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“Nandor?” Guillermo calls out, looking around frantically. It takes him a moment to remember where he is. Luckily, his master’s room is very distinct, with the ancient swords and gold artifacts that fill the room. He’s laying on a small cot next to Nandor’s coffin, with a thick blanket draped over him.
The candles that usually light the room are out for the daytime, and Guillermo frowns at the sight. He remembers putting them out every time his master went to rest, carefully blowing out each one only to relight them a few hours later. It was tedious, sure, but he took pride in his work. If a candle remained lit the whole place could burn down, taking the vampires with it.
The memories are bitter-sweet now. He can’t take care of the candles anymore. Actually, he can’t do much of anything.
He pushes himself up to sit with a great deal of effort. His hands are shaky, and they protest any pressure he puts on them. With a shaky breath he reaches out to knock on Nandor’s coffin. It’s a pathetic knock, his hand too weak to make much noise, but it does the trick.
A moment later the coffin lead creaks open and Nandor rises. Guilermo’s heart starts to race, and he tells himself it’s from Nandor’s gorgeous face and not the minimal effort he just exerted. Nandor looks exactly as he did 60 years ago, when they first met in a Panera Bread. The only difference is the sadness that’s overtaken his eyes lately.
“Hello, Guillermo, are you having trouble doing the slumbering?” Nandor smiles softly, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. Guillermo nods.
“Sorry to wake you, Master” He bites his lip anxiously. It’s been a very long time since Nandor’s snapped at him, but he does get a tad grumpy if he doesn’t get his beauty sleep. Nandor hums and shakes his head.
“It is fine, nothing to be sorry for. I will get your sleepy gummies.” The vampire walks off to grab the melatonin, leaving Guillermo alone. He groans, squirming to find a position that doesn’t make his whole body ache.
It’s odd having Nandor take care of him, even though it’s been this way for a few months now. He feels almost guilty accepting the help, even after the decades of free labor he’s done for his Master.
The door slams, snapping Guillermo out of his thoughts.
“I have gotten your gummies.” Nandor reaches down and grabs his hand, carefully setting two gummy bears in his palm. Nandor’s hand is cold of course, but the touch is warm and excruciatingly gentle. Like he’s afraid he might break the little human.
Guillermo puts the gummies in his mouth and chews. They taste like artificial cherries, and leave a weird lingering texture in his mouth. He gags at the flavour and Nandor winces.
“Still not used to the taste?” The vampire asks, something between pity and disgust on his face. Guillermo chuckles and shakes his head.
“I think it’s getting worse, actually.”
Nandor hums, sitting on top of his coffin. His eyes dart around the room randomly, as though trying to look anywhere but at Guillermo.
The human’s heart sinks. Every time he gets it in his head that Nandor might care about him, he’s quick to shatter the delusion.
“Why am I still here?” He blurts out. Nandor’s eyes slowly come to meet his, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Nandor opens his mouth to speak but Guillermo cuts him off.
“I can’t do anything for you anymore, and obviously you aren’t going to turn me, so why am I still here? Why are you taking care of me?” His voice breaks on every other word and he can feel his lip quivering.
Nandor blinks a few times, processing his familiar’s words. He lowers his head to look at the floor, taking one of Guillermo’s wrinkled hands in his own carefully.
“I do not know how to say it.” he mumbles, tightening his grip on Guillermo’s hand. “I…I care for you, Guillermo. I care for you very much, but I am a selfish, selfish man. I could not bring myself to turn you, knowing one day you’d hate me for cursing you, but I also could not let you go.”
He pauses, taking a shaky and unnecessary breath.
“I have stolen your life away, my dear Guillermo. Perhaps not in the traditional way, but I have, and I am sorry. I really really am. It pains me to see you like this.” A tear falls from his face onto the carpet below.
“I should have turned you as you asked. You…you deserved it.” They sit in silence for a moment before Guillermo squeezes his master’s hand.
“Thank you for saying that. It uh, means a lot. Wish you’d figured it out sooner.” He says solemnly. He pulls his hand away to wipe the tears from his eyes but Nandor quickly takes it back.
“I love you, Master,” Guillermo whispers. It’s relieving, finally saying the words after so many years. Nandor tenses, and then he’s sobbing. The ancient vampire he’s served practically his whole life is sobbing over him. Guillermo reaches out slowly with his free hand, not sure what to do.
“Master? Are you okay?”
Nandor shakes his head, lifting his tear stained face. It’s surreal, seeing the man he’s idolized for so long crying on the floor.
“My Guillermo…I am loving you as well. I am so sorry.” Nandor croaks.
Guillermo’s afraid his heart might stop from how hard it’s pounding now. He thinks it would be rather poetic to die the moment his love is finally finally returned.
“Really? Even now, like this?” He gestures generally at his current state.
“I would love you in any state, Guillermo. You are still so beautiful like this, you know. You are always beautiful.” He runs his hand down the human’s face, cupping his cheek gently.
“I’ve been waiting so long for this.” Guillermo whispers.
“I know” he leans down slowly, planting a gentle kiss on his human’s lips. It’s soft and cautious and there’s no fireworks, but they both pull away smiling. Guillermo silently prays to all the gods he can think of that this isn’t a dream.
“Guillermo? Would you forgive an old vampire for waiting far too long, and do the honour of being my man-wife? Or whatever people call it these days.” Nandor’s voice is calm but there’s a little tremble. He’s unsure of himself, he’s not sure Guillermo will say yes anymore.
But he does. Of course he does. Guillermo nods quickly, not trusting himself with words right now.
“I do not deserve you, my dearest.” Nandor pulls the human’s hand to his mouth, kissing it over and over, like he’s trying to consume him kiss by kiss.
“No, probably not. But I love you anyway.” Guillermo laughs playfully. He thinks he could die happy right now, except, of course he’d have to let go of this moment. The very idea is unthinkable.
“Then. I shall finally keep my promise to you. As I should have done decades ago.” The remorse in Nandor’s voice is so raw it makes Guillermo shiver.
Guillermo tenses, waiting for the vampire to take it back but he doesn’t. His eyes catch on his master’s– no his husband’s–fangs. He’s thought about how they’d feel sinking into his skin a million times now, but never in his fantasies was he 79. The tears start falling again and through his blurred vision he watches Nandor sit beside him on the cot. His vampire wraps his arms around him, holding him like someone would hold a precious, fragile treasure.
“Do you…still want that, Guillermo? I know this is not how you imagined it.” Nandor frowns, lifting Guillermo’s face up to wipe tears away with cold fingers.
Guillermo nods hurriedly. Sure, it’s not exactly how he planned but he’s not about to give up the dream he’s carried for so long. Especially when Nandor loves him, wants him. Nandor chuckles softly.
“Now?”
Guillermo shakes his head.
“No. We need…we need candles and music and it can’t be on this sad bed.”
Nandor mumbles something about it being a fine bed but nods.
“That can be done. Where do you want to do it then?”
Guillermo smiles, running a hand through Nandor’s silky hair.
“Your coffin?” Nandor groans, glancing over at his closet coffin.
“You will get blood everywhere,” He pauses, taking in Guillermo’s face, “but fine, whatever you want. I’ve made you wait this long, after all.”
Nandor lifts his man-wife up like he’s a bag of feathers and not an elderly man. He opens the coffin with one hand and places Guillermo inside. Guillermo thinks he should probably be scared, but it’s Nandor, and he’s looking at Guillermo like he’s something precious, like he matters. He could never feel like prey under Nandor’s gaze.
The vampire wraps his arms around him, his mouth right above Guillermo’s neck.
“The hand would be easier, but I am assuming you want the neck.”
Guillermo nods, silently begging Nandor to hurry up. Years of patience are evading him now, when everything he wants is this close. Nandor presses his lips to the human’s neck, making him shiver slightly.
There’s a moment of hesitation followed by immense pain overtaking Guillermo’s entire body. He shakes violently, fighting the urge to struggle. Nandor is holding him tightly in place now, drinking desperately. Guillermo can feel the blood leaving his body. Nandor pulls off him for a moment, leaving a trail of kisses across his neck.
“You taste delicious, Guillermo. I knew you would.” He whispers, his words slur like he’s intoxicated, drunk on Guillermo’s very lifeforce.
He sinks his teeth back into the man’s neck but there’s no pain this time. His whole body feels numb, it’s almost pleasant. Guillermo lets out a moan as the vampire continues to drain him fully. His vision is starting to blur now, his head feels heavy and heart is far too slow. He thinks for a terrifying moment that Nandor might not stop, that he simply won’t keep his promise, but eventually he pulls away.
Even with limited processing Guillermo can take in the sight of his killer. He stares at his own blood running down Nandor’s chin. Nandor’s eyes are determined, more serious than Guillermo’s ever seen. With a hiss the vampire tears into his own wrist, desperately shoving it up to his quickly fading lover’s mouth.
Guillermo latches on with the passion of someone who’s wanted this his entire life. He drinks from Nandor greedily, whining when he’s finally ripped away.
Nandor shushes him softly, pulling the dying man onto his lap. They sit together, listening to the last few beats of Guillermo’s heart before their (long overdue) new life can begin.