A simple video of Joost wiping blood from his lip got me thinking about vamp!Joost yet again, so have some thoughts, I guess
Vamp!Joost sinking his fangs into your neck for the first time, taking more blood than what he had originally planned, but you don’t seem to mind all that much, just letting out weak sounds as he drinks from you. Him kissing your neck between sucking, smearing blood all over it and his mouth. After he’s satisfied, he pulls away, lips swollen and red. “Oops, hope you can handle some blood~”, he says as he licks his lips, looking every bit like the cocky bastard he is, huge grin on his face. And you can only nod dumbly because of how lightheaded you feel and how hot he looks as he slowly wipes some more with his thumb, looking at the mess on his finger with furrowed brows and parted lips before he’s showing his fangs again in a dangerous smirk
Description: When sweet angel Joost gets turned into a vampire, he has to fight the urge to drink blood, which isn’t easy. Especially when he meets you.
Author’s note: Getting close to Friday the 13th and what’s better than vamp!Joost to celebrate it? Hehe Now, some info about this fic: This 1st part is smut free, but the next part(s) will definitely have it 🤭 Also, as soon as I post part 2, I’ll add the link here! Good readings ;)
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The last thing he could remember was his vision becoming blurry. A blurry lamp flickering as he desperately tried to keep his eyelids open. They insisted on closing - the dim light way too bright for his sensitive blue eyes. It made them heavy with a strange kind of burn. The burn coursing through his shaky legs was much worse though - the wall of the alleyway barely doing anything to help him stay on both feet. A light-headed feeling was taking over, an annoying white noise accompanying it. He felt weak. Just like he did when the attack had occurred. But instead of that sensation of pressure dropping from the blood loss, he felt... hungry. An overwhelming need for food was draining all of his energy now. A weird craving, more like thirst, maybe. He didn't quite know. He just knew he needed to put something in his stomach immediately. More than a little snack. He needed to sink his teeth into a piece of meat, savoring the tasty juices that came out of it. Suddenly, without any warning, the sickening blur disappeared behind two curtains of darkness.
The sun was already up in the sky when he came back to his senses. Even if he was hidden amongst the shadows of the two buildings, the brightness still hurt. And not even the celestial pearly white clothes that were covering his body protected him from the discomfort. He didn't understand why a thing that always brought him peace and made him regain energy was now weakening him. He slowly opened his eyes, groaning as a headache joined his previous complaint. A wince left his lips and that's when he noticed that his mouth felt weird. His tongue darted out to lick them, feeling a metallic taste. Was he bleeding? He lifted a hand to check for any cuts. There didn't seem to be any. That was odd. When he pulled his hand away, he finally saw the red, partially dried liquid on it. He looked at the other one. Same thing. Pure bright fabric now stained with dark crimson blood. That was definitely not from a cut. Had the creature from before returned? From the corner of his eye, he noticed he wasn't alone like he had thought. He gasped at the sight. Next to him, on the cold concrete floor, lay a man face down on a pool of blood. He needed to help the poor guy!
"Sir?" His soft voice spoke as he leaned over. "Sir? Can you hear me?"
When his attempts to wake the unconscious man didn't succeed, he decided to gently turn him to lie on his back. His worried expression quickly became a horrified one, eyes widening in pure horror as they set on the state of the body in front of him. It looked like a monster had attacked it! Skin ripped open, a gruesome hole where his chest and stomach were supposed to be, intestines sticking out of it in a mixture of blood and guts, and a beating heart missing - any type of heart, actually. The ribs were pulled to each side, exposing the incomplete chest cavity. He couldn't even look; his innocent soul feeling violated by the disturbing image. He looked down at his own bloody hands, connecting the dots and, suddenly, he felt like the one whose heart had been ripped out. Without knowing what else to do, he started backing up, and then he ran. But the line where the alleyway shadows ended stopped him. A small ray of sunshine instantly burned his skin and he winced, hiding from the source of the pain while confusion flooded his features. Why was the sun hurting him? It never did before. In fact, he loved the sun. It reminded him of home. Everything in Heaven was as bright as the sun and equally as warm. He loved to bask in the sunlight, it felt like a cosy hug. And he always carried a part of that golden embrace with him: his halo – a reminder of his origins, even when he was far away on an Earth mission. An ethereal symbol of Peace, Love and Unity. The three things he wished to teach the mortals everyday. Such a special symbol now stained with the sinful act he had- No. No, it couldn't be true. It just couldn't. There had to be a rational explanation for what he had just witnessed. Maybe... maybe the evil creature from before had shown up again? ...Somehow sparing only him and still leaving him covered in blood... He sighed. He just wanted to believe he wasn't an evil creature himself.
To start believing that, he had to clean the mess off his body. The longer the red stayed on his beautiful white clothes and pale skin, the dirtier he felt. He hated to admit, but the taste of it on his lips didn't bother him as much. Another sigh. Perhaps he really was the monster...
He focused on the need to find a quiet place where he could wash the evidence of his unholiness (and be miserable with his own thoughts). His nervous blue eyes scanned the area, waiting for a miracle since it was impossible to hide in the city. That's when he spotted the forest. Of course! It wasn't far and it had lots of trees to protect him from the daylight. If he was lucky, it would also have a lake. The remaining question was: How was he going to cross the busy streets with a burning sun high up in the sky? One thing was for sure: he just couldn't stay where he was. It wouldn't take much until one of the humans noticed a blood-covered 6'2 angel with huge wings and shiny halo. He had to act quick - so he did. His trembling hands did their best to cover his exposed skin with the clothes and pieces of fabric he was wearing, pulling them over his head and hiding a part of his wings as well. He prayed – even if it felt wrong at the moment – he could run to the woods without being seen. People weren't blind and he wasn't dumb, he knew they were going to notice his tall body sprinting to the other side of the street. He just hoped they didn't think much of it.
After a long run with no stops and brightness threatening to burn his epidermis, he finally got to the cooler atmosphere of the forest. The adrenaline in his veins was so high he couldn't even feel his rapid heartbeat. He rested against a tree. He was tired. Not from running, but from everything he had experienced. It definitely took a toll on him. He let his body slowly sink to the ground, hugging his own knees as tears well up in his eyes. Confusion, fear and guilt remained on his face as he thought about that man. Images from before repeating in his brain, reminding him of the crime he had committed. He wanted so bad to be proven wrong, to be proven that he was still the same pure angel on a heavenly mission and that this was all just a big misunderstanding. The torturous words and scenes replayed for what felt like hours and eventually the tears sprung free, rolling down his cheeks and mixing with the dried blood. Red drops stained his clothes even more, falling in sync with the imaginary ticking of a clock telling him his time as a celestial being was coming to an end. He honestly thought it already had. From the moment he unknowingly killed that man, he was doomed. It hurt him so much. He lived to help people, to show them the light. And now he was killing them in the darkness. Soft sobs made his shoulders shake for the few hours that went by. He needed to find the strength to clean himself, but the sun was still high and burning and the lake was so far away, right under all that brightness. Maybe waiting until it got dark was a better idea. He curled up next to a log, taking advantage of its cold, nice shadow to have a little nap. Eyes slowly closing as he tried to relax. It didn't do much to help him feel better, but at least, the time passed quickly.
When he woke up, the sun was starting to set. The chilly air of the night greeted him with sweet nothings whispered against his skin and he yawned, grimacing as he felt the once fresh liquid on his face. At this point, it was almost like it was becoming a part of him. He got up and spotted the lake, walking in that direction while licking his lips to try and clean them. It tasted oddly good and reminded him of how hungry he was starting to feel. Maybe that's why it tasted good. The hunger was making even blood tasty. “Disgusting”, he muttered to himself as he knelt by the crystalline water, ready to wash the traces of what he had done. He cupped his hands together, leaning down to submerge them, but what he noticed made him freeze. The night sky could be seen in the reflection - shiny stars aligned to form the Orion constellation - but one thing was missing, and it wasn't just the moon, who was still busy kissing the horizon. It was his own reflection. He couldn't see his image staring back at him. Perhaps angels weren't meant to see themselves covered in the unholy - a Heavenly censorship to protect the windows of the soul from being shattered and allowing violence to enter them. He'd never learned about that rule, and either way, it was pointless. The violence was already inside.
He kept staring at the lake, waiting for something to happen. When it didn't, he sighed and started washing his face, blood disappearing from it and mixing with the water every time he dipped his hands. He just wished he could see his wings and halo. He needed the reassurance that he was still... well, him. But for the whole time he was kneeling there, washing himself, he never saw them. He eventually gave up trying to spot a reflection and just focused on cleaning his clothes. The sign of his earlier cold murder insisted on clinging to the white fabric, impossible to get rid of. His stubborn hands kept scrubbing, hoping for a miracle. Nothing. He was stained. Inside and out.
He sat down with a weary, sad sigh, gazing into the distance and wondering what he was going to do. The moon was now up in the sky, providing him a comfortable light as he hugged his knees again. His stomach growled aggressively, but he tried to shut down the thoughts about food. It was becoming more and more difficult with each second that passed, his body feeling weaker. Where was he going to find something to eat in the middle of a forest while covered in blood?
Suddenly, he heard footsteps. Way too close. He panicked, quickly turning his head, wide blue eyes locking with a... human? Alone at night in the woods? He stayed where he was, shocked to see a man staring back at him just a couple of meters away.
"H-hey, sorry to bother, I-I didn't mean to." You spoke in a shy voice, but loud enough for him to hear. You definitely weren't expecting to find another person, let alone one with big wings and a shiny halo. "I was just taking a walk... I didn't know anyone was going to be here, sorry..."
"That's okay..." He answered in a surprisingly soft voice.
When you didn't walk away immediately, he got up. Small, curled up body revealing itself to be, in fact, tall. As soon as he turned to face you, your eyes glanced down at his clothes - huge red stains catching your attention. He had completely forgotten about that for a second.
"Nice costume, by the way." You commented with a nervous smile.
"Costume?" He looked down at himself, realizing this could perfectly be one. His eyes met yours again. "Oh yeah, costume. Yes."
"It's really well-done, you know? I mean, it almost seems real from where I'm standing." You took the opportunity to slowly approach him. "Wow," The word left your lips once you saw it up close. "Amazing..."
"Thanks..."
"But you do know Halloween was yesterday, right?" A little chuckle escaped you.
"Y-yeah, yeah, of course! I just, uh... didn't get the chance to change clothes yet."
"Oh my God! You even got the fangs!"
"Fangs?" He repeated, trying to hide the panicked look on his face as you pointed to his mouth excitedly. You weren't the only one discovering hidden things.
Since when did he have fangs? Angels don't have fangs. Do they? He’d only ever heard of one thing that has them...
"Yeah, the vampire teeth!" You replied with a big smile, unaware of the effect your words were having on him.
The vampire teeth. It all clicked, suddenly. The lack of reflection, the sun burning his skin, the desperate hunger, the man. No. That couldn't be. Had he...? Was he...?
"What are you supposed to be?" You kept talking, clearly happy about the fellow Halloween enthusiast you thought you had found.
"An angel..." He replied, eyes unfocused as he stared at a random tree behind you. He wasn't looking at it. His mind was replaying every scene from the day. It all made sense now.
"Who decided to become a vampire last minute?"
"It, uh... kind of just happened..." His gaze never left that random spot, not even to look at the grin that lingered on your face from the question you had asked.
He was deep in thought, completely in shock at the brand new information. How could such a pure angel become... a vampire? A bloodsucking creature that hurt innocent people to feed itself. A monster that craved the taste of the red nectar coursing through the human body. The blood. Mm, the blood. God, he was hungry.
"It was a cool idea though! Very original." You said as you got even closer, observing his halo attentively. "How are you even holding that up? That's impressive!" Your focus shifted to his beautiful white wings, reaching out to touch them. "And these! They move when you do. How?" A gasp coming from you interrupted whatever excuse he was about to come up with. "The feathers! They're so soft! This is some high quality shit!" You laughed and plucked one, making him wince in pain. "Committed to the role, are we?" More chuckles.
"Y-yeah, very..." He answered, trying desperately not to show how much that hurt.
He was starting to feel a bit dizzy, although a little voice in his head kept telling him it wasn't from the pain. That light-headed feeling was coming back, making him stumble a bit. It was the same thing he had experienced last night. Not as blinding as the one that made him pass out, but definitely there. Was this hunger? Vampire hunger? This definitely wasn't a good sign. He couldn't repeat his actions. He couldn't become so thirsty that he'd... kill someone just to drink their blood. He needed to get away before the hunger made him do something horrible to you. But before he could, you noticed his even paler face and weakened state.
"Uh... are you okay? You seem kinda..."
"I'm okay, I'm okay! I just need to... go home! Getting late. It was nice meeting you!" He hurried to say and tried to walk away. Clumsy steps stopping once he heard you.
"Wait! You can't possibly walk home in that state. Especially crossing the woods in the middle of the night." You paused, coming up with an idea right after. "You can rest for a bit at my place... It's close by." When he still seemed unsure, you added in a light-hearted way: "Don't worry, I don't have any garlic there." That actually made him let out a small, almost imperceptible chuckle.
"Thanks for the offer, but I gotta go. I'm fine, really."
"Come on, that's not 'fine'! Can I at least take you to a hospital or something?"
He froze at the word hospital. There was no way he was going to a hospital. He needed to drink blood, not let some doctor try to take it from him, only to find out he was an angel... or vampire. He couldn't tell you that though.
"No. No. I don't like hospitals."
"Then rest for a bit at my place! Just until you feel better. I'm sure it will be just a few minutes." You offered with a soft smile.
He could actually use some rest... Besides, a few minutes wouldn't hurt, right? He would just enter your house, sit on the couch for 5 minutes and then leave, trying not to let you catch on to his even weaker body. Easy. Then he could go on about his day - well, night - searching for a vegan option to his weird craving. Maybe some beet juice would do the trick?
"Okay, fine, but just for a little bit..." He eventually agreed.
Your smile widened and you guided him to your home. Even if he wasn't exactly thrilled about going, he still couldn't stop thinking about how nice you were to offer a place to rest to a complete stranger. You seemed like a kind person with a friendly smile and, for some reason, he really liked seeing it.
Once you two reached the destination, he eyed the small wooden house curiously. It seemed cosy and peaceful, far from the busy city. The big glass windows allowed him to see everything inside, especially with the lights on. It actually seemed pretty roomy. He immediately spotted the beige couch, imagining how it would be like to sleep on it, even though he wasn't sleepy. You opened the door, letting him in.
"So, this is my house. Make yourself comfortable." You said as you closed the door, turning to see him just standing there awkwardly. "You can sit if you want." His weak body followed your suggestion. "Can I bring you anything? Water? Something to eat?"
"Uhhh, actually, yeah. Do you have beetroot?"
"Beetroot?" You let out a laugh.
"Yes... Please."
He figured he would try replacing his need for blood with something else. And what was the closest thing he could think of? Beet. Maybe the red liquid that came from it could trick his vampire brain, satisfying his angel heart as well. He didn't know, but he had to try it for the sake of innocent people who would have their blood drunk if he didn't find a solution.
"I think so, I'll check." The grin didn't leave your lips, even if you tried not to laugh. "You don't want anything else? I can bring you water or-"
"No. Beet is fine. Thank you."
"Alright, alright."
You walked to the small kitchen, rummaging through the vegetable drawer with a discreet smile as he watched your movements from across the room. He waited, still sitting on the couch, while you found the beetroot and started cutting it, bringing him a few slices on a plate. He thanked you and accepted it, quickly starting to eat. The hunger was killing him.
"So, what's your name?"
"Joost." He spoke with his mouth full as you joined him on the couch.
Joost barely registered your name when you introduced yourself right after - a sudden dull ache in his stomach making it difficult to focus.
"I don't mean to pry, but I can't help being curious about what you were doing in the woods..." You continued the conversation, unaware of the pain he was feeling.
It only got worse. His stomach seemed to be squeezing itself from the inside and the nausea was quick to creep up his body.
"I was-" His gag reflex interrupted his answer. He tried to control it to speak. "Sorry, I-" His hand went to cover his mouth as it happened again. "Think I'm gonna- throw up-" He blurted out the words in a hurry.
"Oh shit, I'll show you the bathroom!"
You immediately got up and guided him to the first door in the little hallway, watching him get in and slam it shut. You waited outside, grimacing as you heard the sound of his vomit hitting the toilet water.
Joost stayed kneeling on the bathroom floor for a bit after the last wave of nausea washed over him. He stared at the red liquid mixed with whole pieces of the food he had just eaten, and it took him a few seconds to realize he hadn't just thrown up a bloody chewed up lung, but the beetroot instead. His body hadn't digested it. Of course it hadn't. He groaned as the sight proved he was stuck as a blood drinker. Besides his stomach not keeping it, he was still hungry. Even hungrier now. Another frustrated sound left his lips as he buried his face in his hands. He'd need nourishment soon, and the sweet, kind man waiting outside that door was the only source nearby. He had to leave your place. Joost couldn't risk staying and using you to quench his thirst. In a sudden movement, he got up, instantly grabbing onto the tank of the toilet for support. He was getting weaker.
You were still waiting outside, unsure of how he was doing since you couldn't hear anything. Before you could call out though, you heard the toilet flush. You relaxed, listening to the tap water running as he washed his hands and mouth. Soon after, he left the bathroom.
"Hey... how are you feeling?" Your soft voice asked.
"I'm okay... Sorry about this."
"Don't apologize!" Suddenly, you noticed the lack of color on his face. "Oh my God, you definitely don't look okay." When he furrowed his brows, you continued. "Your face... it's really really pale. I mean, even paler than before."
"Oh, that's nothing-" He got interrupted by your hand on his forehead, checking the temperature.
"You're freezing!"
"You're just warm."
"No, you're definitely freezing!"
"Listen, thank you for the concern and the food and everything, but I should get going now-"
"Get going?! Are you crazy?! Dude, you can't walk around like that!" You were clearly more than worried now, panic all over your features.
"It's fine, it's nothing you need to worry about."
"Nothing to worry about?! Looks like you have hypothermia or something!" You pressed two fingers on his neck, becoming the pale one when you didn't feel a heartbeat. "It's definitely hypothermia! Your heart is beating so low I can't even feel it! I need to call a doctor! You need-"
Joost panicked at the word 'doctor'. He couldn't let you call a doctor.
"No! No doctor." He noticed you were about to argue, so he let out an exasperated sigh and continued. "Look, I'll stay, just... don't call a doctor. Please. I'll... rest here so you can keep an eye on me."
"That's not how this works. You need a doctor to take care of the situation."
"You can be my doctor."
"I don't know how to treat hypothermia. You need a real doctor."
He sighed. He knew he had to tell you the truth. No lie could save him from your relentless questioning. Besides, it's not like he could lie. Angels always tell the truth.
"It's not hypothermia. I promise. I'll explain everything to you."
"It's not? How do you know?" You murmured, seeming to calm down a bit, but still not convinced.
"I just do, okay? Let's sit down for a bit and I'll tell you everything."
"Fine..." You followed him into the living room, stopping near the couch to add something that made him let out a small chuckle. "But you need to change into warmer clothes first."
"I really don't."
"Yes, you do. I have some warm clothes you can borrow." When you saw he was about to tell you no again, you approached him. "C'mon, you need to take that costume off and change into something more comfortable."
Before he could react, you reached up, grabbing the halo and trying to yank it off. It didn't move an inch. You frowned as you kept trying, but the only thing that moved was his head, in sync with your hard pulls.
"What the fuck..." You muttered, finally letting go of it. You were about to test if the wings would come off, but he stepped back a little with a nervous smile.
"I was trying to tell you something, but I think you're getting there yourself..."
You were so confused. You had no idea how the halo was just... simply floating above his head. And you also had no idea what kind of revelation he was talking about. When you looked at him with a confused expression, he decided it was better to speak than to let you keep playing the 20 Questions game in your mind. He took a deep breath and his face became more serious.
"I don't really know how to explain this, but I'll try... I'm- This- Well, this isn't a costume."
Your eyes didn't leave his face for a second, staring at his nervous but oh so sweet blue ones. A tiny shade of red reflected in them, probably from the fireplace, you told yourself. But his features didn't distract you from your confusion. You really weren't seeing where he was trying to get. He noticed it, so he continued.
"This isn't because of some Halloween party... I'm actually an angel."
Silence filled the room once again, until your laughter broke it.
"I thought you were gonna reveal something serious for a second! Not funny!" You said between chuckles.
He frowned at that. You seriously didn't believe him? Well, he didn't blame you. He also wouldn't believe an 'angel' with fangs and covered in blood.
"I'm serious! I'm an angel. I have descended from Heaven with the purpose of helping people. Especially during this time of the year, it's really important to spread Peace, Love and Unity - the only three things that can heal humans and make them better and more empathic creatures. You have no idea the amount of demons that take advantage of Halloween to make their presence known in the most hideous ways. The line between the living and the dead becomes really thin. My mission is to guide the lost souls to the light, making them forget all about revenge and keeping them away from the evil forces. I also keep the living safe by doing that. In fact, there are a lot of living people with lost souls too, you know? But with the power of Peace, Love and Unity we can make the world a better place."
You didn't know when your laughing had stopped, but there was a moment when you had actually started listening to him, almost... believing. Could Joost really be an angel? The way he spoke - like a true messenger - sounded so... sincere. But... what about the fangs? Was that his costume? Do angels dress up for Halloween? You didn't think they did... You had so many questions. And just like he read your mind, Joost spoke once again.
"At least, it was my mission. I don't even know what my mission is anymore... You see, besides being an angel... I think I'm also a vampire..."
Your questions shut up at that. You still had a lot of them, but right now, you could only hear white noise and his words echoing in your mind. A vampire? Well, that explained the fangs. But you didn't buy it one bit. You couldn't, right?
"I know you probably don't believe me. I wouldn't either if I was you, but you have to believe in me! You saw it for yourself just minutes ago! The cold skin, the lack of heartbeat... the fangs! It's real." He took your hand and pressed it against his chest. "See?"
The hand on his chest stayed there as you looked into his eyes and saw the desperation and sincerity in them. You really couldn't feel anything, except for the cold hand holding yours. Not a single thump of his heart. Maybe he was telling the truth?
"I got attacked by some kind of creature yesterday. I suspect that's the reason why this happened. It... bit me. I didn't feel any different right away, but-"
His words cut off as his legs gave way and he almost collapsed, if it wasn't for you holding him. That dizzy feeling was back, head fuzzy with thoughts he couldn't control. The smell of blood coursing through your veins, so close to him, was making his brain irrational with hunger.
"You okay?" You asked in a gentle voice that reminded him he was starting to spiral.
"Yeah, it's just the cravings. This is what I was afraid of. I need to leave. Need to find something to replace the blood."
"You're... craving blood?"
"So bad right now." He kept trying to release himself from your grip, but he couldn't - not because it was strong, but because he was weak. You stayed quiet, thinking for a few seconds before speaking.
"Sit here." You guided him to the couch and he kinda just let himself be manhandled. "Maybe I can help."
"Hey, what are you doing?" Joost watched you walk into the kitchen, determined steps until you eventually reached one of the drawers. "I need to leave. Can't hurt people. Can't hurt you." He tried to get up and actually managed, grabbing the arm of the couch for support. The only problem was walking away from that spot. Meanwhile, you returned, holding a sharp knife.
"You won't hurt anyone, okay? And you won't hurt me. I'll do it myself." With that, you dragged the knife across the tip of your finger, wincing slightly as the fresh cut instantly got submerged in blood. "C'mon, drink it." You held out your hand for him.
He wanted to tell you no, wanted to refrain from the sick craving, from using you to quench his thirst, but he couldn't. He was so desperate, so hungry. Besides, you already had done it. He couldn't let it go to waste, right? Joost grabbed your hand in a quick movement - allowing you to see the exact moment his eyes turned red - and brought it closer to his mouth, immediately latching onto the cut on your index finger. You could feel his fangs against your skin while he drank. It was shy at first. Hungry but shy. Once he tasted how good it was, he went crazy though - soft moans leaving his lips as he took the tip of your finger inside his mouth and scraped you with sharp teeth. He seemed like a wild animal and it scared you just a little bit. At the same time, it was kinda hot hearing his needy noises and seeing the way he held onto your wrist with his cold hand. Maybe it was the fear making you turned on... or maybe being turned on by this was what was causing you the fear. Either way, you tried to ignore the funny feeling. His lips reaching your knuckle definitely didn't help. Neither did the eye contact as he sucked hard on it before pulling away.
"I'm gonna need more." He panted. "It's hard to drink from a small cut on your finger." Before you could respond, he dived back in, squeezing your palm and finger to help the blood reach his mouth.
You just stood there, looking at him with wide eyes as he sucked all the blood he could. Joost didn't seem like that sweet, innocent, poor angel anymore - red eyes reflecting his hunger for the liquid of the same color. If you couldn't picture him as a bloodsucking creature just a few minutes ago, now you couldn't picture him as a heavenly one. The bright, golden halo floating above his head and the soft, white feathers on his big wings reminded you though. His eyes instantly returned to their original blue once he was done drinking and he gazed at you lovingly, grateful for the meal.
"I needed that. Thank you..." He said, still holding your wrist.
Your eyes traveled down, noticing how the skin of your finger was red and dented around the small wound from all the sucking. The bleeding had stopped and it took a little while until you could see a red line forming again. He dragged his tongue over it, licking it clean.
"I'm sorry about this, I didn't want to hurt you." He murmured, wrapping his hand around your finger.
A strange wave hit the area, making you feel tingles and some throbbing. When he pulled his hand away, the cut had disappeared. It was like nothing had ever happened. Not even a scar. Your jaw dropped as you continued staring at the magical healing, unable to form words. The moment you looked at him - ready to ask how that was possible - you saw his knees buckle again. Your hands quickly flew to his waist, stopping him from falling.
"Woah, you okay?" You spoke for the first time in a while.
"Yeah... I-I guess using angel powers as a vampire makes me kinda weak..."
"Was this..." You glanced at your finger as you tried to find the words.
"Yes, I used my healing power on you. Angels have a few powers, one of them being healing. We can't use them a lot, but just once wasn't supposed to affect me like this." His arms snaked around your neck for support.
"You should lie down, have some rest, you know?" You suggested, trying to ignore the fluttery feeling at having an angel in your arms.
"I don't feel sleepy, just... weak."
"You don't need to feel sleepy to rest." You helped him sit on the couch, noticing how much space his wings took up. "Can you even lie down with those things?"
"Mhm, I can manage."
You watched him slowly trying to find a comfortable position to rest, pulling his wings in close to his body. That seemed so uncomfortable.
"Hey, that's not resting, c'mon." You said in a soft voice, feeling bad for him and making him sit up again. "You need space... And, well, this isn't it. You need a bed."
Joost felt your arms around his torso, lifting him up slightly. He honestly thought he wasn't weak to the point of not being able to do it himself, but he still let you. You guided his arm to drape around your shoulders while one of your hands wrapped around his waist and, before he could realize what was happening, you were already taking him to a different room. But he didn't mind. It felt nice to be the one taken care of for once. Plus, he trusted you.
When he saw the bed and the decoration, he finally realized you were taking him to your room. He couldn't believe what you were doing. You were seriously going to offer him your bed? Your nice and comfy bed which seemed to be the only one in the small wooden house? He felt himself being put down on the soft mattress and his suspicions were confirmed.
"There. Now you can rest properly." You smiled at him, caressing his arm in a quick gesture.
"No, I can't. What about you?"
"I'll just sleep on the couch, don't worry. You need the bed more than me."
"But-"
"It's okay. I don't mind sleeping on the couch, really. Just worry about getting some rest and I'll come back later to help you choose something else to wear." You slowly stepped back with that same reassuring smile on your face. "I'll give you some privacy. I'll be in the living room if you need anything though." With that, you got to the door, whispering a gentle "rest" before closing it.
He was speechless. You were so kind, letting him stay in your room, in your house. He didn't even thank you, he just stared. Stared at your calm, friendly expression and that bright smile you gave him before leaving. There was something about the way you took care of him, always with comforting words and features. It made him feel something. Not a heartbeat, but definitely not an empty chest.
After a few minutes of just looking at the closed door, he eventually crawled to the fluffy pillows at the top of the bed and collapsed face down on them. He couldn't sleep, but decided to follow your advice and just... rest.
You were in the living room - like you had told him - closing the curtains and rearranging the pillows and blankets on the couch so you could sleep on it later. In the meantime, your thoughts kept coming back to that scene. The way he had sucked on your finger, drinking from you like a desperate creature. It was... you didn't even know what to think of it. Your brain was so confused. On one hand, it was absolutely terrifying - the way his demeanor switched completely as soon as he tasted blood. But on the other hand, he seemed so needy, possessively holding your wrist like you were the answer to all of his problems. It made a spark of arousal travel through your body. You shook your head, trying to change the path your mind insisted on following. Instead, you decided to watch a bit of TV before going to check in on Joost. He definitely needed to change clothes; his current ones were covered in dirt and blood. Which was weird. If it wasn't a costume after all... what was all that blood? 'Probably nothing', you tried to mentally reassure yourself and focus on the screen, which was now showing some random movie. 'Maybe it's his own, maybe he got hurt', another thought crossed your mind. That didn't help you relax, it just worried you more. 'Fuck, stop over thinking and pay attention!', your inner voice scolded you, making you do just that and push those thoughts aside for now. It was probably nothing. You were sure there was a clear explanation for it. The attention span didn't last long though. The movie was actually pretty boring and you found yourself nodding off in no time. Perhaps it hadn't been a good idea to make the couch so comfortable.
The sound of gun shots woke you up a couple of hours later, startling you and leaving your heart beating fast. You looked around frantically, relaxing once you realized what had made the noise. The television was still on, but with a different movie playing now - some old western. Your hand blindly searched for the remote to turn it off. The living room turned quiet, allowing you to calm down and recover from the unpleasant call back to reality. That's when you remembered Joost. Shit. You were supposed to come by his room- well, your room. You glanced down at your watch, checking the time. It wasn't that late. You got up - being interrupted by a stretch and a yawn - and then padded down the hall. The light seemed to be off and the door was still closed. He was probably sleeping. You hesitated, not wanting to wake him up if that was the case, but also not wanting to break your promise and leave him to rest in those dirty clothes. With a sigh, you decided to knock softly.
"Can I come in?" You asked, just barely above a whisper.
"yes" He replied in a small voice that made your heart melt.
Without wanting to cause a lot of commotion, you opened the door with a gentle hand and careful movements. And there he was. Blue eyes immediately meeting yours, fully awake, but still letting his head rest against the softness of the pillows. He was lying on his stomach, lazily sprawled out, with long, beautiful wings spread over the width of the mattress. You hadn't even noticed how big they were until you saw them take up that much space on a King size bed. They were gorgeous. He was gorgeous. He looked angelic; ethereal. That's what he was, after all. At least, part of him. The other part didn't take long to remind you it was also there - sharp fangs peeking for a second as he spoke.
"Thought you weren't gonna come by anymore..."
"I fell asleep, I'm sorry." You sat on the edge of the bed. "How come you're not sleeping?"
"I told you I wasn't sleepy." He moved slightly so he could look at you.
"Yeah, but that was before. I thought you would be sleeping by now."
"I took a nap during the day... maybe that's why I'm not sleepy?"
"Maybe... I'm sure sleep will catch up to you eventually." You gave him a soft smile. "But it's good that you're awake. I wanted to talk to you about clothes." You got up and went to your closet. He sat up, watching you open it and rummage through the different garments. "You need new ones... Something warm and-"
"Something white. Please." He said quickly, not even pretending he was fine and didn't need anything.
"Something white? Uhhh, let's see... I only have these white pants," You threw them on the bed and continued searching. "and a few dress shirts..." You grabbed one and showed it to him. "But I don't think this works for sleeping-"
"It's perfect." He snatched it from your hands before you could say anything else.
"It is?"
"Yes."
You couldn't really say no to him while he was clinging to your shirt for dear life.
"Wait," A thought suddenly crossed your mind. "can angels even change shirts? You know, with the wings and all."
"Well, angel clothes usually have slits in them for the wings."
"Oh... Give me a sec then." You took the shirt from him and quickly disappeared into the hall.
Joost's lips parted slightly to say something, but you weren't there anymore. He knew what you were going to do, and once again, he couldn't believe you. So kind and caring. He felt like he was in Heaven; at home. Even if he knew what you were up to, that didn't stop him from smiling like a fool when you came back with two slits cut in the shirt.
"What's that?" He asked with that same big smile, while you tried to hide yours.
"Your new shirt."
"You just ruined a perfectly good button up."
"It's not ruined. It's customized." You handed it to him. He sighed before accepting the piece of clothing, knowing it would be pointless to try to argue with you. "Now, I'm gonna let you rest. You need it. Plus, it's getting pretty late and I have work tomorrow."
"Thank you... for everything."
"You don't need to thank me, okay? Sleep well and tomorrow we'll figure things out."
"Okay, goodnight..." He replied, watching you close the door.
Deep down, he wanted you to stay. Sleep was still far away from getting to him and he wanted your company. Even if just for a little bit more. Maybe you could sit on the edge of the bed like you did before and talk to him in that sweet voice of yours he loved listening to. It made him feel safe and cared for. He didn't know why you were being so nice to him, but he didn't want it to end. A sigh left his lips as he decided it was time to change his clothes and try to sleep.
Hours went by, but Joost kept tossing and turning in bed, still wide awake and now bored. He definitely wasn't going to fall asleep and he had nothing to do, besides staring at the ceiling, huffing and listening to the soft growls of his stomach. He had been trying to ignore his hunger for a while now, knowing he couldn't eat. His morals stopped him from asking you for his drink of choice. Besides, you already had given him enough. Even if his stomach didn't agree. It had been a small cut on your finger, yes, but he couldn't ask for more. Plus, you had work in the morning and were probably sleeping soundly. He couldn't wake you up just for a late night snack... Could he? No. He had to control himself.
Another half an hour passed and the hunger kept torturing him, making him unable to focus on anything else. His belly was actually starting to hurt a bit. It was nowhere close to that desperate feeling, but he knew he couldn't let it get that far. He groaned quietly, knowing it was time to resort to the only measure possible - one he didn't like at all, but was still way better than attacking people: He was going to wake you up.
You were sleeping on the couch, curled up under a warm blanket and letting out soft snores when he approached you. Gentle steps made their way until he was right in front of your relaxed body. While gaining the courage to disturb you, he just admired your features under the moonlight that the big windows allowed to enter the house - the curtains not doing their job very well. Such a peaceful look on your face. Joost's fingers twitched slightly at the thought of waking you up. His inner voice told him he should just get back to bed and let you rest, but another growl from his stomach begrudgingly convinced him to stay. Carefully, his hand found your arm, but instead of gently shaking it, his fingers wandered over the fabric of your pajamas in a sweet caress. They continued sliding up and down while his eyes followed the slow movements. Your little hums and sighs of contentment became the soundtrack playing in the living room and the one that would be replaying on his mind after. Now he felt even worse for having to bring you back to reality and interrupt the pleasant dream his touches were provoking. His hand eventually stopped, shaking you instead as he called your name in a whisper. You seemed to be in deep sleep, but after a few tries, he finally noticed your eyelids fluttering open.
The first thing you saw was a big shadow - with another one on each side and a bright light above its head - hovering over you. Your barely awakened body startled and you muttered a "Jesus!" before your mind could comprehend it was just your heavenly guest. You relaxed at that, letting out a sigh and rubbing your eyes.
"Hey... sorry to bother, but uh, I can't sleep." He murmured in a shy voice.
"Hey..." You replied in a groggy, deep one as your eyes kept trying to focus. "Is something wrong?"
"Yes... I'm hungry."
"Well, there's food in the fridge and-" You interrupted your own sleepy answer as your brain suddenly remembered what he was and what vampires meant when they used that word. "Oh... Right..."
"Yeah... And I don't know what to do. I swear I was trying to ignore it, but I can't. I'm really sorry about waking you up just to ask for your help. I know I shouldn't-"
"Shhh shhh, it's okay. I know you can't help being hungry."
Joost watched as you pushed the blanket aside and got up, rubbing your eyes and slowly walking to the kitchen. He followed you like a lost puppy, searching for the solution to his problem. Although he felt like he already had found it when he met you.
"Just... how hungry are you?" You continued talking as you turned on the light and looked at him.
"Not as hungry as before, but I know it will reach that state again... or worse; so I kinda need to drink a good amount?" He made a sheepish face, watching you sigh and open the drawer.
"I don't know if I can give you that much, you know?"
"You don't have to! I'm happy with whatever you give me! I'll stop as soon as you say it's too much, promise. I just need something to help me sleep."
You took out the knife from earlier and placed it on top of the counter, glancing up at his begging expression. You knew you'd end up doing it, even before you looked at his face. There was just something about him that made it impossible to deny him anything. Either way, you couldn't deny anyone food, right? Not even to the angel with sharp fangs and a thirst for blood. Especially not to the angel with sharp fangs and a thirst for blood. Another sigh left your lips after staring at him for maybe a bit too long, and you picked up the knife.
"Where should I cut?"
"Thank you." He said with a smile before answering you. "And uh, wherever you want."
"The finger again?"
"Works for me."
Truth was, it barely worked for him. He was honestly hoping you'd offer your neck. It seemed like such a good spot to drink from. Soft, warm, sensitive skin, feeling your heartbeat... Besides, it would be much better to use his fangs than having to watch you cut yourself. Just a quick gentle bite instead of that sharp, metal object. He was already asking for a lot though, he couldn't ask you to let him bite you. That was somehow very intimate. Maybe that's why he longed for it. But, no matter how much he wanted, he still had to fight this side of him. He couldn't just accept he was a vampire now. He still wanted to return to Heaven. How? Good question. He just knew he had to. His mission was to bring Peace, Love and Unity to everyone, and doing that as a vampire would be almost impossible. A cure of some sort needed to be found. Until then? Joost would gladly drink from your blood.
He watched as the scene from earlier repeated itself, except this time he wasn't almost collapsing from the desperate need to quench his thirst. And you weren't in a hurry. You were being slow with your movements. The lack of adrenaline making you aware of what you were doing, of the pain you were going to feel; your brain remembering how it had felt. The knife dragged across your fingertip in a hesitant protracted motion which only made it hurt even more. You could feel Joost's worried eyes on you at the wince you let out and your pained expression. But all of that seemed to be forgotten once he spotted the blood leaking out. The sight and the thought of drinking it turned the sweet angel into that animalistic creature again. His vampire side had returned, and with it the red to his eyes. A desperate hand brought yours to his mouth and his lips wrapped around your finger, sucking and humming at the metallic taste. His soft moans at just drinking from you made you feel weak. The act always seemed to bring him great pleasure and you didn't understand why it happened to have the same effect on you.
After a while, the weakness started becoming physical; the blood loss being too much for your poor, already tired body. You didn't want to pull him away, but he didn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon. In fact, his hand kept squeezing your finger like it was an empty juice pack with still a few stubborn drops that he insisted on getting out.
"Joost... it's starting to be too much..." You mumbled in a faint voice, but he seemed to be oblivious to it. "Joost..." Your other hand patted his cheek. "Enough..."
That brought him back to reality, breaking the weird trance he seemed to be in, and he let go of your finger; soft blue eyes locking with yours with that worry back in them.
"Was it too much? I'm sorry..." He took your hand, this time to check the wound. His touch was featherlight, a complete opposite to his previous actions, a gentle thumb rubbing your palm to apologize.
"It's okay. Not too much, but it was starting to."
"Are you feeling weak?" He found a napkin and held it to your finger - not without giving it a small lick before.
"A bit. Think I'm just tired. I need to go back to sleep."
"Can I get you anything?"
You smiled at that. The sweet angel was back.
"I'm okay, really." You looked down and noticed the napkin starting to turn red. "Alright, maybe a band-aid..."
He didn't even wait for you to tell him where they were, he just nodded and went to the bathroom. You laughed and decided to let him figure it out. It wasn't hard. Meanwhile, you walked back to the couch, sitting on the comfortable material and feeling sleep call you once more. It didn't take long for him to come back with the band-aid and immediately take your hand to replace the bloody napkin with it. You watched him with half-lidded eyes and a dopey smile. He noticed your expression, instantly connecting it with the weakness you had mentioned. Little did he know it was just sleep... and a warm feeling at seeing him take care of you.
"Want me to stay for a bit?" He asked, not moving from his place in front of you until you gave him a positive answer.
"You don't have to. I'll just go back to sleep. I have to get up in a few hours... Thank you though."
"Alright, but if you need anything, call me."
Your smile widened at how the roles had reversed. The once weak angel you had taken into your house was now telling you the same thing you told him earlier, before you became the weak one. You weren't complaining though.
"Will do." You replied and watched him make his way back into the bedroom, wishing you good night and turning off the light in the process.
You lay down and pulled the blanket up to your chin with that same stupid grin on your face. You didn't know how you were gonna solve his problem or what you were going to do, but right now none of that matter. The only thing on your mind was that beautiful, caring - and slightly insane when it came to blood - angel. That sweet angel that made a fuzzy warmth form in your heart, lulling you back to sleep before you could figure out what that feeling was.
