Archive of Our Own

I.

Barcelona was hot. Everyone knew it was hot. It was reaching the peak of summer and all teams were beginning to prepare for that, pushing countless water bottles and cooling vests into their drivers arms, spending more time in the AC cooled hospitalities.

Liam sat spread out across one of the many chairs in the VCARB hospitality, complaining loudly to the engineer across from him about the heat. They were meant to be going over the last bit of data collected yesterday, discussing the strategy today, what their goals were. Something like that. Liam insisted that the heat was melting his brain and he simply could not retain any of the information.

“Why don’t you go find Arvid,” the engineer eventually gave up trying to get Liam to listen. 

The driver rolled his eyes in response. “He’s an adult, why do I need to watch him?” He grumbled. 

It was a miracle that the engineer had so much patience, choosing to ignore Liam’s whining. At least mostly. “Contrary to your petulant behavior, you are the senior driver of this team and he is a rookie. Just go check on him, you’ve got the driver’s parade in about ten minutes.”

“He can handle himself,” Liam grumbled, but got up anyway.

Despite finally moving, Liam continued to huff as he made his way to his own driver’s room, decidedly walking past Arvid’s to reach his own. He pulled his shirt over his head, tossing it over the back of a chair and reaching for a towel instead. He was quick to wipe away the sweat before pulling a new shirt on and shrugging his cooling vest on top of that. 

Grabbing his hat and water, Liam finally made his way out of the room. He paused for a second in the hall, glancing towards Arvid’s door. He debated knocking for a moment before rolling his eyes and continuing out. Arvid would be fine. Knowing him, he was probably with the other drivers waiting for the parade to start anyways.  

“Hey,” he nodded a quiet greeting to Isack as he reached the pack of drivers slowly making their way onto the truck in preparation for the parade around the track. He followed behind the younger, joining up with Charles and Pierre as the truck began moving. He remained quiet for the most part, drinking from his bottle as he listened to the other three bantering together. 

His gaze drifted from the group in front of him, instead focusing on the crowd of people filling the stands. He lifted his arm, waving as he spotted some of his team’s merch in the crowd.

“You lose your rookie already mate?” Liam glanced to his side just as Max moved in next to him, leaning against the railing.

“What are you on about?” he asked, glancing back at the crowd and continuing to wave.

Max stayed silent for a moment, his own eyes shifting across the span of the truck before focusing back on Liam. “Where is Arvid?” He clarified.

The question caused Liam to frown. “He’s–” Liam paused, immediately turning away from the crowd to look around the truck for himself. “Shit.”

“Yeah.”

“He’s probably fine,” Liam immediately tried to justify. “Probably just ran late and missed the truck before it left. I saw him earlier, he seemed fine.”

Max didn’t seem easily moved by Liam’s words, continuing to stare at him with a blank expression. 

“I’ll check on him when this is over,” Liam muttered, shrinking under the older’s gaze.

“Text me when you find him,” Max said as he pushed himself off the railing and wandered off to talk to someone else. 

Liam stayed where he was for the rest of the drive, continuing to scan the truck as though Arvid would suddenly appear within his sight. Hopefully no one else noticed the rookie’s absence, though knowing his luck it was likely already being questioned all across twitter, so that was just great.

He was going to be in so much trouble with the team.

As the truck finally came to a stop Liam rushed off, grateful that he wasn’t pulled to the side like Fernando and Carlos. He slipped past the rest of the drivers, glancing once towards Max who sent him another nod before he focused on making his way towards their hospitality.

As he stepped into the building he sighed quietly, the cool air a welcomed contrast to the heat he had just escaped. Walking through the building it was mostly empty, most of the team likely in meetings or the garage, while the rest were in the more public spaces such as the cafeteria, all of which Liam avoided.

Finally reaching their rooms, Liam slowed. He stopped in front of Arvid’s door, the urgency to see his teammate suddenly draining out of him. It shouldn’t bother him this much that Arvid missed the parade. Arvid was the one who would get reprimanded for it, even if Liam did end up receiving a scolding for not keeping an eye on the younger teammate. But he couldn’t stop the growing well of dread that seemed to fill his stomach as he stood awkwardly in front of his teammate’s door, arms hanging limply at his side as he debated whether or not to actually knock.\

Despite how close the two appeared in much of the media, they hadn’t actually spent any time alone together. And they certainly hadn’t been in each other’s rooms. Their rooms were almost sacred, a space just for them. No camera, no expectations. The only ones who had ever been in there were their personally invited guests and trainers.

Eventually working up the nerve, Liam knocked quietly on the door. He waited for a minute before leaning closer to it and speaking. “Arvid? You in there bro?” Another minute passed without a response and with it Liam’s worry grew. “I’m coming in, you better not be naked,” He said, a little louder as he reached for the handle. It twisted with little effort and Liam slowly opened the door, giving Arvid enough time to try to stop him. 

The sight Liam was met with caused him to freeze. The room was dark, all the lights off and the curtains firmly shut. The only light filtering in from the hallway behind Liam. “Mate?” He asked as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. Spotting the lumped figure on the couch, Liam let out a quiet sigh, releasing tension he hadn’t realized he was carrying. “You good? He continued as he fully entered the room, flicked on the light and shut the door behind him as he did.

Arvid groaned in response, burying his head further into the couch as though trying to hide from the light. “Should I call someone? Your trainer… or a doctor?” Liam continued, standing awkwardly in the middle of the room.

“Go ‘way,” Arvid mumbled, his eyes squeezing shut as his entire body shook. 

Liam huffed a laugh. “No way I am leaving you like this mate,” he argued. “Pretty sure Laurent and Alan would kill me. Or worse, Max will.” He moved further in, heading to the bathroom and turning that light on, leaving the door cracked, before going back and switching off the main room’s light. That at least seemed to allow Arvid to relax a bit.

He waited patiently for the younger to say something, ask for something. It was a few minutes before Arvid opened his eyes and looked at Liam. His eyes seemed glazed over, as though he wasn’t entirely present. His hand twitched where it was held against his chest before another full-body shiver consumed him. “You need to go,” Arvid muttered again, pulling his gaze away from Liam.

“I’m not leaving,” Liam said again. He stepped closer to Arvid, not missing the way the younger flinched as he reached out, pressing his hand against his forehead. He had expected to find Arvid burning up, affected by the heat, maybe feeling the effects of heat exhaustion. Instead he found the other to be freezing cold.

He pulled his hand back in shock. “Shit man, how are you so cold?” He glanced around, looking for a blanket or something to cover Arvid with but found nothing. How the hell did Arvid not have a single blanket in sight?

“Please,” Arvid mumbled, his hand falling from his chest. Whether he was trying to reach for Liam or push him away was unclear. He squeezed his eyes shut, continuing to tremble as he mumbled apologies over and over again.

“Don’t apologize, just–” He hesitated, unsure of how to handle this situation. “Let me call someone,” he said eventually, reaching for his phone in his pocket.

Arvid’s eyes flew open at that, seemingly more aware now. “No, no, no, no,” He tried to stand and reach for the phone, but instead stumbled over his own feet in his haste.

“Okay, okay! I won’t,” Liam said quickly, abandoning his phone as he moved to catch Arvid before he fell entirely. 

Arvid clung to him, his hands gripping Liam’s arms. “It’s okay, you’re okay,” Liam muttered as he adjusted his hold on the other and moved them back down onto the couch. 

Safely back on the couch, Liam expected Arvid to pull away again, but instead he leaned in closer, as though seeking warmth from taller. “You’re– you okay?” Liam asked again, unsure of what else to do in this situation.

Arvid was silent for a long time before quietly muttering, “Hungry,” in response. 

Okay, Liam could work with that. “I can go find something,” He said immediately, preparing to pull himself from Arvid’s grip. “You want a sandwich? Or like a salad?” he asked as he tried to go through a mental list of what all was offered at the hospitality. 

But Arvid shook his head, holding onto Liam tighter. “You gotta give me something to work with, mate,” Liam huffed. “We have like,” He glanced around, looking for a clock. “An hour and a half before the race. You need to eat soon or you’ll get sick in the car.” Arvid shook his head again. “Mate, please.” Liam urged again.

“Can’t,” Arvid grumbled, pressing his face into Liam’s collarbone. Before Liam could ask why not, Arvid’s reply, albeit muffled, came. “Lost the supplements. Don’t know what happened. They were in the bag. I put them in the bag, I swear.” He continued rambling under his breath.

“What are you on about?” Liam asked, pulling back a little so he could see Arvid’s face. “You sound like, delirious, man.”

Arvid fell quiet again, trying to move closer to Liam again, but Liam held him back. Reluctantly he answered, his gaze falling to the floor. “The blood supplements.”

“The what? Why are you taking blood supplements?” Worry painted his tone, causing Arvid to whine quietly, not wanting to have to explain. “What are you, like a vampire?” Liam tried, attempting to lighten the mood. Instead Arvid froze, falling silent entirely.

“Arvid?” Liam asked cautiously. “Don’t fuck with me, I am not falling for that,” He groaned, almost tempted to look around for cameras. He had been tricked by their social media admins too many times to want to deal with a prank coming from his own teammate too. 

The younger hesitated for a moment before  pulling away entirely. “You should go,” He said instead, his posture stiff despite the way he was still shaking. 

Liam hated that response. He stared at Arvid, waiting for the younger to crack, to laugh and promise he was joking. It never came. Growing uncomfortable, Arvid ran his tongue over his teeth, a nervous tick he’s had since a child.

“Oh my god, do you have fangs?” Liam shot up, his eyes widening. Arvid jumped at the sudden loudness of Liam’s voice, his mouth immediately snapped shut. “Holy shit man,” He said once, and then repeated for emphasis.

“Arvid?” Liam said again, slowly reaching towards Arvid. When the latter flinched he paused before dropping his hand back into his own lap. Arvid eventually looks up at him again. His posture is stiff, his entire body still. “You’re fucking with me,” he tries again, trying to convince himself he’s imagining things, that the heat is driving him crazy.

Arvid tries to look away, wanting to look at anything but Liam at this point as he quietly whispers, “You should go.” But it feels impossible. For Arvid to look away entirely, finding himself instead searching Liam for– something. Fear maybe, or disgust. It was impossible for Liam to move though, his body rooted to the couch as he continued to stare at Arvid in adamant disbelief. 

“I’m not– No,” Liam takes a deep breath, “If you’re being serious, let me help. Just tell me what you need. Please."

“Go please. I don’t want to–” Arvid stopped himself, shaking his head. His hand was twitching in his lap, as though desperate to reach for something. Part of Liam wanted to agree, to listen to Arvid’s pleading, if only because it would make the younger feel better. But he could see the desperation in the younger’s eyes. The unbridled need that the younger couldn’t quite hide. 

Liam reached out again, not stopping this time despite Arvid flinching. He reached out, taking his hand in his own, trying to settle the twitching movements. “But you’re hurting,” he said quietly. “I can find someone or- or something. Does anyone else have backup supplements for you? The medical tent maybe?”

“No one knows,” Arvid whispered, trying to tug his hand out of Liam’s hold to no avail.

The older paused to think for a moment. “Okay,” he said eventually. “What other option is there? There has to be something, right?” 

“No,” Arvid said a little too quickly, but Liam didn’t miss the way Arvid’s gaze shifted to his neck for a moment before quickly flicking away again. 

“Arvid,” Liam said gently, glancing back at the clock. “We have an hour until the race, you need to do something or you won’t be able to drive. There’s no way the team would let you drive like this." 

But the driver was adamant, shaking his head again. “I can’t,” he whispered. Despite his words though, his body seemed to move of its own accord, reaching towards Liam before he managed to snap himself backwards again.

“You can do it,” Liam said quietly, though he wasn’t quite sure what he was getting himself into. “It’s fine. You need to drive. For the team.” He didn’t comment on the fact that he was worried for the younger. Not liking the almost sluggish movements and freezing cold skin felt beneath his hands.

“No, no, no,” Arvid tried to refuse despite the way his body begged against him. He tried tugging his hands away from Liam again, but the blonde only tightened his grip. Not enough to hurt, but enough to keep the Arvid from moving further away.

“Arvid, please,” Liam pleaded. His gaze shifted to the door, worried someone could walk in at any moment. Part of him wondered what they would think if they saw this. “You’re okay, Arvid, it’s okay. Please just stop fighting yourself,” he said, the smallest twinge of desperation causing his voice to shake.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he repeated, still weakly trying to pull out of Liam’s hold.

“You won’t.”

Something in that seemed to snap Arvid out of his state. Whether it was the empty void gnawing at him or the seeming complete trust from Liam, he wasn’t quite sure, but he finally stopped resisting Liam’s hold. Instead, he shifted, leaning back into the older. 

They stayed like that for a few minutes before Arvid shifted again. He nosed at the base of Liam’s neck, his head resting on the other’s collarbone once more. “You sure?” He asked hesitantly, his breath ghosting against Liam’s neck, sending a shiver down his spine.

“Yeah,” Liam whispered, trying to prepare himself. 

Arvid tugged his hand away from Liam, who gave it up willingly this time, and brought it to the older’s neck. He brushed his thumb against it, wiping a bit of dirt from his skin. “Just relax,” he said softly, more sure of himself now as he wrapped his hand loosely around the back of Liam’s neck to pull him closer. 

He let out a soft sigh, tickling Liam’s neck. “Please,” Liam whispered, voice breaking on the word. Arvid shushed him softly, nipping at the skin, but not breaking it. 

He continued to tongue at his neck, small kitten licks around the area, intermitted with the occasional nip. “You’re being so good for me,” he muttered into Liam’s neck before finally opening mouth a little more and pressing his fangs into Liam. The older man gasped, tilting his head immediately to give Arvid better access. The younger hummed in return, staying still for another few seconds before pulling his teeth out of Liam. Liam whimpered at the loss, the cool air stinging the open wound for a moment before Arvid was covering it again, licking over the bite marks that had been left. He switched between sucking and licking at the wound while Liam took it all quietly. 

They remained like that for a few minutes before Arvid finally pulled away, using the back of his hand to wipe his mouth. “You taste so sweet,” he murmured softly, reaching up to run his thumb across the red mark on Liam’s neck. “Let me find you a bandaid,” he continued as he stood slowly, taking a moment to reorient himself before moving to the bathroom. He washed his hands before rummaging through the cabinets and coming back.

“It’s going to sting a little,” Arvid said softly as he dripped antiseptic on a wipe and lightly began wiping away at the bite mark. Liam whined quietly at the feeling, trying to push Arvid away. “I know,” the younger soothed. “Almost done, you’re being so good for me,” he continued, talking Liam through it as he cleaned the wound and opened the bandaid, pressing it carefully onto his neck.

“Such a good boy for me,” Arvid said softly, pulling his hand away from Liam. He finally looked at the clock, clicking his tongue quietly. “Rest for now. The first time can be quite draining,” he mused at his own joke. “We have about thirty minutes before the race, it’ll hurt less by then,” he added as he moved, finding Liam a bottle of water and handing it to him.

II.

There was a two week break before the next race in Austria. The drivers had been set free at first, allowed a week off to do whatever they wanted before they were called back to Faenza to prepare for the next race. 

Liam arrived in Italy late on Sunday. He immediately made his way to his hotel, flopping down on his bed the moment he entered his room, prepared to not get up until the following morning when he was expected back at the factory. 

The race the previous weekend had gone fine, both drivers managing to stay within the points. But they hadn’t talked about what had happened beforehand. After the race ended and they went back to their hotel the boys hadn’t talked at all. Hadn’t really talked since. 

He finally rolled over, only to sit up and search for the menu and phone, hunger overruling his exhaustion. He scanned the menu once, twice, then a third time before finally deciding to just get a burger and fries. Classic. Easy. Hard to mess up. 

As the call rang Liam found himself reaching up, his thumb running over the fading bitemark on his neck. When the call was picked up he dropped his hand and ordered quickly. “Thank you,” he said softly into the receiver before putting the phone down. He flopped back again immediately. 

The driver waited in silence then, too tired to bother with finding the remote and turning something on. He wasn’t sure how long he waited, but the sun had nearly disappeared entirely by the time he heard the knock on his door. Liam groaned quietly as he got up, stretching his arms above his head, before he finally padded over to the door. 

He opened it with a tired smile, thanking the employee as he took the plate of food before shutting the door again. He dropped down onto a chair, setting the plate in front of him as he began eating slowly.

When he finished, he moved the plate to the side and moved back to the bed, deciding he would shower in the morning as he let sleep finally take him.

–

Liam arrived early to the factory. He greeted the few people he saw as he made his way through, glancing at his phone as he walked through the building to figure out where he was heading first. Meetings, much to his dismay. Despite his disapproval of it he turned, making his way to one of the many meeting rooms.

When the meeting ended he got up, needing to stretch a bit before the day progressed. A few minutes later, he was pulled into a second meeting. He huffed but otherwise made no complaints, following the team into a new meeting room and settling in.

Finally the second meeting ended as well, and Liam was quick to make his escape this time, making his way down to the cafeteria for lunch. Grabbing his food, a wrap and some chips, he took his seat, eating slowly as he scanned the room. 

“Hey,” his gaze shifted to an employee walking nearby. She looked young, a little unsure. Liam wondered if she was new. “Is Arvid here?” Liam continued regardless.

She hesitated for a moment before shaking her head. “I don’t think he’s scheduled to be here until tomorrow.”

“Ah, alright. Thanks.” She nodded in response before continuing off to wherever she was expected. 

Liam quickly finished eating after that and headed to the sim room, the only thing left on his schedule for the rest of the day. 

He settled into the seat of the sim with relative ease, loading into it and checking through everything before he began. Despite his effort, he struggled to focus. He put in lap after lap anyways, continuing to push himself, to will himself to focus.

When he finally gave up, he came out unsatisfied. Knowing he could’ve done more. Given more. But his inability to focus and the frustration that came from it only left him struggling more. 

Eventually he made the decision to just call it a day, hoping that tomorrow would be better. As he left, his gaze continued to scan each space he passed as though looking for something. 

–

When Liam woke up on Tuesday his neck was aching. He rubbed his hand against it, trying to soothe the pain. When it became evident that that wouldn’t work, he groaned, standing up to find a pain reliever and quickly swallow two pills.

By the time he made it to the factory he was running ten minutes late for a meeting. Despite that, he stopped by the cafeteria, finding something to eat, and then finally making his way to the meeting. The stop at the cafeteria had cost him an additional five minutes and by the time he reached the meeting room, the meeting was well underway.

“Sorry, sorry,” he mumbled as he slipped into the room, promptly disrupting the meeting despite his best efforts. He slid into the open seat by his teammate, nodding to him in greeting as the meeting resumed.

“You good mate?” Arvid asked as they left the meeting room two hours later.

“Yeah, fine,” Liam mumbled.

Arvid stared at him for a moment, clearly not believing him. “You’re not usually late,” he said instead.

“Traffic.” Liam answered smoothly. “And I woke up late,” he added, which, to be fair, was true.

Despite that, the younger still didn’t seem convinced. “Right,” he responded, almost sarcastically. “Well I’m gonna get changed, see you for media?” he said, deciding to just drop the topic. Liam was grateful for it, nodding as they split off.

He wandered through the building, his mind once again distracted as he drifted through the halls towards where they were expecting to film today. He waited silently as the filming crew set up until Arvid came back and they began.

Overall, filming went without a hitch, both Liam and Arvid getting distracted on occasion but otherwise doing fine. They didn’t film much outside of race weekends anyways so the content they were expected to film today was relatively limited.

They took a break for lunch, both boys walking back to the cafeteria together before they found food and a table. They ate in relative silence, scrolling through their respective phones, only to occasionally turn it towards the other and show whatever meme had come across their feed before pulling away again.

When they finished eating they were pushed back towards the sims, urged to spend a few hours on them so the team could gather more data before the upcoming race. Both Liam and Arvid went willingly, settling into their respective simulators as their engineers adjusted the settings a little to better reflect the changes made to the car over the past week.

Once everything was adjusted and the screen loaded to show the Red Bull Ring, the lights were flicked off and the room settled into an easy quiet. From where he sat Liam wasn’t able to see Arvid, but he could feel his presence like a blanket covering the room. 

He tilted his head a little, trying to catch a glimpse of the younger driver. Still unable to, he huffed quietly, turning his focus back to the screen before him and beginning his lap.

Liam managed to focus better this time, once he got into a rhythm his gaze never left the screen as he ran lap after lap. When he felt a hand come down on his shoulder, the driver jumped, immediately looking up only to see Arvid standing behind him. 

“You good bro?” Arvid teased as he pulled his hand away.

Liam rolled his eyes and nodded. “I’m fine. Just focused.”

“Uh huh,” Arvid grinned. “Just wanted to let you know I’m heading out. See you tomorrow, yeah?”

The older driver pulled out his phone to check the time, only to realize they’d been on the sims for about four hours now. “Yeah man, see you later.”

Arvid nodded, lingering for a moment longer before he left the room and Liam in its darkness. He sat there for a while, staring at the screen before eventually shutting it all down and finally getting up to leave as well.

–

Wednesday morning found both boys on a plane with a number of people from their team. Liam had fallen asleep almost immediately while Arvid pulled his headphones over his ears and quietly listened to music as he stared at the seat in front of him.

Despite the flight being early in the morning, Arvid managed to stay awake for the short duration of it. His leg bounced aimlessly as he waited for them to land, the tension in his jaw growing the longer they were in the air.

He needed his bag. He needed the plane to land so he could get his bag and get back to the hotel. 

He needed– Arvid tore his gaze away from the seat, scanning the plane for the familiar head of blonde hair before he could think against it. He spotted him, Liam being a few rows ahead of him on the other side of the plane. His gaze fixed on the older, refusing to look away from what little of the man he could see as the plane progressed through the air.

It wasn’t until they landed that Arvid finally looked away, getting off the plane as quickly as he could and waiting for the others. With how much luggage was brought between the team, he knew he wouldn’t see his own bag until later. Despite it, he helped load bags into one of the cars, all of them going to the same place anyways. He eventually got into the car and it pulled away towards the hotel, the rest eventually following.

The drive and checking into the hotel did nothing to settle the tension creeping into Arvid’s shoulders. His responses to everything were clipped, limited only to the necessary information. When he finally got the keys to his room he thanked the attendant and team. He looked around at the collection of luggage marked with the team's logo, frowning when he didn’t see his own. He quickly moved to one of the team members to inquire about it. They promised to look into it before sending him away.

It was another hour of anxiously waiting in his room until Arvid finally heard something, only to be informed that his bag apparently did not make it to the hotel. Arvid swore and immediately switched gears, beginning to search online for anywhere he could get replacement supplements on a short notice.

Unsurprisingly, there were none. 

He debated what to do, but the clock was ticking and he could feel the familiar cramp pulling at his stomach. Not wanting it to get as bad as it had been last time, Arvid promptly decided fuck it and grabbed his room key slipping out of the room.

He realized immediately that he had no clue where Liam would even be as he glanced up and down the hallway. He pulled out his phone, sending the other a text asking for his room number. It took two minutes for Liam to reply but thankfully he didn’t question it, sending Arvid the number immediately.

Arvid moved towards the elevator, taking it up a floor before he started looking for the other’s room. When he reached the door he knocked, it opened within seconds. “You good man?” Liam asked immediately, scanning Arvid up and down. 

“Can I come in?”

Liam hesitated for a moment before stepping aside and opening the door a little wider.

When he got in, he gave the room a brief look, noting it was essentially the same as his own, before he turned. “They lost my bag,” Arvid said quietly, turning back to face Liam.

“Ah, rotten luck, bro,” Liam frowned.

“It had my supplements,” Arvid added.

That seemed to register with Liam based on how he stiffened just slightly. “Well shit.”

Arvid snorted, nodding. “Yeah, shit. I uh, can’t find anything nearby where I’d be able to get a replacement,” he continued, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Right,” Liam glanced past Arvid for a moment before looking back to him. “Do you need to..?” he trailed off, unsure of how exactly to ask.

“Please?” Arvid asked weakly, “It’ll be the last time, I swear,” he added. “Once the weekend is over and we head back to England I’ll be able to restock but it’s been a few days and–”

“It’s fine, man,” Liam cut him off. He was already moving further into the hotel, finding his way onto the bed and sitting down at the edge of it.

Arvid was not as quick, remaining frozen in place as he stared at Liam. “You sure?” he asked eventually.

Liam nodded. “Yeah man,” he said like it was nothing. “Need you functional, you know, for the team, yeah?”

“Right,” Arvid said quietly, finally trailing after Liam.

He sat awkwardly next to Liam, unsure of how to do this, evidently still hesitant.

“It’s fine, bro,” Liam said again, tilting his head slightly.

On instinct Arvid reached out, his hand immediately finding its way to Liam’s bare neck. A moment later when his brain caught up he flushed, apologizing quietly.

Liam shook his head a little, whispering, “Stop apologizing.”

“Okay,” Arvid said, finally leaning in to close the distance. He pressed his lips against Liam’s neck, feeling the way his pulse jumped beneath his skin. He couldn’t help himself, licking lightly at the skin. Feeling the cold touch, Liam tried to move away, only to be caught by Arvid’s hand coming up to hold him in place. “Stay still for me, baby,” Arvid said softly, sucking softly on the spot he had just licked before moving to a new spot and repeating the process as though scoping out the best location.

Finally Arvid seemed to settle on a spot as Liam felt the press of his fangs just before they pierced through his skin. He let out a quiet noise, wincing as the teeth sunk in. Arvid’s free hand found his own, beginning to rub soft circles against the back of it until the pain seemed to dull just a little. When Liam relaxed again, Arvid pulled his teeth out, immediately covering the spot with his mouth again as he began carefully sucking and licking at it just as he had the first time. 

He pulled back for a moment, not going far as he rested his forehead against Liam’s cheek, breathing softly out of his mouth directly onto the two marks on the older’s neck. “You taste so sweet,” he said quietly. “So good for me,” he added as he pressed his lips gently back against the spot. He drank for another few seconds before licking the excess blood away and finally pulling away entirely. “Thank you, baby,” he said softly. “I’m gonna find something to clean you up, okay?” He asked, waiting for Liam to nod slowly before he stepped away. 

He immediately went to the bathroom, finding a clean cloth and running it under warm water before returning to Liam. He wiped gently at the spot, humming as he did. “Do you have bandaids anywhere?” Liam nodded, shifting his weight to stand before Arvid stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. “Just relax, they in your bag?” Liam nodded and the younger got up again, going over to the bag thrown down a chair and immediately rummaging through it until he found what he was looking for.

He opened the bandaid and pressed it against Liam’s neck, running his finger over the textured material for a moment before pulling away.

“Thanks Liam,” Arvid said again.

“Yeah,” Liam mumbled clearly, still feeling a bit dizzy from the blood loss.

Arvid stood, looking around before finding Liam’s bottle and passing it to him. Liam took it gratefully, taking a few small sips from it before tossing it back on the bed. “You should rest,” Arvid murmured, brushing a few pieces of hair from Liam’s face.

“Yeah,” Liam agreed quietly, clearly not in the mindset to put up any kind of fight against Arvid’s suggestions.

III.

To say that the British Grand Prix went well for VCARB would be an understatement. P6 and P7. It was matched with Monaco for both boys' best finish this season. Adrenaline was still running high as they made their way towards the media pen. “Top ten at my first home race,” Arvid said, more to himself than anything. 

He nudged Liam’s side, grinning at him. “That was brilliant, man. You were amazing out there.” 

Liam rolled his eyes but smiled nonetheless. “You did amazing out there too,” He replied, causing Arvid’s grin to widen.

Before they could enter the media pen, Arvid glanced around. “Come here,” He said quietly, pulling Liam past the entrance and around the corner to an empty hall. He immediately leaned into Liam, pressing the older back against the wall.

“Shit, man,” Liam hissed. “What are you–”

Arvid hummed, rubbing his nose against Liam’s neck. “You smell good,” He mumbled quietly, his tongue darting out to kitten lick the older man. Liam’s skin was still damn with sweat, though that didn’t seem to bother the British driver as he continued the small licks. 

Liam quickly felt himself turning red as he weakly tried to push Arvid off of himself. “Arvid, you can’t– What if someone sees us? Didn’t you take your supplements today?”

Arvid hummed, continuing to nose Liam’s neck for a minute before answering. “Don’t care,” he mumbled unhelpfully, not stopping his teasing touches. “Can I?” he asked finally, pulling back just enough to look up at Liam.

Despite himself, Liam tilted his head, giving Arvid easier access to his neck. Arvid’s grin returned as he reached up to undo the velcro and top part of Liam’s race suit, moving it just enough to give the Brit access to the lower part of his neck. When he finally got the suit out of the way he pressed his tongue flatly against Liam’s neck, cleaning the small area then wasting no time before he sunk his teeth in. The older hissed in pain, bringing his hand up to cover his mouth immediately. Arvid pulled back almost immediately this time, shifting to licking away at the blood. The two cuts were not as deep this time, not needing to be. 

Both boys froze as they heard a couple voices coming from down the hall. The voices were loud, familiar. Very likely other drivers. Arvid hesitated, listening to the voices for a second longer before continuing to lick at the blood, eliciting another quiet noise from Liam. He hummed softly, urging the older to be quiet, despite continuing the teasing licks. Eventually the voices faded, joining the muffled noise of the rest of the media pen.

“Such a sweet boy,” Arvid whispered against Liam’s neck. Liam groaned quietly, his head falling back against the wall behind him. He was shaking a little, the adrenaline mixing with the feeling of pain enough to leave him feeling unsteady. Leaving it mainly on Arvid to keep them both up as he held onto Liam’s waist. “You did so good today, I’m so proud of you,” he continued, licking at the bleeding skin once more.

Liam remained silent for a moment, breathing through his mouth as he dropped his hand. “Thank you,” he said weakly, tilting his head a little to try and look at Arvid.

When the spot stopped bleeding Arvid zipped the race suit back up, effectively covering the mark before he stepped back, slowly letting go of Liam. “You okay to do media?” Arvid asked softly. 

“Y-yeah,” Liam breathed out. “Just need a second. Cool down,” he muttered. Which, fair. His face was completely flushed and his hands were shaking. 

Arvid nodded, “Fair. Uh, sorry mate,” he said, though he didn’t sound very apologetic.

Liam waved him off, muttering, “It’s fine.” He eventually waved Arvid off entirely, urging him to go start his media duty and promising that he would follow in a minute. Arvid hesitated to leave him but eventually nodded, stepping away to give Liam privacy.

As Arvid rounded the corner Liam let his head fall back against the wall. He shifted his weight until he slid to the ground, bringing his hands up to bury his face in them. “Fuck me man,” he muttered, pressing the heel of his palms into his eyes as he began to question what exactly he got himself into.

IV.

The Goodwood Festival of Speed always felt like the event of the year for drivers. A chance to drive a variety of vehicles for those with experience, and a chance to see some of the machinery up close for the fan. To say Liam was excited would be an understatement. 

He had gotten up relatively early, leaving his hotel within half an hour just so he could arrive as early as possible and make the most out of his day spent at the festival. When he arrived his first stop was to change. He was stopped a few times by fans but otherwise made it through the growing crowd with relative ease. 

He stopped for a moment to talk to someone from the VCARB team, then slipped away to change into his fireproof and race suit. He adjusted the few pieces of jewelry and watches he wore before pulling his shoes and cap on. He gave himself a cursory glance in the mirror before slipping back out again.

The next order of business: Liam had been promised that Lightning Mcqueen was here somewhere. He immediately located someone with an official looking badge and asked what direction the car was, not willing to waste a second more. He was a man on a mission, after all. 

It took him less than three minutes to locate the designated area, but much to the driver’s dismay, there was a relatively large crowd surrounding the area, blocking his view. Liam slowly pushed his way through the crowd, apologizing halfheartedly as he brushed past people to make it to the front. 

He finally managed to catch sight of it a few rows back, and seemingly simultaneously, an attendant spotted him. They waved him forward and Liam couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face as he continued to push his way through the last bit of crowd and over to where the attendant was. 

They spoke for a few minutes, though Liam’s eyes were locked squarely on the car before him. How could he not stare at it?

“Do you want to get a picture with it?” The attendant’s voice cut through his thoughts, finally forcing Liam to look away.

“Please,” he nodded immediately. She gestured him towards it and without any further hesitation Liam jumped forward, moving closer until he was running his hand across the hood of the car.

He turned, squatting down so it was easier to take the picture, and grinning towards the camera. “This is sick, mate,” he said as he stood back up. He moved through the showcase a bit, looking at everything with a childlike fascination.

“Figured I’d find you here,” Liam was once again pulled from his thoughts as a familiar voice cut through the bumble of noise that surrounded the area.

“Hey Arvid,” Liam said without looking away from the model piston cup in front of him. The younger driver huffed at the lack of real acknowledgement but stepped forward to stand beside Liam anyways.

“They have Lightning McQueen here,” Liam added as if it wasn’t obvious.

That pulled an actual laugh from Arvid this time. “Yeah?” He asked, amused. “How long you been over here for?”

Liam finally looked away from the piston cup, only for his eyes to drift back to Lightning Mcqueen. “Don’t know,” he eventually shrugged. “Came here almost as soon as I arrived.”

That didn’t seem to surprise Arvid in the slightest. “Right. Well I think we’re going to start driving soon if you’re ready to go.”

The older hesitated for a moment before nodding, following after the shorter as they made their way back across the grounds. 

That’s how they spent much of the next few hours, moving between one car to the next. Between drives, Liam found himself looking around. For the most part he watched as others drove, but more than once he found himself scanning the crowd of people.

He didn’t see Arvid again until they both took a break for lunch. Liam stepped away from the area he’d been watching everyone else drive from, wandering around for a moment as he scanned the crowd. He frowned slightly as the minutes passed and he couldn’t spot the familiar head of curls through the crowd.

“You lost?”

Liam visibly relaxed as he turned. “No,” he rolled his eyes, walking towards Arvid. “Lunch?”

Arvid nodded, falling into step with the other as they went to look for food. When they found food from one of the stands they decided to just settle on the ground, eating as they continued to watch some other drivers rather than going off to find a table. 

“Enjoying it so far?” Arvid asked, leaning a little closer to Liam so he didn’t have to yell to be heard over the crowd and the sound of engines roaring. 

Liam nodded, chewing slowly and swallowing before he finally answered. “Yeah,” he thought for a moment before adding, “It’s nice driving something other than the car. Not a bad car, but it could be better. Also nice to drive without the pressure to perform the same way as we do on the track.”

Arvid hummed in response, “Fair enough. Not a bad season for us though. At least for me. Nice being able to get in the top ten pretty consistently as a rookie.”

Huffing, Liam agreed. “Yeah, wouldn’t be surprised if they moved you up next year,” he muttered, a slight disdain in his tone that did not go unnoticed by Arvid.

“Not a big fan of the idea of moving up, you know that right?” Arvid asked. Liam gave him a look that screamed of doubt and he just shrugged in response. “VCARB has been fun. There’s still the expectation to perform of course, but it’s not the same pressure as a top team. I don’t know how others have managed to jump into a top team and succeed. Sounds like a nightmare.”

Liam stayed silent for a moment before eventually nodding, still not fully believing Arvid. 

They finished eating in silence, the focus shifting back to the roster of cars being taken out and driven around.

“I think I should find a hat, you come with me?” Arvid asked when they had finished eating and gotten up to throw away their trash.

Liam nodded, “Yeah, alright man.” They looked around for a moment before heading back to where most of their team had set up. They made quiet conversation as they walked, stopping twice for fans, but otherwise continuing along without issue. 

They grabbed the hat, stopping for a moment to talk to the team before leaving again. Liam moved back towards the track, expecting the pair to get ready to drive again, but Arvid tugged his arm. “Let’s go in for a minute?” He asked. Liam hesitated but inevitably agreed, following a half step behind Arvid as they went in the opposite direction.

The Goodwood house was relatively empty, being off limits to a majority of the attendants. They slipped through the building, surprisingly not being stopped as Arvid led them through, looking for an empty room.

When he finally found one that seemed to satisfy him, he slipped inside, pulling Liam in with him before he shut the door. Liam tilted his head in response, but he could already feel his stomach churning in anticipation.

“Being in the sun for so long drains a lot of my energy,” Arvid said softly, looking towards Liam. 

Liam swallows, watching the way Arvid immediately zeros in on the movement. “Yeah?” He asks quietly.

“Yeah,” Arvid hums, taking a slow step forward. Liam resists the urge to step back in response. 

He thinks for a moment, trying to think of something, anything he can say to– stall? Distract from the increasingly evident reason that Arvid seemed to bring him here. “You don’t have your supplements with you?” He asked and immediately regretted.

“I do,” Arvid replied honestly, though that didn’t seem to deter him in the slightest. “But real blood helps more. And,” he paused for a moment, as though debating saying what was on his mind. “Your blood tastes better.”

The words rang through Liam’s head. Your blood. “What if someone comes in? Sees us?” He asked, filling the silence that had stretched far longer than he realized. 

“Let them,” Arvid said softly, taking another step forward. 

“Let them?” Liam repeated incredulously. 

Arvid shrugged, bringing his hand up to brush against the faded mark still visible from the last time he’d bitten the blonde. “No one will come in. No one knows we’re here,” Arvid said instead.

That did not exactly help Liam relax, given the older realized no one, in fact, knew they were here. 

“You can say no,” Arvid reminded softly. “You tell me no and I will walk away.”

It should’ve reassured Liam, should’ve made it easy to push the younger away. But he could already feel himself leaning towards Arvid, trusting him. On top of that he could feel Arvid’s thumb trembling, just barely, against his neck.

“Not a lot?” Liam asked quietly, his gaze lowering.

“Not a lot,” Arvid agreed, smiling a little.

Liam hesitated for a moment longer before nodding slowly. He raised his gaze again, looking around the room for a moment shifting his weight to move towards a nearby couch. He felt Arvid’s grip on him tighten just slightly and Liam immediately looked back towards the other. “Just to the couch,” he said, tilting his head towards it. Arvid watched him, then glanced towards the couch before finally loosening his grip, then letting go entirely.

Liam walked to the couch, sliding down onto the edge of it with Arvid following just a second behind. 

“Relax, baby,” Arvid said softly, pressing a hand against Liam’s chest until he was sat fully on the couch, back pressed up against it. “I’ll be quick,” he promised. 

Liam nodded slightly, leaning back into the couch as Arvid approached. He balled his hands into fists on his lap, watching Arvid with a level of cautiousness in his eyes.

“Relax,” Arvid said again, using one hand to unfurl the fists Liam made while the other found its way to the back of Liam’s head. He threaded his fingers through the older’s hair before taking hold, using his grip to tilt Liam’s head back. “There you go, so easy for me,” he murmured, pressing forward. 

Arvid took a deep breath as he rubbed his nose against the two holes he left on Sunday. Liam shuttered at the touch, trying to pull away, but unable to due to Arvid’s hand still holding his head in place.

He hummed, brushing his lips over the spot, kissing it lightly. “Sensitive are we?” he asked, a smile ghosting his lips as Liam whimpered in response, seemingly unable to stop the sound before it escaped.

Satisfied, Arvid moved away from the mark, moving to an open patch of skin and beginning to suck lightly on it. He nipped at the area, his fangs grazing against the skin before he pulled back just a little to examine the reddened spot. He moved back in, covering the spot with his mouth once more and pressing his tongue against it, continuing the pressure until Liam was whining, trying to pull away again. He grinned, letting up on the pressure. “It’s alright, you’re being so good for me,” he said softly, shushing the older until he fell quiet again. 

When Liam settled once more Arvid finally bit down, causing Liam to start whining, though he thankfully didn’t try to pull away this time. Arvid remained still for a moment, not moving until Liam began squirming in discomfort beneath him. 

He sucked lightly on the spot after he pulled his teeth out, lapping at the two holes that remained. As he drank the older’s blood, he began rubbing soothing circles just behind his ear with the hand still tangled in his hair. At some point Liam’s eyes had fluttered shut, no longer fighting the exhaustion that was consuming him as Arvid took what he needed.

“That’s it baby, there we go,” Arvid said as he pulled away, untangling his hands from the blonde as he pulled a folded napkin out of his pocket and pressed it carefully against the fresh marks.

Liam grumbled at the feeling of pressure on his neck, trying once more to escape it. “Shh, hold still baby, I’m almost done,” Arvid said softly, gently cupping Liam’s jaw to keep him in place. 

“Can you open your eyes for me?” he continued softly, running his thumb across the other’s cheek. It took a moment but Liam slowly opened his eyes, blinking blearily as he adjusted to the bright room again. “Good boy, there you are,” Arvid smiled.

“That was not quick,” Liam mumbled.

Arvid laughed at that, shaking his head. “It wasn’t,” he agreed. “I’m sorry. Thank you for being patient with me.”

Liam hummed in response, his throat hurting and himself feeling too tired overall to reply.

“Are you able to walk?” Arvid asked when he pulled back. He folded the napkin up and slid it back into his pocket. “We’ll find you water and then see about getting back on track, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Liam agreed, adjusting to sit up more. “Sounds good, man.”

V.

Spa had gone as well as the team expected it to. It was a tough weekend, more so for Liam, but both drivers had managed to do the best they could with the upgrades they were given. They were able to stay close to or within the top ten for almost the entirety of the weekend, and escaped just about all mishaps that seemed to fall onto the rest of the grid. There wasn’t much more either of the boys could’ve done to improve, and everyone was satisfied with the results. Everything following the race– media and the team’s debrief– all went off without a hitch, and Liam found himself back at the hotel sooner than he expected to be, not that he was complaining.

Somewhere between the meeting ending and Liam heading to his car to go back to the hotel he lost track of Arvid. As he made his escape from the paddock he couldn’t stop himself from looking around, trying to spot the younger driver, but ultimately he left without seeing the other again.

He rode the elevator up, humming a tune that had been running through his head since before the race. He was already visualizing his guitar and the movements necessary to play the notes that had been running through his head for hours now.

When the elevator doors opened he began walking down the hall, fishing his key out of his pocket as he rounded a corner to his door.

Only to find it cracked open.

He hesitated, freezing where he was as he glanced up and down the hall before cautiously taking a step forward. He reached towards the door, his heart hammering in his chest as he slowly pushed it open. The lights were off, the glow of the hallway filtering in to light the entrance but nothing further into the room. 

“Hello?” He called into the dark room, willing his voice to remain steady as he fully stepped in. He slowly stepped further into the room, the door eventually falling closed with a loud thud, causing Liam to jump, before he continued deeper.

He glanced around, checking possible spots a person could be hiding, such as the small kitchenette or the bathroom, before eventually making his way to the bedroom. The door to the bedroom was closed, and Liam couldn’t for the life of him remember if he had left it that way when he left earlier in the morning or not. 

He hesitated at the door, his stomach churning as he worked up the courage to open the door. When he opened it, he took no more than three steps before he froze again.

“How the fuck did you get in here?” He demanded, relaxing despite himself. 

Arvid was laying on the bed, his back propped against the headboard with his legs spread out across the length of it. He looked up lazily from his phone, entirely unbothered by Liam’s distressed appearance. “Hi baby,” he said softly, turning off his phone and setting it to the side.

“What the– Don’t hi baby me bro, what the fuck?” Liam repeated angrily. “How the fuck did you get in my room? Why the fuck are you in my room?”

Arvid tilted his head, watching Liam for a long moment before he spoke. “I missed you,” he said after a moment, as if that explained anything.

“We saw each other less than an hour ago.”

“We did,” Arvid conceded with a small nod. “But I couldn’t have you the way I wanted to with so many people around.” 

“You–” Liam hesitated, Arvid’s words processing and causing his brain to stutter. “What?”

Arvid smiled at that. “Come here, baby,” he said, holding his arms open.

Liam hesitated but ultimately walked over, standing at the edge of the bed. Arvid clicked his tongue in disapproval but made no comment when Liam didn’t move any closer. 

“We shouldn’t be doing this,” Liam said quietly, forcing his gaze away from Arvid. 

“Why is that?” Arvid asked, moving to sit up further. His gaze never left Liam’s form.

The older hesitated, keeping his head down as he let the silence stretch. “It’s too risky,” he said eventually. He waited again, waiting for Arvid to continue but the British driver remained silent. As the silence continued past something comfortable Liam began squirming under the weight of Arvid’s gaze. “What if someone finds out? Or something happens?” He tried weakly, still refusing to meet the younger’s gaze.

Arvid thought for a moment, considering the other’s concerns before he responded. “Do you trust me?” He asked instead.

“Of course,” Liam stated without hesitation, finally looking back up at Arvid.

“What are you worried would happen?” 

Liam hesitated, not sure how to answer that. Sure, he’d been thinking about the concern of something happening for weeks, but he hadn’t actually considered what that ‘something’ could be. 

“What if they remove you as a driver? Or the media finds out and people decide… whatever they decide about you?” Liam pressed.

Arvid nodded, agreeing with the concerns. “Then that is my problem to deal with,” he reminded. “I knew the risks when I started driving. The risks of it being used against me by the FIA and by people online. I accepted those risks long ago.” Arvid’s tone was steady, sure. Confident in a way that bothered Liam. It wasn’t even cocky. Just neutral in a way that made it clear he was willing to risk exposure, and risk everything he had spent his childhood working towards in order to keep this arrangement going. 

“What if you take it too far?” Liam demanded then. “What if you take too much and I get hurt? If I can’t drive or pull myself back together or–” He trailed off, his voice shaking with something unspoken. 

Arvid sat up fully then, his posture straightening entirely as he grew more serious. “I would not hurt you,” Arvid said, almost offended. 

“But you could!” Liam argued. “What happens when you do it before another race and I can’t focus because I just had my teammate’s teeth in my neck and he was drinking my blood? What happens when I feel light headed and crash because I lost too much blood? What happens when I start bleeding midrace and it seeps through my suit and people start asking questions? It’s not just your reputation on the line in this, Arvid,” Liam’s voice rose as he spoke, spitting out one scenario after another. 

Arvid’s eyes narrowed as he responded. “I would not hurt you,” he repeated. Liam opened his mouth to continue arguing but Arvid immediately cut him off. “No. I would not hurt you. I am careful. I would never hurt you,” He repeated, and in a softer voice he added, “You are too precious to me.”

The fight seemed to leave Liam at those words, though he still didn’t seem convinced. He was shaking by that point, whether it be from anger or from holding something back, he wasn’t entirely sure. 

“Come here,” Arvid said. His tone was gentle now, but still steady. Liam didn’t argue this time as he finally collapsed onto the bed. Arvid pulled him up further until Liam was leaning back against him, his head resting against the younger man’s chest.

Arvid ran a hand through Liam’s blonde hair, continuing to talk softly. “I wouldn’t let any of those things happen. I know how to control myself, and I know your limits,” he assured him. 

Liam listened to him, not responding immediately as he worked through all of his thoughts. Arvid waited patiently, giving the older as much time as he needed. Finally, Liam bit his lip before whispering, “I’m scared.”

“Why?” Arvid asked, not angry. He wasn’t necessarily surprised. 

Liam brought his hands up, covering his face instead of answering. “Hey, none of that,” Arvid chided, gently pulling Liam’s hands away. “Whatever it is, we can work through it.”

“But what if we can’t?” Liam asked, his voice wavering just a little.

Arvid took Liam’s hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “We will,” he said in that same confident tone, so sure of them that Liam almost believed him immediately. “If you don’t want this, then we won’t do it. I will stick to my supplements, or find sources elsewhere,” Liam frowned at the thought of that but didn’t argue. Arvid somehow managed to hold back the pleased little smile that threatened to burst out at Liam’s reaction, instead rubbing his thumb in a small reassuring circle against the back of the taller’s hand. “Whatever the case, we will discuss it. We will figure it out. Together. 

“Promise?” Liam asked softly, glancing up at Arvid for the first time since he moved onto the bed.

“Promise,” Arvid repeated.

The pair laid like that for a while. Long enough for the room to grow even darker as the light outside began to fade, and neither made an attempt to move to turn on a light. Eventually the room was plunged into near total darkness. 

Arvid adjusted them slightly, causing Liam to whine quietly as he was moved in turn. “Shh,” Arvid hushed him softly. “Just laying down,” he soothed the other, running his hand up and down Liam’s arm until he relaxed again. “Rest, baby. We can figure out everything else tomorrow, yeah?” 

Liam hummed in response, turning over until he could curl up against Arvid. The younger wrapped his arm loosely around his waist. “Comfortable?” Arvid asked teasingly. Liam hummed again, clearly not in the mood for words. 

It was a few more minutes before Liam relaxed entirely, letting his entire weight fall onto Arvid, not that the younger was complaining. “Sleep,” Arvid repeated, drawing small shapes on a strip of skin that got exposed when his shirt rode up while he moved positions.

–

Liam woke up slowly, being eased awake as light slowly began to filter through the hotel curtains. He sighed softly, burying his face into his pillow in an attempt to escape the light and sleep a little long. His attempt was quickly foiled by his pillow shifting beneath him. 

This should’ve struck him as being weird, given that pillows don’t typically move on their own, but instead he huffed, grumbling, “no,” into the pillow. 

The pillow apparently found this amusing based on the quiet laughter it let out, causing it to shake beneath Liam. This finally managed to catch the driver’s attention and he shot up, opening his eyes as he launched himself off the bed. 

“Morning,” Arvid said, voice filled with amusement. “Come back, you were warm.”

Liam remained where he was, staring wide eyed at Arvid, trying to understand what was happening. “Did you..?” he asked, his hand instinctively coming up to his neck. 

“No,” Arvid sighed, sitting up when it became apparent that Liam did not seem inclined on returning to the bed. “Just talked. And slept.”

“And you stayed,” Liam pointed out. 

Arvid’s head dipped once, “I stayed. You looked comfortable.”

“Right,” Liam said slowly. “Do you need to… you know?”

“Bite you?” Arvid said teasingly. “Not right now. I think we should eat and then talk more. You didn’t eat when you came back.”

“Bit preoccupied with my room being broken into, wasn’t I, bro,” Liam muttered, but he didn’t argue. He turned away, heading to the bathroom to get ready for the day. Thankfully it was a rest day, with tomorrow being travel day, so there wasn’t a need to rush anything for now. 

Arvid made no argument as he too finally got up, making his way towards the kitchen to scope out the selection of coffee provided by the hotel and getting that going before he moved to look at the room service menu. He hummed softly to himself as he skimmed the options while he waited for Liam to come back out.

“You were listening to me yesterday,” Liam says as he enters the kitchen. 

The younger looked up, setting the menu down on the counter. His eyes moved across Liam’s figure, noting the new shirt the taller one was wearing. “I am always listening to you.”

Liam considered this for a minute, as though the idea of someone paying attention to him, caring and remembering something about him outside of his ability on the track was unfathomable. “You’re humming the tune I had stuck in my head yesterday,” he said finally.

“Is that where it came from?” The younger mused, though he had already known. He drifted away from the counter, making his way to the bathroom. Order me a breakfast sandwich, will you?” he called over his shoulder before entering the bathroom and closing the door with a click.

They drifted through the morning easily like that. Liam called the front desk to order them both food and then stole the cup of coffee Arvid had made while he had still been in the bathroom. Arvid came out, saying nothing about the coffee and instead starting a second cup without commenting. The food arrived relatively quickly and once they’d finished they found themselves drifting to the large couch, taking up opposite ends of it as Liam silently reached for the remote and turned something on that neither one paid any attention to.

The blonde driver finds his gaze drifting over to Arvid more often than not, only to tear his eyes away the moment he realizes he’s looking again. For a while Arvid kindly ignores it, keeping his gaze forward. Eventually, he decides it has gone on for too long and finally speaks up. “You’re staring, baby.” 

“Can you blame me?” Liam mumbles, praying his face isn’t as red as he fears it might be.

Arvid looks over at him, the corner of his mouth lifting. “What do you mean by that?”

Liam chewed on his lip, seeming to think about his words carefully before he said anything. “I mean you’re… you. A whatever the hell you are–”

“A vampire,” Arvid cut in, still amused by Liam’s refusal to just say it.

“And you’re just. Sitting on my couch watching– What the hell even is this?” he muttered, looking away from Arvid to look at the television for the first time since he turned it on. 

“Bluey,” Arvid said helpfully, entirely unable to hold back his grin now.

Liam groaned, letting his head fall into his hands now. “We’ve just been watching Bluey for the past twenty minutes and you said nothing, great. Wonderful actually, yeah. Brilliant.”

The younger watched him for a moment, tempted to reach over and pull his head up. Instead he asked, “Would you prefer to watch something else?”

It seemed to do the trick well enough based on the way Liam’s head shot up, a look of bewilderment and annoyance immediately clouding his eyes. “Would I– No I would not prefer to watch something else, oh my god mate. What the fuck are we doing here?”

Arvid sat up, turning his body so he was fully facing Liam. “Well,” he said carefully. “I am a vampire. Outside of my family, you are the only person that knows this due to the fact you walked in on me becoming sick due to not having supplements. Then I lost my supplements and you were there again. Then–”

“You pushed me against a wall right outside of the media pen and then led me into an empty room at a festival so you could have me. Both times noting that you had your supplements,” Liam reminded bluntly. Arvid nodded in confirmation. “So why?”

Arvid’s smile softened a little. “Because I like you,” he said as if it was the easiest, most obvious thing in the world.

The confession made Liam pause again. He stared at Arvid for a long while, trying to decipher his intentions. “You like me?” He asked eventually.

“I thought that was rather obvious, baby.”

“Oh.”

Liam sat with that revelation for a while, twisting and turning it in his head as he digested the information. “So this entire time you?” he trailed off, unsure how to continue his question.

“Yes and no,” Arvid shrugged. “Since before this all started? Yes. But I never intended to approach you or tell you about any of it.”

The older seemed to relax a little, considering it for a moment. “Right,” he said softly, just to fill the air between them.

He focused back on Arvid, taking a moment to truly consider the boy in front of him. “You’re shaking,” he said softly. 

“It’s fine,” the brunette shook out his hand, trying to get rid of the tingly feeling. 

“Do you need blood?” he asked anyway.

Arvid smiled a little but shook his head. “I’m okay, baby. I can go back to my room and take my supplements in a bit.” 

“But you could just–” Liam hesitated, frowning. “You said blood, my blood, was better.”

“I did,” the other agreed. 

“So why… Did I– Did I do something wrong?”

The British driver softened at that, as he opened his arms he murmured, “Come here, baby.” Liam stared at him cautiously before moving across the couch and into Arvid’s awaiting arms. He leaned back against the shorter, who immediately wrapped his arms loosely around the blonde’s waist, pulling Liam further back onto him. “I don’t want you to feel forced to take it just because I like it. The supplements work perfectly fine, yeah?”

Liam hesitated for a moment, still frowning as he thought, his gaze distant. “I don’t feel forced,” he muttered eventually, glaring at an empty part of the wall?”

“No?” Arvid hummed clearly pushing him to continue.

Liam huffed “No.” He continued mumbling under his breath as he sunk further against Arvid.

“Use your words, baby, I didn’t hear you.”

The older driver whined, flushing a soft pink before he repeated himself. “I like it too.”

Arvid smiled at the confession, proud of the boy in his lap for being brave enough to vocalize the thought. “Are you sure?” He asked, just in case.

Liam nodded silently, tilting his head slightly to present his neck to Arvid.

In an instant Arvid’s hand had traveled up, his thumb running lightly over the expanse of Liam’s neck. The previous bite mark still visible despite days having passed since it occurred. 

“So perfect,” Arvid said softly, continuing to run his thumb back and forth across Liam’s neck. He leaned down, peppering soft kisses across his jaw and down the side of his neck until he reached the base, just above Liam’s shoulder. “You want me to bite you, baby?” he asked teasingly.

Liam whined quietly, tilting his head further. “Please,” he whispered, his voice fragile, full of want.

“So eager for me, hm?” He hummed softly, causing Liam to whine again, pushing his neck closer to Arvid. The younger chuckled, he ran his thumb back across the previous mark, pressing lightly against it and increasing the pressure until Liam was squirming.

“Please, please, please,” Liam chanted, squeezing his eyes shut. Despite the apparent pain, he leaned further into the touch. Wanting more. Needing more.

Arvid finally relented, pulling his hand away from Liam’s neck and replacing it with his mouth, starting to suck lightly on a bare spot. He switched between sucking and kissing the area until it turned a dark shade of red. When he was satisfied he bit into the skin, relishing in the feeling of Liam shivering beneath him.

“Fuck, bro,” Liam whimpered at the feeling of the sensitive skin being pierced.

The other huffed as he pulled out, glaring at Liam. “Don’t call me bro when I’ve got my teeth in your neck.” He didn’t wait any longer, diving back in and beginning to suck relentlessly once more.

“Sorry,” Liam whined at the feeling, doing his best to stay still for the vampire.

Arvid hummed softly, switching to lick carefully at the spot. “Just a little more, baby. You’re being so good for me,” he said softly between kitten licks. Liam nodded, unsure if Arvid could see or feel the movement.

He eventually pulled back, soothing a still shaking Liam by running his hands up and down the blonde’s sides. As Liam began to relax again, Arvid brought one of his hands up, wiping the excess blood off of Liam’s neck with his thumb. “Taste so good, so perfect,” he said as he brought his thumb up, licking the blood off his finger.

Liam tilted his head to look up, watching Arvid through hazy eyes. Arvid smiled down at him. He ran his hand through Liam’s blonde hair, causing the older to melt into the touch. “Rest,” he urged softly. Liam nodded, too tired to fight it as Arvid continued softly petting his head.

+I

The rest of the season went by faster than anyone expected it to. Both Liam and Arvid ended the season in good positions, eighth and tenth in the final standings. Both the drivers and the team were happy with those results given how rough the season start had been.

Finally making it to winter break, Liam had returned back home to Monaco with Arvid agreeing to stay with him rather than return back to his parents home in England.

They had found a familiar rhythm by then, waking up in each other’s arms, their bodies flowing around one another as they moved throughout the day, always falling back into one another by the end of it.

It was surprisingly easy, they had found. To hide their relationship and everything that came with it. The internet was talking before they’d gotten together, and nothing had truly changed about their dynamic, the gravitational force having existed far longer than either boy had realized or knew what to call it. 

Now, a week into the winter break the two drivers found themselves sprawled across the couch, Liam wrapped comfortably in Arvid’s arm as they watched Superbad.

“You like the movie, baby?” Arvid asked as the credits began scrolling across the screen. Liam hummed in response, nodding for a moment before he buried his head in the other’s chest. “Tired?”

Liam nodded again. He huffed slightly as he tried to reposition himself more comfortably against the younger. When that didn’t work he whined quietly and began reaching around, grabbing at random until he found Arvid’s arm. He tugged on the arm and pulled it towards him until he was able to drop it on his head. Arvid chuckled, seeming to get the message as he started playing with Liam’s hair. The blonde sighed contently, melting into the touch. 

They laid like that for a while. Arvid started another movie, more for background noise than anything, while Liam drifted somewhere between awake and asleep on his chest.

Eventually Liam lifted his head to look at Arvid. He watched the younger quietly as though trying to commit his face to memory. Feeling his gaze, Arvid looked down, smiling softly. “Hi, baby.”

“Hi,” Liam whispered. He paused for a moment, considering his next words carefully. “What’s it like being a vampire?”

Arvid hummed, tilting his head back as he thought about the question. “It’s not bad. You get used to it and it becomes no different than being human after some time. Small changes, but they become familiar eventually,” he explained. 

“It’s not like the movies though? I mean I can see your reflection and you show up in the videos we film and everything obviously. Plus you’re in the sun a lot.” Liam continued questioning him.

Chuckling, the younger shook his head. “Not like the movies, no. It doesn’t affect my reflection or anything. A bit more sensitive to the sun, but using sunscreen and having things like a hat or umbrella usually helps enough to keep it manageable.” Liam opened his mouth. “And before you ask, no it does not stop me from consuming garlic and I obviously do not need to be invited in to enter homes.” Liam closed his mouth.

He fell silent again, thinking through his next questions. “Is it scary?”

“Not really,” Arvid shrugged. “I’m careful with it, so it’s unlikely for people to find out. As I said, you’re the only one outside of my family who knows. There’s always risk, of course, but there is risk in any secret.” 

Arvid answered each of the questions with such open honesty that it almost startled Liam. He was grateful for it, the easiness of it encouraging him to continue.

“And you’re like. Immortal?” Liam asked after another lengthy silence. The question caught Arvid off guard, causing him to laugh while Liam flushed a light pink.

When he settled again he continued talking. “Not quite, I don’t think. Age slower, as far as I can tell. But I think I’ll still die eventually. Though, I suppose there is no way to know unless it happens.”

Liam frowned at the implication of that. His hand instinctively curled into Arvid’s side and Arvid wrapped his arm around him a little tighter. “Also tend to heal faster than humans,” he continued, pulling the topic back on track. 

“Did it hurt? Becoming a vampire I mean.”

“I don’t remember,” Arvid said after a moment. “I was young when it happened. The memories from before get a bit blurry.”

“Can I ask how it happened?” Liam asked carefully.

Arvid hesitated for a second before taking a deep breath. “I think I was five or six maybe. I don’t remember how I was… taken? Or found, picked, whatever. But yeah, someone apparently decided it would be a good idea I guess. The process of turning isn’t a clean or fun one. Media claims all it takes is a bite, but it’s more than that of course. It takes the complete loss of your blood and consumption of a vampire’s blood.” He paused, letting the information settle before in a quieter voice adding, “You can imagine how terrifying that is as a kid.” 

Liam nodded in understanding. “I’m sorry you went through that,” he said softly, running his hand up and down Arvid’s side. 

The younger smiled sadly and continued playing with Liam’s hair. “It’s alright,” he assured. “I went to therapy for it, got through it.”

The two fell silent, Liam tucking his head under Arvid’s chin. The younger held him, absentmindedly running his hands through his hair then down along the other’s back. They stayed like that, each lost in their own thoughts. 

“Thank you for telling me,” Liam said, tilting his head to look up at Arvid. He hummed in response before nodding, whispering a soft response before they fell back into silence once more.

Minutes passed before Liam spoke again. “Have you ever,” Liam hesitated, looking away. “Have you ever turned anyone?” He asked after a moment. 

“No,” Arvid says immediately.

Liam thinks about that, nodding as he settles into Arvid, letting his thoughts wander.

“What’s on your mind, baby?”

Liam looks up at him for a moment before quickly looking away. “Nothing.”

“Liam?” Arvid urged softly.

“I love you,” Liam said instead.

Arvid frowned, his brows furrowing as he stared at the other. “I love you too,” he said after a moment. “What’s on your mind?” he asked again.

Liam hesitated, unsure of how to explain it without sounding insane. Then again, maybe he was insane anyways. “I want to be with you forever,” he whispered, looking back at Arvid to watch his reaction.

“I do too, baby, but what–” he stopped midsentence, the implication of Liam’s words registering in his mind. He immediately sat up, forcing Liam up as well. The older lowered his gaze again, staring at his hands in his lap. “Absolutely not, Liam!” Arvid said, his eyes wide with something akin to horror.

Despite expecting this reaction Liam’s head immediately shot up. “But Arvid,” he protested, frowning. “You know how to do it and we could– You could just do it and we could be together for. I don’t know. Forever,” he repeated. 

“No. No way. It would hurt you, Liam–”

“You’ve bitten me on a regular basis for months!”

“It’s not the same,” Arvid hissed, causing Liam to recoil. Arvid took a breath before continuing in a softer tone. “You’d die, Liam. Or at least come close to. I don’t– I can’t do that to you.”

Liam hesitated before quietly asking, “But wouldn’t it be worth it?”

Arvid said nothing, staring at Liam. Trying to understand him, where this was coming from. When he still didn’t respond, Liam continued. “I want it, please.”

“You’d die,” Arvid said again, his voice breaking on the word.

“I know.”

“I can’t,” Arvid whispered, forcing the words out. It threw Liam back for a moment, reminding him so clearly of the first moment back in June, minutes before Arvid had first bit him. “I don’t want to lose you, Liam. Please don’t ask me to do this.”

Liam shook his head. “You would lose me anyways,” he countered quietly. “One day I will die and–”

“Don’t” Arvid cuts him off. “Please don’t talk like that.”

“But it’s true,” Liam pressed, “One day I’ll be– I’ll be gone and you’d move on.”

Arvid let out a choked noise. “I wouldn’t,” he insists, hurt by the thought.

Liam smiled wistfully. “You would. Eventually. But you wouldn’t have to if you just–”

“Liam, please,” Arvid whispered, his voice shaking. It was such a stark contrast from the usual composure the younger had. The confidence that followed him, that always seemed to bend to his will. “I don’t want to hurt you,” I don’t want to kill you remained unspoken.

“You won’t,” Liam smiled, so full of trust. “It’s going to happen either way, I would rather it– I’d rather it be in a situation I can control. With someone I trust,” he said softly, reaching out to take Arvid’s hand.

“You would die,” Arvis said again, the only part that seemed to matter to him.

The older squeezed his hand, pulling his attention. “I trust you with my life.”

Arvid stared at him, hesitancy still coursing through him. 

“We could be together. Do it together,” Liam insists quietly. “We would figure it out. Together.”

The younger took a shaky breath, unsure of how to respond, how to feel. Instead, he pulled Liam back into his arms, holding the older close to his chest. Liam let out a shaky breath, leaning into Arvid without a second thought, letting the silence fall over them.

– 

The sky had long since darkened, the sun having set nearly an hour ago. The room was lit by a warm glowing lamp. Both boys were sitting on the bed, Arvid’s back against the headboard.

Liam leaned back against Arvid, his head tilted up to look at him. “Are you sure about this?” he asked quietly. Liam nodded.

“I need words, baby.”

The blonde took a small breath before whispering, “Yes.” His voice was firm, sure of the decision. Something Arvid wasn’t entirely sure he agreed with still.

Despite that he leaned forward, his breath ghosting against Liam’s neck. His arms were wrapped loosely around the older’s waist. He pressed a kiss against Liam’s pale skin, his cold lips sending a shiver through him. “I love you,” he said softly.

“Love you,” Liam repeated, his eyes fluttering shut as he felt Arvid’s teeth scrape against him. 

“Just relax for me, baby,” he whispered against the blonde’s neck. He hesitated for a moment before letting his teeth sink into Liam’s skin. Liam’s breath hitched, his head falling forward as Arvid continued to press down, sinking his teeth deeper than he had previously. 

“Shit,” Liam cried out, his hands grasping at Arvid’s arm tightly.

Arvid finally relented, pulling his teeth out. “I know baby, I know,” he soothed. “I know, I’m sorry baby. You’re doing so good.” He pressed his mouth back onto Liam’s neck, covering the holes and beginning to pull the blood from him. Liam continued to whine at the feeling. His breathing became shaky and shallow, struggling to breathe through the pain.

“You’re okay baby,” Arvid whispered as he pulled his mouth off. He let his head fall onto Liam’s shoulder for a moment, breathing through his mouth. As lifted his head again he watched as blood dripped from his mouth and onto Liam’s shoulder.

Liam was shaking by now, struggling to open his eyes again. “Please,” he gasped, the word breaking as he struggled to get it out.

Arvid nodded, moving back to the still bleeding spot. He stared at it for a moment, the blood seeping from Liam’s neck was dark red. A stark contrast to his rapidly paling skin. Without thinking, he covered the spot again, continuing his efforts. 

Time became a meaningless concept the longer they sat there, unsure of how much time passed. At some point Liam’s pulse began to slow, weakening with the loss of blood. Once it started to slow his grip on Arvid loosened and he started to slump forward, unable to hold himself up. Arvid’s arms tightened in response, instinctively holding the boy up. 

The blood flow eventually slowed until it finally stopped and Arvid pulled away again. His hands were shaking as he brought them up, wiping tears and blood from his face as he stared at the body pressed against him.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, baby,” he whispered, his voice shaking. “You did so well for me,” he continued, talking to fill the silence as he reached over to the table beside the bed. 

He carefully took the knife laid out and moved it closer, setting it beside him on the bed. “We’re almost done now baby, I’m so proud of you. Taking it all so well.” He readjusted Liam’s rapidly cooling body to lay more flat. “So good for me, such a sweet boy,” he rambled, his vision becoming blurry once more.

The vampire picked up the knife again, holding it against his wrist. Despite his shaky hands, he managed a clean cut. He set the knife aside, leaving it to be cleaned later, as he brought his bleeding wrist over Liam’s mouth and let his blood drip in.

Not having done this before, he continued letting his blood pool in Liam’s mouth until it began dribbling over the side, running down his cheeks. Not knowing what else to do he dropped his arm, uncaring that his arm was still bleeding.

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered again, pulling Liam back up to his chest. The movement caused more blood to drip out of the other’s mouth, covering his chin and front in red. 

He sat like that for a long while, cradling the other’s body in his arms. Continuing to whisper quiet praises that went unheard. He didn’t know how much time passed, didn’t care. 

–

Liam was choking, his chest heaving as he shot up, coughing out the blood that filled his mouth. Arvid moved with him, holding the other up and tilting his head forward. His face was still wet as he stared at Liam in disbelief. 

“You’re,” he hesitated, his thoughts blurring together in a mix of grief and relief. “You’re okay, baby, just breathe,” he eventually managed, bringing his hand up to rub Liam’s back.

The other continued coughing, his entire body shaking with the effort of trying to breathe. After what felt like minutes he finally stopped coughing, though was still shaking. Arvid pulled him back, carefully laying the taller down. “Just rest now, baby, you did so well,” he said softly.

Liam didn’t fight it, his body exhausted and heavy as it worked to readjust. He was asleep within minutes. Arvid remained still, staring intently at the rise and fall of Liam’s chest. Once he managed to reassure himself that Liam was okay, that he was alive– at least to some extent– he shifted him, moving Liam off of him and to the side. He slipped out of the bed, taking the knife with him. He moved to the kitchen first, dropping the knife in the sink to be properly disinfected and cleaned when he wasn’t shaking to the bones himself. 

From there, he moved to the bathroom, using a towel to wipe his face before grabbing a clean towel and running it under warm water. He brought it back to the bathroom and began meticulously wiping Liam down, starting with his face then moving to his neck and shoulder. 

Satisfied with his work, he took the towel back to the bathroom and threw the bloodied cloth into the bath. Arvid washed his hands relentlessly until they felt raw, and even then he wasn’t entirely sure they were clean. 

Leaving the bathroom, he found a set of clean clothes and quickly changed, then moved to Liam’s closet to find something to change him into as well. It wasn’t an easy task to change the older, the blonde nothing more than dead weight as he rested, but Arvid was determined, and after a few minutes managed to change him into something clean.

He stepped back  staring at Liam for another few minutes before crawling back into bed and pulling Liam back against him. “So proud of you, baby.”

– 

Liam woke up slowly, being eased awake as light slowly began to filter through the curtains. He huffed softly, burying his face into the body beneath him in an attempt to escape the light and sleep a little longer. His attempt was quickly foiled as Arvid shifted beneath him, a hand coming to brush through Liam’s hair.

“Hi baby,” Arvid’s low voice cut through the silence. Liam hummed weakly before finally opening his eyes to peek at Arvid.

“Hi,” he replied, his voice raw.

Arvid scanned him, his gaze shifting across Liam’s face as though cataloging it. Confirming for himself again that Liam was alive. “How do you feel?” he asked after seeming to find whatever he was looking for.

Liam thought for a moment. “Tired,” he responded after a moment. “But okay. Doesn’t hurt that bad.” 

The younger chuckled, the movement shaking Liam as well. “I can imagine,” he agreed, his voice light. “I’m glad you’re okay. You scared me.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You don’t need to apologize, baby,” Arvid said softly, brushing his hair back. It wasn’t your fault. You were dead. And I killed you. Arvid didn’t voice those thoughts. “You ready to get up?” he said instead.

Liam whined quietly, burying into Arvid for a minute longer before finally nodding. 

He sat up, stretching his arms above his head before getting up, Arvid following him into the bathroom a moment later. When he did, he found Liam staring at himself in the mirror.

“You okay?” Arvid asked again as he stopped behind the taller, looking over his shoulder to meet his eyes in the mirror.

Liam hesitated, still staring at himself before looking up to meet Arvid’s gaze. “Yeah,” he said quietly, his gaze flicking back down. “The bite marks are gone,” he added after a beat, his hand lifting to ghost across his neck. True to his word, his skin was clear, barren of the dozens of marks that Arvid had left on his lower neck over the past few months. 

“They healed,” Arvid said eventually, though he too couldn’t help but mourn the loss of the marks that had represented his claim on the other driver.

A minute passed before Liam nodded, finally looking away from the mirror and slowly beginning his morning routine. Arvid followed in suit.

As they finished in the bathroom and moved back into the bedroom, Arvid pulled Liam into a hug. The older hummed, leaning into the touch. 

“I was so scared,” Arvid admitted quietly as he buried his head in the crook of Liam’s neck.

Liam’s arms wrapped firmly around him, grounding him. “I’m okay, he murmured. “I’m okay, I promise.” Arvid nodded, still keeping his face and the tears that threatened to fall hidden. “We’ll be okay, Arvid. We have the entirety of the winter break to adjust and learn how to navigate this. We have a lifetime to figure it out. We’ll do it all together, I promise.”

He shifted his hold on the younger, shifting the boy to one side. He lifted his hand up, bringing it beneath the younger’s chin and lifting it until he was able to catch Arvid’s gaze.

“Thank you, Arvid,” Liam said when the shorter looked at him. “For trusting me.” Arvid hesitated for a moment before giving a small nod, clearly still a bit shaken from the night before.

With his hand still cupping Arvid’s jaw, Liam guided him forward until they were centimeters apart. “I love you,” the blonde added as he pressed forward to close the distance between them. When their lips met, Arvid finally melted, his hands curling into Liam’s side as he tried to pull him impossibly closer.

It wasn’t a clean kiss. Desperation, fear, and relief flooded openly through it. But it was underlined with a sort of promise as well. A steadiness that said this wouldn’t be the last time they found themselves together like this. 

Arvid tilted his head a little, changing the angle of the kiss and making it easier. He swiped his tongue across Liam’s lower lip and the older opened his mouth immediately. 

The kiss shifted then into something more excitable. Like a new toy being examined for the first time. Arvid pushed his tongue into Liam’s mouth, the other inviting him in without resistance. He explored the driver’s mouth with reverence, each movement careful and controlled, but relentless too.

Liam whined softly as Arvid swiped his tongue against his teeth and gums, both feeling  overly sensitive.

Arvid pulled back, the corner of his mouth ticking up as Liam chased him for the smallest second. The younger rested his forehead against him, hushing him softly.

They stayed like that for a minute, absorbed in each other’s presence as they shared the air between them.

“You have fangs,” Arvid said after a while, tilting his head back as he looked at Liam, then shifted his gaze lower. He hooked a finger on Liam’s lip, tugging it gently up so he could look at the fangs better. They were small, subtle. It wasn’t too different from how his teeth had looked before, but enough that Arvid, who was more than acquainted with Liam’s mouth in particular, could see the subtle changes.

“I assume that’s why my mouth hurts,” Liam huffed, but he was smiling.

“Yeah,” Arvid agreed softly, closing the distance between them again as he let his arm fall, wrapping it back around Liam’s waist. They continued to hold each other for another few minutes before Liam’s stomach began to complain. When they finally moved apart they headed to the kitchen, returning to the little routine they had created together.

The rest of the day passed quietly enough. Both boys lost in their thoughts for the most part and were occasionally cut up by discussions pertaining to Liam’s new lifestyle.

It wasn’t easy, but they knew it wouldn’t be. Arvid had contacted his old therapist, setting up individual appointments for both of them. As he sent the email he looked back up at Liam who was curled up against his chest. 

After receiving confirmation that the email was sent he set his phone down, wrapping his arms around the older. Liam looked up, smiling at Arvid as he let his head fall against the younger’s chest.

Neither one knew what would come next, but neither was worried now. Whatever it was they would figure it out. Together.