Viago from his slumber.

“You look worried.”

“No, I’m just…thinking…”

“Alright, weirdo,” Wendy laughed. “Doctor Garrison will be in soon to check on you, then we can get your discharge papers and leave.”

“Thank god. I can’t wait to have a shower,” Anton laughed.

“Yeah, I can’t wait for you to shower, either,” she teased.

After two hours that felt like they lasted an eternity, Anton was finally discharged and taken back home by his mum.

“Are you sure you can use the crutch?” Wendy asked nervously as Anton hobbled inside. 

“I’ve got it, mum,” he assured her, unlocking his door with a shaky hand.

As soon as they were inside, he flopped onto the couch, groaning with pleasure. “I’m never leaving this couch again.”

Wendy laughed and went to the kitchen to unpack a few things and start a lunch for Anton. “What’s that smell, cub?”

“Hm? What smell?”

“It smells like…musty. Old,” she made a face as she sniffed. “Like a funeral home.”

Anton thought for a moment before biting his lip. Viago .

He had grown very used to Viago’s scent, and he would even say he’s a bit fond of it (not in front of the boys, though. That would be embarrassing). He barely notices it anymore, since the faint smell of must and floral perfume wafts through every part of his house.

If his mum thinks the kitchen smells bad, she’ll be disgusted by the bedroom.

“Oh, yeah…Declan’s nan was visiting a few days ago, and she hung out here for a bit. We made dinner.” Anton lied, looking for the remote on the cluttered coffee table.

Do the guys always have to mess up my goddamn table?

“That’s nice of you, hun. I’m sure she appreciated that.” Wendy smiled, looking through the cupboards for a pan. Her rifling filled the air with a tinny clanking sound, which was especially annoying to Anton’s highly sensitive ears.

“Mhm…” he answered noncommittally, still looking for the remote.

Where did I put that fucking thing?

“Do you have a bigger pan than the one on the top shelf?” Wendy called. The clanking continued, intensified.

“Check the…the, uh…” Anton squeezed his eyes shut as the sound assaulted his ears. 

“Check where?”

His phone started ringing with a call from Nathan G. The alarm-like ringtone and steady vibration joined the chorus of annoying noises.

“Check in the…shit,” Anton mumbled and grabbed his phone, trying to figure out how to turn off the ringer and ignore the call. He couldn’t deal with that right now.

He knocked a dish of crisps onto the floor when he grabbed his phone. The clanging continued. The ringing continued. The vibrations continued.

If I’m not out of this house in 10 seconds, I’m going to lose my fucking mi—

“You have quite the potty mouth, cub,” Wendy laughed. “You should start a swear jar or something—“

“ FUCK! ” Anton snapped all at once, his exclamation underscored by an animalistic growl. He could feel himself breathing heavier. His teeth began to shift. He felt his knuckles begin to shift around under the skin of his hands.

Before Wendy could comment on the very strange outburst, Anton stood up and stormed out the door, completely ignoring when Wendy called out for him to use his crutch.

He gripped the door handle so hard, the solid metal was crushed beneath his hand. He slammed the front door so hard, the wood of the door frame cracked, the top hinge snapped, and the decorative “Welcome to the Doghouse” sign on the door fell off.

(It was a gift from Viago. He didn’t have the heart to tell him how dumb it was.)

(And maybe he kind of liked it, okay?)

Anton made his way around to the side of the house, where he put a hand against the brick to brace himself as he panted raggedly.

It’s not that serious. Don’t let the wolf control you. Count to ten, human again.

He could practically hear Viago’s cute little voice in his ear: You are alright, liebling . I know you— you will be okay.

He took in deep breath after deep breath, his mind filled with the image of his boyfriend. His perfect, sweet boyfriend, who always knew how to calm him down, even as the wolf.

His darling boyfriend whose scent he had memorized, and was very close to marking. His incredible boyfriend who was not with him .

Anton eventually calmed down enough to control his transformation, though it took significantly more effort this close to the full moon. His head was still spinning from the distinct lack of Viago, though, and the way his body throbbed and ached.

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed since his little tantrum, but he knew that the second he went inside, he would get an earful from—

“ Anton David Clark! ”

Even at his grown age of 35, his blood ran cold at the sound of his mother calling his full name.

Wendy stormed over, frowning hard. “What has gotten into you?”

“I…I’m sorry, mum,” Anton gulped. “I just…I got overwhelmed. I overreacted. I’m sorry.”

“You could have hurt yourself all over again, walking around without your crutch,” she scolded. “You shouldn’t be up and about so soon. You’re healing.”

“I know, I know—“

“I’m not finished.” she practically shot red hot lasers from her eyes.

If Anton’s tail had come out, it would definitely have been tucked between his legs

“If you ever— ever curse at me again, especially in that tone,” she looked into his eyes, her gaze nearly murderous. “I will not hesitate to make you pick a stick from the yard. I don’t care how old you are.”

Anton shuddered at the memory of his mum spanking him with sticks as a kid. He may be an adult now, but he knows she is dead serious .

“Yes, mum. I understand.” he nodded quickly.

“Good. Now, I’m taking you to your room so you can eat and sleep before we go to Viago’s tonight.” she said firmly, though her threatening edge was gone. Her tone still left no room for argument.

Anton nodded again as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, letting her lead him up to his room.

~~~

“They are on the way!!” Viago shouted out to the house, pacing around the sitting room like a madman.

He had spent all day instructing Stu on what to prepare for the evening from his coffin: food, drinks, air freshener, stain remover, etc.

As soon as he woke from his brief slumber, he was fussing about, cleaning every surface he came across, making sure every picture frame was straight, and strategically taking down the mirrors through the house. 

He struggled to follow a recipe for grilled chicken and potatoes. He had to step out multiple times to avoid projectile vomiting all over the kitchen. 

He changed into his second most modern outfit (a plain white button up, a purple bow tie, a pair of blue jeans, and a pair of black, platform combat boots), fixed his hair with the help of his flatmates, and took his place by the door, where he’d been pacing for twenty minutes.

“If she asks you a question that you do not know how to answer, just pretend that you do not know English,” Viago reminded the vampires as they filed into the sitting room.

“My English is probably better than hers!” Deacon frowned, offended at the mere notion.

“I know, but it is easier to pretend you do not know English than to explain you are a vampire.” Viago sighed, already exasperated.

“It is pretty straightforward,” Vladislav argued, shrugging. “We are vampires. See? I explained it.”

“Don’t be a smart ass,” Nick reprimanded casually, not looking up from his phone. “Viago’s already stressed.”

The loud, thunderous doorbell rang through the house, and Viago was at the door in a flash.

“Everyone, just act normal!” He reminded the group in a whisper-yell.

Nick gave him a thumbs up. Deacon rolled his eyes. Vladislav gave a curt nod.

Viago opened the door and instantly brightened at the sight of Anton, upright and dressed in his regular clothes beside Wendy. He had bathed; Viago could smell his body wash. 

“Welcome to our home, Mrs. Clark! Please, come in!” Viago greeted enthusiastically, perhaps speaking a bit too loudly. 

“Thanks for having us, dear,” Wendy smiled sweetly and kissed Viago’s cheek as she walked inside. In her hands, she had a plastic container holding a sweet-smelling chocolate cake. “Where should I put this?”

“I’ll show you,” Nick smiled at her, stepping up when the other two vampires stared at her dumbly. 

He led her to the kitchen, introducing himself on the way.

Viago barely had time to turn back to Anton before he was pinned to the wall with his boyfriend’s lips smashed against his own.

Viago laughed softly as he kissed back, holding Anton’s hot face between his cold hands. If he were a human, and it wasn’t so close to the full moon, Viago might assume Anton had a fever– a deadly one.

“You’re so fucking hot,” Anton breathed as he pulled back for a fraction of a second to catch his breath. He immediately started pushing kisses into Viago’s jaw, making his way down to his throat.

“My darling, I very much appreciate the enthusiasm,” Viago laughed. “But we need to have dinner with your mother. We cannot have sex right now.”

“Later, then? We can have sex later?” Anton practically begged him, sucking on the skin against Viago’s Adam’s apple, as though he could give him a hickey. 

“Maybe,” Viago couldn’t help another small giggle. “If you are a good boy at dinner.”

Anton whined against his skin. “ Fuck , I’ll be so good. So good for you.”

“Watch your language,” Viago scolded, giving his hair a firm tug to pull him away from his throat.

Anton let out a breathy moan and nodded frantically, clearly at a loss for words.

“Good. Now go take the chicken out of the oven.” Viago smiled and kissed his nose.

Anton nearly tripped over his own feet as he rushed off to the kitchen. Viago sent him off with a firm pat on the ass.

“You have done a very good job of taming your dog, Viago,” Deacon (sort of) praised Viago, watching the interaction from his spot near the stairs. “Very well trained.”

“He is not a dog,” Viago frowned, then paused. “…and thank you.”

Dinner went about as smoothly as Anton had expected. 

The vampires did a terrible job of pretending to eat, so Anton was forced to make up some half-assed lie about how they’re fasting for religious reasons. This prompted Wendy to bring up her own church.

“Since going, I’ve really developed a relationship with God,” she spoke genuinely, heartfelt. “Like my soul is truly saved through Jesus.”

The vampires winced with every mention of the Big Guy. Viago had to bite down on his knuckle to avoid crying out in pain.

Anton steered the conversation away as quickly as he possibly could.

Vladislav spoke in graphic detail of his girlfriend, Pauline, and their “epic” sexual adventures.

(Vlad’s words.)

Deacon spoke to Wendy about knitting, asking her about different types of yarn and the patterns she used. It was actually a very sweet thing to witness: Deacon chatting excitedly and running to grab his current project while Wendy pulled up pictures from her Facebook group.

Nick was the only vampire who knew how to hold a conversation with someone from this century. He talked to Wendy about her job, her home, her interests. He even asked if she had any baby pictures of Anton, which were a big hit at the table.

Viago examined the picture of a chubby cheeked baby Anton in the bath as the phone was passed around. “Oh Anton, you were so cute!”

“ Were ?” Anton put on a joking pout. “Aren’t I still cute?”

Viago giggled, nodding, though he kept his eyes glued to the picture. “I think our children are going to be as precious as you were.”

Anton choked on the sip of wine he had taken seconds before, sending him into a coughing fit.

Wendy seemed just as startled by the comment. She pivoted in her seat to look at Anton.

“‘Your children’? You’re— are you— you’re not expecting , are you?”

“No! No, mum, we’re not— it’s not— no one is having a baby any time soon. In any way.” Anton coughed through his words, his face turning red. “N-No adoption, no birth, no…nothing. No.”

Viago looked slightly confused. “Did I misspeak?”

“No, babe, you didn’t…just, uh…” Anton wiped his mouth with his sleeve. “Usually, people don’t talk about kids this early in the relationship,” he explained.

“Oh, I see.” Viago nodded confidently. “Perhaps in a few decades?”

“ Years . A few years, Vi.”

Viago nodded again, feigning ignorance of the English language. Wendy looked between the two for the rest of dinner, appearing deep in thought.

When the meal had finally wrapped up, Viago and Anton walked Wendy to the front door, their pinkies linked together at their sides.

“And you’re sure you’ll have time to look after him? With your schedule?” Wendy checked with Viago for the twentieth time, pulling on her jacket.

“Yes, ma’m. I promise.” Viago smiled patiently. He seemed to have an infinite amount of patience for these kinds of repetitive interactions, while Anton’s fuse typically ran short.

Perhaps being alive for 400 years helps.

“Viago, honey, would you see if I left my compact at the table?” Wendy asked him, looking through her purse.

“Of course. I will be right back.” Viago chirped before rushing off to check the dining table.

Wendy made abrupt eye contact with Anton. “Are you going to marry him?”

If Anton had a food or beverage in his mouth, he would have choked on it for a second time that night. Instead, he choked on air.

“What? Mum, why—?”

“Please don’t rush into anything, cub. And for God’s sake, don’t have kids with him unless you’re sure he’ll be around for the long haul.”

If only she knew how long that haul really was.

“I know. I promise, I know,” Anton breathed out. He looked down as he picked at his nails. “But…I think this is a pretty long term thing, mum.”

Wendy gave a little smile, rubbing his arm. “I can tell.”

When Viago returned with her compact, Wendy gave each man a long hug and a series of kisses. “I will see you boys soon. Take care of yourselves; especially you.” she pointed an accusatory finger at Anton.

Anton laughed and pushed his right hand into the back pocket of Viago’s jeans. “We got it, mum. Love you. Drive safe.”

“Look who’s talking,” Wendy teased lightheartedly as she headed toward the rental car. “I love you.”

“It was so nice to meet you, Mrs. Clark!” Viago waved excitedly.

When the car pulled out of the drive and disappeared from the neighborhood, Anton practically collapsed against Viago.

“Awe, my puppy is tired,” Viago giggled. “Come along. To the couch with you, liebling.”

Anton let himself be corralled into the living room, where he made quick work of pulling off his shoes and his shirt. “I’m so damn sweaty.”

“We know. You reek .” Vladislav said matter-of-factly as he walked into the room.

“I think it is a nice smell,” Viago lied through his pointed teeth.

Anton laughed and sat on the couch, opening his arms for his boyfriend. “Come on. We’re watching Drag Race .”

Viago gasped excitedly and rushed over, making himself comfortable on the sofa. Anton laid down with his head in Viago’s lap, hugging his right thigh with his arm he had tucked beneath it.

“You need a haircut, schatz .” Viago commented as he ran his fingers through Anton’s hair.

“Thought you liked my hair,” Anton mumbled sleepily, his face pressed against Viago’s leg.

“I like that it is easy to pull ,” Viago corrected, scratching a spot behind his ear that only he knew how to find.

Anton tried to fight it, but his right leg promptly kicked into the air, kicking, twitching, and shaking with pleasure. 

Goddamn wolf instincts.

“I’m keepin’ it long.” Anton spoke through a yawn once Viago moved to drag his nails up and down his bare back.

He knew the longer length wouldn’t last long. His desire to please Viago overpowered his stubborn nature. 

“Wake me up in twenty,” Anton slurred, already falling asleep.

“Alright, my heart.” Viago pressed a soft kiss to his hair just before he drifted off to sleep.

Chapter Text

Anton was startled awake by a loud creak, rattling his brain around in his skull.

“Viago?” He asked immediately, already on the lookout for signs of danger. He would be damned if he let anything hurt Viago.

“Shh, I am sorry, liebling ,” Viago said soothingly, looking down at Anton.

As he tried to sit up, Anton realized that he was being carried up the stairs, bridal style, by Viago. The vampire had tucked his right arm beneath the hinge of Anton’s knees while his left arm held Anton around the shoulders protectively.

If he wasn’t being held, Anton probably would have swooned.

“Shit, what time is it?” Anton yawned, glancing around as Viago carried him to his ( their ) bedroom.

“It is half past midnight, my love.”

Anton let out a sigh of relief, relaxing back into Viago’s arms. “I could’ve walked, you know.”

“But then I would have had to wake you up, and you look so precious when you sleep.” Viago giggled. “And I did not want to stop cuddling.”

Anton smiled and pressed a kiss into Viago’s neck. “That’s a pretty good reason.”

Viago laid Anton in his ( their ) coffin as soon as they were inside the room, seeming eager to get Anton into bed.

Anton was eager to get Viago into bed, too, but for entirely different reasons.

“Come here, baby…” Anton flashed a wolfish grin as he spread his legs, making eye contact with Viago. “Let me hold you.”

Viago raised an eyebrow and sauntered over, stopping at the edge of the coffin. He bent at the waist, resting his elbows on the polished wood, and moved until his mouth was centimeters away from Anton’s.

Anton fought back a whimper as he let his eyes slip closed, anticipating cold lips on his own any second. He opened his mouth ever so slightly, in case Viago wanted entry.

“What I want, more than anything… ” Viago spoke softly as his lips hovered over Anton’s.

“Yeah, baby…?” Anton breathed, opening his mouth wider.

Viago moved millimeters closer, but kept a distinct gap of space between their mouths.

He gave a tiny smirk before speaking again:

“…is for you to brush your teeth.”

When no kiss came, Anton forced one eye open. “Huh?” He asked dumbly, his mind lagging behind the words.

“Your breath smells like chicken. Go.”

Anton blinked a few times, watching as Viago pulled back and started getting ready for bed without another word, as if nothing had happened.

Who the fuck did I fall in love with?

Anton, ever obedient, slowly pulled himself out of bed and made his way to the bathroom, though he made a point to “accidentally' touch Viago’s ass on the way out.

He turned on the ancient faucet and splashed his face with cold water before examining himself in the cloudy, disintegrating mirror.

He looked rough . A black eye, a large cut across his forehead, a series of bruises along his chest and neck from where he hit the steering wheel. Though the pain had dulled significantly, he still felt a general soreness, which made moving around uncomfortable.

Anton sighed heavily and shook his head, focusing on the task at hand. He didn’t need to be reminded of his stupid decisions right now.

He grabbed his toothbrush from the sink-top and rifled through the top drawer under the sink for his cool mint toothpaste. Once he found it, he squeezed a large glob onto the brush, wet the bristles, and got to work, brushing his teeth with purpose and determination. 

Viago drifted in a few moments later and stood behind Anton, resting his chin on his shoulder to look at him in the mirror.

To an onlooker, it would be a strange sight: a man smiling at thin air while he brushed his teeth enthusiastically.

“ Du siehst so schön aus, Liebes ,” Viago whispered in his ear as he wrapped his arms around his middle. 

“That better be a compliment,” Anton spoke around his toothbrush and a mouth full of toothpaste foam.

Viago giggled and planted a kiss behind his ear. “How are you feeling, Anton?”

“Right now? A little hot and bothered.”

“You know that is not what I meant.”

Anton smiled and spit into the sink. “I feel fine. A little sore in places, but pretty good.”

Viago ran his nails across Anton’s abs. “I am worried about you…”

“Huh? Why?” Anton’s brow furrowed as he frowned. He looked behind him to meet Viago’s gaze.

”I am afraid you will hurt yourself tomorrow…” Viago gave him a very earnest, very sweet pout. ”During the moon.”

“Baby, I’ve gone through dozens of full moons,” Anton assured him, putting his toothbrush back in his mouth and holding it between his back molars. “A little injury isn’t gonna get in my way. I know what I’m doing.”

Viago gave him a look. “Do not do that.”

“…don’t do what?”

“Do not act like you are some kind of invincible being with no weaknesses. You are allowed to be vulnerable, I just ask that you tell me.”

Anton sighed around his toothbrush. Viago had a way of seeing into his soul, it seemed— he always knew exactly what Anton was trying to conceal.

“I learned my lesson, Vi. I won’t make any more stupid decisions.” Anton said confidently as Viago pulled back to stand in front of him, wedging himself between Anton and the sink.

“You must promise. Or else I will show up tomorrow night and make sure you take care of yourself.”

Anton went pale. Even after two years of dating, he had still refused to let Viago be around him during a full moon. Ever since the Stu incident, he made an effort to avoid coming in contact with any being that a wolf might attack, whether it be for territorial defense or the instinct to prey on the weak. 

Anton couldn’t trust his wolf-self to recognize Viago as a friend, not an enemy.

If he hurt Viago…he couldn’t live with himself. The thought alone made his throat close up.

“I promise, Vi,” he spoke softly, staring in his eyes. “I promise to be safe.”

“Good.” Viago nodded, though he seemed unconvinced. “Now finish brushing so I can kiss you.”

“Bossy.” Anton laughed, but continued brushing his teeth, his free hand pushing against the sink behind Viago, keeping him blocked in from one side.

Viago smiled at him, watching as he moved his arm back and forth to scrub at his molars. “Do not forget the tongue.”

Anton raised an eyebrow suggestively, then stuck his tongue out. He looked Viago in the eye as he pushed and pulled the bristles across his tongue. He made a point to wink when he pushed the brush toward the back of his tongue, showing off his lack of gag reflexes.

Viago laughed at him, but watched intently. “You are vile sometimes, liebling .”

“Oo, yeah, talk dirty to me.” Anton teased after he pulled his tongue back into his mouth. “What else bothers you?”

“Well, you are always leaving your dirty underwear on my floor, when the hamper is right outside the door .” Viago went on, keeping a light tone to his voice, though Anton could tell he was actually complaining.

“Mm, tell me about the hair,” Anton egged him on, leaning over his shoulder to spit in the sink once again.

“You and your hair! I find yellow strands everywhere !” Viago groaned. “In my blood cups, in my coffin, in my mouth— you shed so much, it is a wonder you have any hair left!”

“You’re so sexy when you whine.” Anton grinned and grabbed a paper cup. He filled it with water and poured it into his mouth, swishing it around to rinse his teeth.

Knowing exactly how to push Viago’s buttons, he then leaned over and spit into the sink, the frothy spit barely avoiding Viago’s shoulder.

Viago narrowed his eyes and grabbed the waistband of Anton’s briefs, pulling him closer with a strong yank . “Get into bed before I change my mind about letting you fuck me, puppy.”

Anton’s bratty demeanor dropped immediately as he processed the words. “Yup. Got it.” He nodded frantically and rushed off to the bedroom. 

Before Viago, Anton’s pre-moon hormones were easier to control. He would rub one out in the shower in the days leading up, and maybe hump his pillow before bed if he needed to get extra energy out. It was like going through a mild version of puberty; yeah, he was horny, and he got excited easily, but it wasn’t like he would die if he waited to jack off.

After Viago, Anton feared that he would die if he couldn’t fuck him.

Though Anton was a proud switch, and thoroughly enjoyed bottoming for Viago, the full moon seemed to kick his dominant, “alpha” hormones into full swing. This meant that while his conscious, human brain understood that he was having sex purely for pleasure, his subconscious wolf brain struggled to separate fucking from marking territory and conception. 

As embarrassed as he was by it, Anton would be lying if he said the fantasy didn’t turn him on: pinning Viago down to the bed, biting down on his flesh to mark him, fucking into him like a jackhammer, and eventually filling him up with his seed.

Viago liked it too. In the heat of the moment, he would often beg Anton to “fill him with pups” or “stretch him from the inside out”.

Those were the moments Anton fantasized about when he was on his own.

Viago emerged from the bathroom, smirking as he saw Anton kneeling in the coffin, practically jumping out of his skin as he waited for his boyfriend.

“Mm, someone is excited.” He teased as he approached, running his hands over his bare thighs seductively.

“Fuck…” Anton breathed, watching with bated breath. He may have been drooling.

“You may be the alpha…” Viago began as he came face to face with Anton. “But you will still follow my rules.” He reached out, placed his hand flat against his chest, and pushed Anton onto his back in one shove.

Anton gasped breathlessly, looking up at the fanged angel gazing down at him. “Please, Vi…”

“Do not rush me.” Viago said simply, pulling off his button down blouse to leave him in a pair of tight, white underwear (courtesy of Anton).

Something about seeing Viago in modern, casual clothes made Anton wild .

“I do not want you to overextend yourself, do you hear me?” Viago said as he climbed into the coffin, settling in beside his lover.

“Fuck, you’re so beautiful…” Anton breathed, immediately latching on and pushing his lips against Viago’s neck.

“No cursing.” Viago lightly pinched his ear, but let him continue with his hungry kissing. “Collar or no?”

“Not tonight,” Anton mumbled against his Adam’s apple. His hands were making their way down to Viago’s hips, seeking something to latch onto and fixate on.

“Anton.” Viago spoke a bit louder— firm, but not scolding or upset. “Look at me, please.”

Anton recognized the no-nonsense tone and pulled his mouth away from Viago’s neck to look him in the eye.

“I want you to relieve your stress tonight,” he began. “But I need you to relax a bit. Take your time.”

Anton nodded slowly, looking between Viago’s big brown eyes, feeling a wave of calm energy wash over him like a baptism.

Sometimes, he was convinced he was being hypnotized with the way Viago’s simplest commands put his entire mind and body at ease. But he knows his obeying willingly. Viago doesn’t need to hypnotize him for Anton to want to please him.

“Good. Hold me?” Viago smiled sweetly.

Anton’s lips curved into a smile at that, and he kissed his cheek tenderly as he maneuvered them into a spooning position, with Viago pressed securely against Anton’s chest.

“Can I touch you?” Anton whispered into his lover’s ear, pressing soft but heated kisses along his jaw from behind.

“Mm, yes please.” Viago hummed happily, tilting his head to allow Anton’s lips better access.

Anton let his warm hands wander across Viago’s chest, applying just enough pressure with his fingertips to dimple the skin, but not enough pressure to hurt or to leave lasting marks. As his hands made their way down to Viago’s abdomen, his lips moved to Viago’s neck, where he left open-mouthed kisses along the stretched tendon connecting the shoulder to the neck. 

“Do you know how much I love you?” Anton whispered as his hands massaged Viago’s hips, his thumbs making small circles over the bone.

“I have an idea.” Viago giggled softly, reaching down to lightly rest his hands over Anton’s wrists; gripping lightly, but not stopping or moving. Just feeling.

“I love you so much, baby.” Anton breathed out, rolling his hips forward to press his bulge against Viago’s lower back. He gasped at the friction.

“I love you too, darling,” Viago pulled Anton’s right wrist up to his mouth and planted a kiss on his palm. “Very much.”

Anton smiled and gently licked his neck as he trailed his left hand down beneath Viago’s waistband. “Mm, someone’s excited.” he parroted with a grin.

“Look who is talking.” Viago giggled and pushed his hips back against Anton’s erection. Anton moaned breathily, pushing his mouth against Viago’s shoulder. 

“Can we close the lid?” Anton mumbled, running his fingertips across Viago’s coarse black pubic hair absentmindedly. Viago simply hummed and nodded, nuzzling his face into his pillow.

Anton pulled back to sit up, pulling a tiny whine from Viago. He grabbed the edge of the coffin lid and pulled it shut with a thud, engulfing the men in complete darkness.

“This thing needs a handle or something,” Anton mumbled as he laid back down, pulling Viago to him.

“Coffins do not usually come with handles on the inside, welpe ,” Viago giggled. “Dead people do not usually need them.”

Anton chuckled softly as he pushed his hands down to Viago’s waistband. “Can I take these off, babe?”

“Only if you take yours off as well.” Viago said with a teasing tone, hooking their ankles together. Anton smiled and kissed the hinge of his partner’s jaw as he hooked his index fingers in the waistband of Viago’s underwear.

“You drive a hard bargain, mate.” He teased as he pulled the fabric off, pushing it down to Viago’s knees. He pulled his leg away and pushed the underwear down to Viago’s ankles with his foot.

“Did you just put your foot in my underclothes?” Viago turned to look at Anton over his shoulder, looking absolutely mortified.

“No comment.” Anton laughed and gently bit Viago’s skin as he pulled his own briefs off.

“You monster !” Viago gasped dramatically. “That is evil !”

Anton laughed loudly as he gripped Viago’s hips, pulling him back until his ass was resting against Anton’s hips. “You’ll get over it.”

Viago huffed, but ceased his complaining, turning his head to look at Anton over his shoulder. Anton moved forward and pressed their lips together, gently sucking Viago’s bottom lip into his mouth. As they kissed, he moved his hand behind himself and started grasping blindly for the lube.

Once he found the bottle, he wrapped his arm back around Viago and pulled off of his lips with a sloppy, wet sound. “Move your leg a bit. Forward. There we go…” he breathed into Viago’s ear as he coaxed him to bend his knee, pushing his leg forward to pull his ass cheeks apart.

“When was the last time you even bottomed?” Anton teased as he squeezed out a dollop of lube onto his fingers. 

“What, with you?” Viago teased back, pulling Anton’s left hand to cup his pec.

“If you were sleeping with anyone else, I think I’d know, babe.” Anton laughed and kissed his shoulder as he rubbed the tips of his first two fingers against the outside of Viago’s hole.

Viago let out a gentle hum of pleasure. “I do not think anyone else could do such a good job, my heart.”

“Good answer,” Anton chuckled and buried his face in the hair at the back of Viago’s head. He gently pushed one finger inside, moving it slowly to tease the vampire.

He inhaled deeply, letting Viago’s scent wash over him. He smelled like old lady perfume, and cherry wood, and that scent you can’t quite place when you go to an antique store. He also, to Anton’s absolute pleasure , smelled a bit like Anton’s shampoo– “lavender musk”.

“Relax, baby,” Anton whispered to him as he pushed his finger deeper. “I’ve got you.”

Viago moaned softly, resting his head back against Anton’s. “That is lovely , darling.”

Anton smiled and pressed kisses to the nape of his neck as he pushed his second finger inside, pulling a louder moan from his partner.

Though it was shocking at first, Anton had grown to love the cold feeling of Viago’s insides. The first time he topped Viago, he hesitated after fingering him open, unsure about putting his dick in an ice cold hole. 

Turns out, though, when you run as hot as Anton does, putting your dick in a cold sleeve of muscle feels really fucking good .

“Can you let go of my hand, baby?” Anton laughed softly, wiggling the fingers of his left hand under Viago’s who was holding on with a vice grip.

“Hm? Oh, yes,” Viago planted a kiss on Anton's palm before letting him go. Anton quickly moved his now free hand down to Viago’s hips, taking hold of his stiff cock.

“Someone’s excited,” Anton teased as he slowly pumped Viago’s cock with his left hand, and gently thrusted his fingers in and out of his hole with his right.

“I need you soon, liebling , or I will perish,” Viago gasped, reaching back to grip Anton’s hip. “You cannot keep me waiting.”

Anton laughed and moved both his hands at a faster pace. “You’re insatiable.”

Viago just moaned louder, turning his head once again to kiss Anton, who met him halfway and immediately shoved his tongue into the vampire’s mouth.

After a few minutes of thrusting, and stroking, and breathless kissing, Anton pulled his fingers out and wiped them on the sheets. “You comfy?”

“Very.” Viago nodded and shifted his hips slightly, reaching back to pet Anton’s hair. 

Anton hummed happily and leaned into his lover’s touch as he reached between his own legs, stroking his hard, dripping cock. He moaned softly, already falling apart at his own gentle touch.

“Come here, baby,” he breathed and kissed Viago’s neck as he lined the tip of his cock up with Viago’s wet hole. “Can I?”

“Please, darling,” Viago moaned and rolled his hips slightly, putting pressure on the head of Anton’s dick. The movement alone almost made Anton cum.

After taking a few grounding breaths, he pushed his length into Viago slowly, pushing until his hips were flush against Viago’s ass. 

“Fffff-” Anton groaned, cutting himself off before Viago could scold him. “Oh my G- gosh.”

Viago giggled softly. “Good boy.”

“Don’t start,” Anton teased, wrapping his now free arms around Viago’s middle. “You know how I get.”

“Oh, I know.” Viago chuckled. He reached down and held each of Anton’s hands in his own, threading their fingers together.

Anton loved the moments like this, when they were close enough to experience the way the other’s body worked. Anton could feel the cold stillness radiating from Viago’s skin, could taste the years of wisdom and anguish on his skin.

To have such a powerful, deadly thing in his arms, to see this creature of the night splayed out for him, begging him to share his vulnerable moments…it made Anton feel things he couldn’t even describe.

Things that felt a lot like wedding rings, and a four bedroom house, and a nursery.

Anton breathed against Viago’s skin as he slowly pulled his hips back, only to press back in with intention. He pushed deep into Viago, but kept his movements gentle.

“ Mm , that is perfect ,” Viago whined sweetly, squeezing Anton’s hands.

“Can you move your hips a little for me?” Anton mumbled as he pulled back once again, preparing to thrust back in.

Viago listened to his request and pushed his hips down slightly to meet Anton’s as he thrusted back into Viago’s hole.

“ Yes , oh my fu-” Anton moaned greedily, his eyes rolling back slightly from the pressure and motion. “Just like that, Vi.”

They continued their gentle push-pull for a few more minutes, breathing each other’s names and moaning encouragement into the small space. It was heaven– Anton wished they could stay like that forever. 

Viago paused his movements when Anton let out a slightly different groan: one of pain. “ Schatz , are you alright?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Anton nodded. “My– my hips are just hurting a little.”

Anton knew his lover was frowning, even though he couldn’t see his face. “Try this.”

Before Anton could ask questions, Viago was moving his hands down to grip the vampire’s hips. He then pressed his back flat against Anton’s chest and hooked their ankles together.

“Just move me how you need to.”

The idea that Viago wanted him to use him for his own pleasure was a bit overwhelming for Anton. He buried a moan in Viago’s hair, fighting the urge to flip over and pound into Viago like a wild animal.

Maybe later.

Instead, he gripped Viago’s hips and gently moved them in a rolling, grinding motion against his, resulting in a perfect pressure without thrusting or rutting. 

“Does that feel good?” Anton breathed into Viago’s ear, repeating the motion.

Viago let out a long, throaty moan instead of answering. Anton took it as a yes .

“That’s my boy…” Anton chuckled softly as he moved Viago’s hips in the same rolling motion over and over.

“ Das ist perfekt, Liebes. Mehr, mehr. ” Viago whimpered, tucking his own hand between his legs to stroke himself.

“You know I can’t understand you, Vi.” Anton laughed as he kissed his shoulder. “But you sound sexy as hell when you speak German.”

“ Du bist so ein toller Hündchen ,” Viago spoke in a teasing tone, glancing back to look at Anton.

“I’m gonna assume you said I have a big dick and you love me.” Anton teased and kissed him passionately as he moved him.

“Something like that.” Viago laughed once they pulled apart, resting his hands on top of Anton’s.

They moved slowly and lazily against each other for more time than they kept track of. Honestly, it was probably hours of slow, gentle grinding, accompanied by moans and pleas and domestic conversation.

“Did you take the trash out earlier, my dear?”

“Remind me to– ah , order a new drill tomorrow.”

“Did I tell you about the book I have been reading?”

Despite the mundane and un-sexy nature of the conversation, the pair never lost their arousal or passion for one another. The night was less about hard and rough and fast , and more about sharing time and space with one another. They had their best conversations during sex, actually.

After multiple hours of easy, comfortable lovemaking, Viago took Anton’s hand and guided it to his cock, indicating that he was about ready to finish the job.

“I’ve got ya’, baby,” Anton purred into his ear as he wrapped his calloused hand around Viago’s prick, stroking him slowly but with purpose. He maintained his steady thrusting pace, pushing his hips lazily to meet Viago’s as he manipulated the vampire’s body how he needed to.

“ Anton …” Viago whimpered, curling in on himself minutely.

“I’m close, Vi. I’m really close.” Anton breathed, almost warning as he twisted his palm against Viago’s shaft. “Talk to me. Tell me something.”

Anton was never one for dirty talk before he met Viago. But, as with many things in his life after befriending the vampires, that quickly changed

Something about Viago’s voice, his accent , saying the dirtiest, depraved things, followed by the sweetest sentiments and sincerest compliments, topped off with his slightly bitchy complaining outside of the bedroom…it lit Anton’s fuse.

“My darling, I need you,” Viago whined immediately, gripping his lover’s wrist with urgency. “My incredible alpha…I need you to take care of me.”

Oh, that was working.

“Make me yours, Anton,” he continued, his own voice rising in pitch as he approached his climax. “Mark me. Fill me up, fill me with your seed, give me pups, breed me… knot me .”

Anton felt every ounce of tension in his body snap like a rubber band as he came with a loud, long moan. He buried his face in Viago’s shoulder and wailed , feeling every hair on his body stand straight up. 

The whole alpha/omega dynamic was something that Anton had been afraid to explore with Viago for a long time. It felt cliche, like he was picking the low hanging fruit.

 He was constantly telling the vampires not to treat his boys like dogs– how would it look if he gave into his animalistic urges whenever he wanted to? He needed to set a better example than that.

When he was alone with Viago, though, that thinking went out the window.

Viago loved begging Anton to breed him, or mark him, or assert his dominance somehow. Usually, this was just dirty talk; it never amounted to anything. Most days, Anton was physically unable to meet his lover’s demands. 

The whole “knotting” thing was a mystery, even to him. Hell, he didn’t even know he could do it in his human form before he started sleeping with Viago. Even then, he couldn’t predict when his knot would “engage”. He was never actually breeding anyone, so he assumed it was highly unlikely to become a factor in everyday life.

He was right, of course, but his lover seemed to have some sort of otherworldly power over him when it came to good sex.

“ Vi …” Anton practically whimpered as he felt his spent hips thrust forward on their own accord. “Vi, I-I think it’s happening. The– oh, bloody hell , the knot.”

“Keep going, keep going.” Viago whined, rocking his hips. 

“ Fuck !” Anton hissed as he felt his knot shift its way from the base of his shaft to the center, then towards his tip, past the muscle of his lover’s entrance.

“ Scheiße, ja! ” Viago cried loudly as he came, spilling over Anton’s hand and their sheets. As he came, he clenched down on Anton’s cock inside him, pulling another strangled moan from him.

“Shhh, I’m here, I’ve got you.” Anton panted into Viago’s ear as he stroked him through his orgasm, relishing in the cold, damp feeling of his lover’s cum.

Viago moaned repeatedly as he came down from his high, his body twitching and contracting involuntarily. When Anton heard his oversensitive whines, he pulled his hand away and hugged Viago as close as he could with his clean hand.

“I’m not letting you go, baby,” Anton whispered, nuzzling against the nape of Viago’s neck. “I’m here with you.”

Viago let out a (pointless) breath and nodded slowly as he relaxed. “I love you…”

“I love you too.” Anton smiled against his lover’s skin. 

Those words never got old.

“I-I’m sorry about the knot, hun.”

“Why are you sorry? You cannot help what your body needs,” Viago assured him. “Your body simply needed to breed, so it responded accordingly.”

Anton whined softly. “You’re so sexy when you talk like that.”

“Hm? About breeding, you mean?” Viago teased him and wiggled his hips slightly. Anton gasped.

“Heimburg, don’t tease me.”

Viago giggled. “I am sorry, welpe , you are just so cute.” 

Anton laughed softly as Viago gently moved his arm away. “What’re you doing, babe?”

“I am getting you a hanky for the mess you made,” Viago teased once again as he grabbed his own handkerchief from under the pillow. He took Anton’s now sticky hand and wiped off his own cum, taking care to get every drop. 

“I wanna stay here with you forever.” Anton yawned as he watched his boyfriend tuck the dirty hanky back beneath his pillow. 

“That sounds lovely, but you have six wolfies that need their alpha.”

“Ugh, the moon,” Anton groaned. “Don’t remind me.”

“You will be alright. Once you finish your transformation night, you can go back home and sleep for as long as your heart desires. I will even bring you a cheeseburger and French fries!”

Anton couldn’t fight his smile. “Thanks, love.”

Viago lifted Anton’s hand to his lips and gently kissed the knuckles. The two were still stuck together via Anton’s knot, making it very difficult for them to move from their current positions. Not that Anton minded, though.

“You need to sleep.” Anton reminded the vampire, feeling around for his phone.

“Oh, will you show me a video first? Please, please?” Viago begged like an excited child, looking at Anton over his shoulder with a twinkle in his eye.

How could Anton ever say no to him?

“Okay, okay. I think the knot’s going down, so give me a sec.” Anton chuckled. 

Sure enough, his knot soon deflated as the two pulled apart with tandem moans. Anton pulled his briefs back on, and Viago slipped into one of Anton’s hoodies, which practically swallowed him whole.

As soon as the pair were clothed to their content, Anton opened his arms for Viago, who snuggled against him instantly, resting his head against the wolf’s bare chest. 

“Cutie,” Anton smiled and kissed his hair as he scrolled through his phone. He settled on a video of a kitten and puppy playing together, with some sort of peppy stock music playing in the background.

Viago loved it, as he predicted he would, Anton held the phone up for him, smiling each time his boyfriend giggled or gasped excitedly. He pointed out details to Anton, and requested that he rewind, pause, or adjust the volume at various points.

Anton lived for moments like these. Seeing Viago smile and laugh while wrapped in his embrace– it was all the sustenance he needed. Anton was sure that if he stopped eating or drinking, he could live on Viago’s smile alone. He would never need sunlight again if he could hear Viago laugh like this every day.

After about three rewatches of the puppy video, Viago drifted off in Anton’s arms, hugging his middle.

Anton turned off his phone and reached over to pull his lover into a tight, engulfing embrace, burying his face in Viago’s soft curls. 

“I love you so much, Vi.” He whispered, hoping the words would find their way into Viago’s sleeping subconscious. 

As he closed his eyes to sleep, he felt Viago’s lips curl into a smile against his chest.