Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/ works/7361095. Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: Underage Category: M/M Fandom: Ed_Edd_n_Eddy Relationship: Edd_"Double_D"/Eddy's_Brother Character: Edd_"Double_D", Eddy's_Brother_(Ed_Edd_n_Eddy), Ed_(Ed_Edd_n_Eddy), Eddy_ (Ed_Edd_n_Eddy) Additional Tags: Vampire!Edd, Incubus!Bro Stats: Published: 2016-07-01 Updated: 2016-12-30 Chapters: 12/? Words: 54842 ****** SymbiosEd ****** by Scammy_chan Summary When his life is uprooted by tragedy, Edd must find a way to survive as a creature of the night. Will a deal with a demon be his saving grace? Supernatural creature AU. Updates every other Friday. ON HIATUS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE Notes Hello everyone. Scammy-chan here with a new fic for you! I’ve been sitting on this idea for a while and I’ve finally got something to show for it! For anyone interested, I will still be writing with AC on our other fics, this is just something I wanted to do myself. As such, this is completely separate from the fics I’ve written with AC. It’s also an alternate universe thing where BPS never happened. Without further ado, I hope you enjoy this. Please don’t forget to leave a review and let me know what you think. ***** Fall From Edd ***** Sunlight peeking in through his blinds slowly rouses the boy lying in bed. He winces a little against the glare and rolls onto his side, away from the window. Curling up, he tries to go back to sleep. Reaching for the covers, but finding nothing, he blinks open his eyes to search for the sheets, likely kicked off in a fitful sleep. Instead, he finds his bed still made. The covers are rumpled slightly from being slept upon rather than under, but otherwise, are undisturbed. To his surprise, he’s still fully dressed as well — even his shoes. As Edd sits up, confused, the events of the night before slowly begin to come into focus for him. He remembers walking home from a party he’d been dragged to. Ed and Eddy had elected to stay. They weren’t willing to leave the creek just yet. “Just one more song, Sockhead!” he remembers Eddy whining. Ed had been distracted by something Rolf was parading around in. Everyone was having so much fun. He can’t say he’d felt the same. It wasn’t horrible, but it wasn’t very enjoyable, either. His parents had also been quite clear about his curfew last night. No later than nine o’clock. Far earlier than usual. Most nights, they didn’t care if he’d stay out with his friends past ten. Last night, though…They were earnest about having him in early. But…he doesn’t remember arriving at home…He’d been in the woods. Following a path he knew by heart. He remembers being startled by something. Some noise in the dark. Tried to write it off. Keep going. He remembers falling to the ground. A sharp pain near his shoulder. Then…nothing. With a sigh, he holds his head, giving up on that futile effort. A bad dream…He decides. Nothing more. Throwing his legs over the side of the bed, he rises to begin his day. First on the agenda: a shower. The moment he steps under the hot water, he heaves a blissful sigh. Heaven. True heaven. He takes some time to let the water wash over him. Suds and pleasant-smelling soaps and shampoo are quick to join the water as he begins his bathing ritual. Losing himself to his thoughts. Going through his checklist of chores in his head. He should be able to finish them quickly. When done, he dons a towel and steps out of the tub, looking most pleased with himself. He approaches the counter as he dries his hair. Once dry enough, he pulls on his hat, ignoring the mark now hidden by fabric. As he looks into the mirror to adjust his headwear, something catches his eye and makes him stop short. Upon his neck are two scabbing holes about an inch or so apart. He’s reminded of the night before. So something had bitten him? That would explain the pain he remembers…sort of…What kind of animal did that?! He can already hear the far-fetched stories Ed would come up with if he saw this. Werewolf! Vampire! El Chupacabra! He groans a little. Great… With a sigh, he stands straight. His shirt should cover it, at least, and prevent any unwanted questions. Best to ignore it and let it heal. It already seems to be healing too, so he feels no reason to fret. In the coming month, though, he begins to question that. The marks have since faded, he’s glad to say, and remain only as lingering scars. He’s suffered no ill effects that may suggest rabies, so he feels safe in saying that whatever attacked him wasn’t rabid. However…other symptoms have begun to make themselves known. His skin has become so much more sensitive. He can’t walk outside without applying very strong sunscreen. It doesn’t bother him that much; after that fiasco at the creek where he’d neglected to apply sunscreen at all, he assumes his skin’s just become more prone to sunburn. Not just his skin, though. His eyes have since stopped tolerating bright sunlight as well. Sunglasses have become just as vital an accessory as his beloved hat in his desperate attempt to protect himself from the migraines that inevitably ensue. By now, he can’t step outside until the evening. Not that that even matters. He thanks the stars that this is all happening in summer, because he’s not been able to wake at a reasonable hour in weeks. Sleeping in later and later, it’s often evening by the time he can come out and play with Ed and Eddy, who’ve become quite concerned. His parents have taken notice, but only demand he go to bed earlier. A reasonable request. He’s not slept well at night lately either. Is it my diet…? He wonders. Can’t be too far off…No matter what he drinks or how much, he’s always thirsty. Nothing he eats satisfies him anymore either. Always so hungry and unable to sate it. Meat, though, has a minute effect. Therefore, meat has found its way into his diet more and more until it’s all he eats. As unsavory as he wants to see it, he can’t find satisfaction in anything else. Rolf has since banned them from his property after Eddy had tried to ‘help him get a bite to eat’. Ed and Eddy have tried their damnedest to help him, actually. Sleepovers where they don’t let him sleep at all during the day. Helping him convince his parents to start buying more steaks for his carnivorous new appetite. Finding him shady spots whenever the sunlight starts to burn hot on his flesh. They’ve been his rock during this weird time. He can’t be more grateful to them for their efforts. He only wishes any of it were working… It’s late in the afternoon and he’s hungrier than he’s ever been. Nearly doubled-over. Barely able to hold himself upright or walk for too long. Stomach growling and demanding something he doesn’t comprehend. They’re in the woods to remain shielded from the sun. As Edd rests, curled up against the trunk of a large tree and trying so damn hard to bite back the stomach pains, Ed and Eddy try to cheer him up. They’d long since given up sharing their food. Edd denies it at every turn as it never fills him up anyway. So they’ve taken to prancing around like clowns. Ed’s giggling as he and Eddy reenact some scene from a movie. Edd watches them, but can’t focus or remember what they’re referring to. They’re jumping from branch to branch, with the larger chasing the smaller. “Woah! Watch it EeeeeeeeEEEEEDD!” Only after the thud does he glance up to find Eddy on the ground. He’s curled up on his side, holding his hand. “Eddy!” Ed gasps, hopping down from his branch and rushing over to his fallen friend. Gripped with worry, Edd stumbles to his feet as well. Ignoring the pain in his middle, he follows suit, racing over to Eddy. “Oh dear!” he gasps, “Eddy! A-Are you o…kay…?” Something in the air stops him. The grumbling in his stomach gets worse. Sounds become more muted. “Yeah…” Eddy’s voice sounds so muffled, even as the other boy sits upright, “Dammit…I cut my hand…” Edd’s eyes grew wide at the red liquid dripping so tantalizing from Eddy’s palm. Then… Black. =============================================================================== When the dark veil is lifted again, Edd is left in a haze of confusion. The hunger pains that had been plaguing him have finally gone. Night has fallen. He feels something on his face. Something sticky. When he looks down, he finds out just what it is. Eddy’s beneath him, whimpering and making tiny, wheezing sounds. His neck is spouting blood like some kind of gruesome faucet. It’s everywhere. Pooling beneath the limp body beneath him. Soaking into his clothes and drenching Eddy’s. “O…O-Oh god!” Edd cries, trembling, “E-Eddy!” A gurgle is the only response he receives, drawing a pained cry from him. “Eddy — no!” he sobs, grasping desperately at his friend’s shirt, “Please — dear lord — no!!” He raises his head. “E-Ed!! Help!” As he looks around, though, he finds himself alone. Ed nowhere to be seen. A dim, warm light appears in the distance, startling him. He hears voices approaching. Scrambling to his feet, he discovers it to be Ed and a group of several adults. “Oh thank heavens!” Edd heaves, “Ed! Ed, please! I—” “There he is!!” Ed screams back, a manic look in his eyes, “There is the monster!” Naturally, Edd’s taken aback by that. Monster?! He looks around fearfully. What the devil is he talking about?! He turns back towards Ed, brow furrowed in desperate confusion; “Ed…wh-what are you…?” Rather than respond, Ed raises a wooden stake high above his head. There are tears in his eyes as he points directly at Edd. “We must stab it in the heart!” he cries, “Before it can kill again!” Edd feels his heart sink down into his stomach. The many eyes are on him. Full of hatred and a lust for revenge. He takes a step back. “E-Ed…” he whimpers softly, “Why are you looking at me like that…? P- Please…what’s happening…?” No response. They start to close in menacingly. He takes another step back. Trips over the bleeding body of Eddy. The group moves in for the kill. Whatever instincts Edd has kick on in that moment. Onto all fours, he scurries away before they can get their hands on him. He runs. =============================================================================== It feels like ages before he can finally stop and rest. He’d been following the river as closely as he could while his attackers were in pursuit. But they’ve finally turned back. Now, as he collapses to the ground at the shore of the river in exhaustion, he’s given reprieve. But is he really? What had happened? He certainly has no memory of the event. Just a lot of hunger and pain leading up to a black void. Now he can hardly remember what it was like to be so hungry. As though all of the meals he’d been ingesting have finally taken effect. When he catches his breath, he rises to sit upright. There’s blood all over his hands, he notes in disgust. Shaking, he drags himself over to the water. There, he’s met with another horrific image. In the reflection he can just make out in the calm river, he sees more blood splattered around his mouth. It’s all down his front and dribbled down his chin. He covers his mouth to try to hold back the vomit that’s threatening to escape him. No…It can’t really be true…can it? Quivering, he lowers his hand again. Tears are falling fast down his cheeks and into the river, causing blood to smoke within the water below. Finally, he spots them. On either side of the gap in his teeth, he seems something he shouldn’t. With shaking hands, he reaches up to feel at his canines. So much sharper…and longer. He feels the panic begin to set in. The blood feels like it’s burning his skin. Desperately, he throws his hands into the water. He starts scrubbing. The cold water is making it difficult to wash the drying blood from his flesh, but he keeps at it. Scrubs until his hide is raw. Until the only red is in his skin rubbed far too hard. Once done, he sits back, watching the blood wash slowly away. Guilt and terror are all he can feel. Tears are running down his face, but he’s lost all energy to cry any longer. He rises slowly to his feet. He can’t stay here. He knows he can’t. Turning away from the cul-de-sac, he starts walking. Hours pass. He’s stumbling along on unsteady feet. His head full of agonizing thoughts. His fault. It’s his fault this happened. His fault that Ed hates him and that…that Eddy’s… Tears form anew, choking him and stopping him in his tracks. What can he do now…? Where can he go…? The inky sky above is fading as light permeates the darkness. The sun is beginning to rise. He starts walking again. It feels like it takes so much longer than it should. Sunlight is peeking through the leaves. His skin is burning — or at least that’s how it feels to him as he stumbles along. Finally finds a cave to take refuge in. As he cowers in the shade, he takes a look at his surroundings. Nothing looks familiar at all. He assumes he’s quite far from home by now… “Wh…Wh-What am I going to do…?” he whimpers, trying to quell the tears that have begun to bubble up again, “I certainly can’t go…home…After what happened…oh…Ed…Eddy…” He can’t fight them back any longer. The dialogue he’d been hoping to have with no one in particular is abandoned as he’s reduced to incoherent sobs. It’s midday before he calms again long enough to think more clearly. A few animals come by every now and then, but few regard him for very long before moving on. He sits up a bit straighter, his breathing shallow as he tries to rationalize. “Okay…” he sighs, “Okay, what…what do I do? Home is no longer an option…I have to find somewhere to go. But…” He deflates a bit. “Where…?” He glances hopelessly out into the sunny outdoors. He can’t do much at the moment. Can’t travel in daylight. “Well…” he mumbles, “At least I don’t have to worry about food…Just shelter…Oh dear… but how many more caves can I possibly stumble across to take refuge in? Maybe I can just…stay here…?” That wouldn’t be so bad, right? He’s sure he’s not very close to any people. Instead of continuing a trek that will likely go nowhere, he can stay here. Safe and protected and away from the people he cares about. “Yes…” he pouts, “That would be the wisest solution…I’ll stay.” With that thought in mind, he finally lets his weary mind rest. Curling up on his side, he drifts into a fitful slumber. =============================================================================== “Try this way!” “No! Over here!” Edd winces at the voices that permeate his rest. Blinking his eyes open, he finds the bright light of sunlight gone, replaced instead by the cover of night. Brow furrowed, he raises himself to sit up and peers out of his hiding place. Twigs and sticks crunching and crackling under heavy feet. Voices whispering, but being much louder than they’d like to be. His heart sinks when he spots them. Among the trees and bushes, he can just barely make out the beams of light from several flashlights. He’s not alone anymore. Wh-Who are they? He thinks to himself, Wh-What are they looking for? Ignoring the feeling in his belly that’s screaming at him to run, he pads his way closer. He can start to make out more of their words as they converse with each other. “Not a lot of places to look…” a man’s voice says matter-of-factly. The panicked feeling grows worse; they sound familiar. “Can’t have gone too far…” another man agrees. “S’just a kid…” That does it! Eyes wide, he starts backing away again. They haven’t noticed him yet. Haven’t spotted him. Maybe if he just… He’s suddenly bathed in the light of their flashlights, blinding him for a brief moment. “Hey! I found ‘im!” He cowers, frozen in place as one of the men approaches him. He recognizes him instantly. Eddy’s father, Tony, glares down at him with murder in his eyes. It’s only now that he sees the wooden stakes in their hands. They’ve bought into Ed’s story completely. He can tell by the looks on their faces that they’re not willing to negotiate. He tries anyway. “P…P-Please!” he begs, taking a step back, “I-I didn’t mean it…Really! I- I don’t understand what’s happening…a-anymore than you! P-Please don’t h-hurt me…” There’s a flash of something in the man’s eyes, but Edd can’t read it. They continue to advance, looking no less angry or vengeful. “Ain’t gonna let it happen to anyone else…” Tony grumbles under his breath before speaking directly to Edd again, “And it ain’t gonna hurt…for more than a second.” Gripped with fear, Edd turns and makes a mad dash for the woods. “Somebody grab ‘im!” He pushes himself to run faster when he hears that. Just barely missing grabbing hands and bodies that try to trap him. Farther and farther away. He loses sight of the river soon after that. Now he’s just running aimlessly between the trees. Listening closely, he keeps running until their footsteps finally fade. The flashlights have also faded. He’s lost them, but he keeps running a little farther, just in case. When he finally does slow to a stop, his chest is burning and he’s past breathless. Despite his best efforts to remain standing, he collapses to the ground, clutching his chest tightly and gasping for air. Never before has he run that hard for that long. He’s crying again. This time from the physical pain. After catching most of his breath, he looks upward to the sky. How long had he been running? How long had it been since the sun had set before he’d woken up? He searches the sky in a desperate attempt to gauge the current time No such luck. Finally, he gives up that feeble effort. It’s doing no more than wasting him precious time. He’s got to find a new shelter. So much for staying in one place… =============================================================================== For at least a week…maybe longer — Edd loses track of the days after a while — he continues his routine. Waking up as the sun sets, walking as far as he can, finding a place to hide and then going to sleep just before the sun rises again. His hunters abandoned their efforts after the second day, he’s glad to say, but he’s decided not to take any chances. Just in case they’ve been more stealthy about it and are trying to catch him off guard. He’s so exhausted at this point. He almost wants them to find him. End it so he doesn’t have to keep doing this. The guilt has been eating him alive in his travels. The hunger that had finally been sated has begun to return as well. He’s come to describe it as a void. An emptiness that’s not capable of being filled, but which doesn’t feel painful or even irritating. Just…empty. He’s come to terms with what he needs, though he hates to admit it. He only felt sated after ingesting — he shudders to think it — blood. That means that’ll be what he’ll need to satisfy his hunger again. He’s not sure he can do it on purpose, though…Not sure he can consciously drink blood from a living person. As he begins to feel the helplessness of his situation truly dawn on him, he spots lights in the distance. It’s not like the flashlights. These lights are illuminating the night sky. As though the sun were rising. As he gets closer, he finds himself on the outskirts of a city. He pauses, wondering if he should enter. He has a feeling his hunters wouldn’t go looking for him there, and there must be many places to hide from the rising sun… With a feeble glance back at the woods that have been his safe haven for so long, he takes a deep breath and takes his first step towards the city limits. ***** Edds Can't Be Choosers ***** Chapter Summary When his life is uprooted by tragedy, Edd must find a way to survive as a creature of the night. Will a deal with a demon be his saving grace? Supernatural creature AU. Updates every other Friday. Chapter Notes Hello again, my lovely readers. First, I’d like to apologize. I completely forgot to add into my previous chapter about how this fic will update. Like the fics I work on with my friend AC, this will update every other week. At the time I’m posting this; I’m already a couple chapters ahead, so hopefully this will continue to update regularly. I've also added this note into the fic summary, so that anyone reading it will know when to check back in. Second, I’d like to thank everyone who’s reading this. I hope you’re all enjoying it so far, but please don’t forget to leave a comment and let me know what you think. I’d really love some feedback as the story progresses. Any comment is a good one, really. As for this chapter, this is where things are gonna get a little…dirty…So if you’re not comfortable with the above triggers, I’d turn back now. Otherwise, enjoy the chapter. His heart is racing like mad and the sounds of footsteps and his own ragged breathing are ringing in his ears. Tears are burning at the corners of his eyes. Finally, he takes refuge in a nearby alcove. Cowering as deep in the shadows as possible, he covers his mouth in a desperate attempt to muffle his panting. Eyes shut tight, he tenses up and waits. The footsteps grow closer, faster. His body quivers in anticipation. To his great relief, however, the footsteps pass him and retreat. When he can no longer hear them, he slowly opens his eyes and releases a long, heavy sigh. “Thank goodness…” he breathes, one hand coming to rest over his heart. It’s been like this for weeks. Despite the many hiding places he’s been able to take advantage of, the city has proven to be quite hazardous. Dodging cars driving too fast to be legal. Narrowly avoiding screaming people that mock and berate him. Just managing to escape thugs who enjoy abusing him and beating him for the fun of it. All the good that’s come from his month-long stay is that he has the subways memorized. Which stations are safe with friendly patrons, which house the rudest, meanest people, and which have been long abandoned. They’ve been his shelter. It’s all he’s managed to do here, in fact. Regrettably, he’s not tried to feed. Now, his hunger is at its worst. On several occasions, he’s only just managed to return to one of his sanctuaries before the sun would rise. So weak from hunger. Now, as he retreats to the nearest subway station — one of the abandoned ones, he’s grateful to say — he acknowledges what he’s been so desperately trying to avoid. The station itself is only barely lit. The electricity is still mostly connected, but the power is far from strong. Wearily, he stumbles over to a makeshift nest. He’d set it up a couple weeks ago. Cardboard and newspapers in a pathetic attempt at a mattress. It’s not the most sanitary or comfortable, but it’s all he has. With a whimper, he collapses onto the cardboard, sending a few of the loose papers flying. He doesn’t bother gathering them up again. Just curls up in a feeble effort to curb the hunger pains. “T…Tomorrow…” he murmurs, “I…I’ll do it t-tomorrow… In mere moments, he drifts off to sleep. ===============================================================================  When he wakes the following evening, he formulates a simple plan. The rooftops will be the wisest route for him this night. Finally, his hunger will be satisfied. He begins by looking for empty and open apartments. A quick shower and he can at least feel ready. Or maybe it’s just another way to procrastinate from his mission…? Either way, he has a method by now. Though he’s not terribly proud of it, it has allowed him to indulge in his desire for cleanliness in his time here. Ascending a fire escape, he searches as quickly and as calmly as he can. Window after window. Locked. Locked. Open — but occupied. Locked. Occupied. Occupied. Locked. Open… And empty! He slips inside. Despite how dirty he feels breaking and entering, he needs a shower. The itch of uncleanliness is almost as maddening as his hunger. After a quick survey of the apartment, he deems it safe to bathe himself. He doesn’t dawdle. The occupant may be out for the night, or they may return any time; he has to be quick. It’s a woman who lives here, he regrets to find. A lot of fruity-smelling soaps and shampoos. But beggars can’t be choosers. He doesn’t use much — just enough to clean himself. After, he dries himself thoroughly and pulls on his clothes. The month-old clothing sends a shiver through him. Oh, how desperately he needs to wash them! However, he doesn’t dwell on it long. There’s a bottle of mouthwash on the sink as well that he can’t help but take a swig of. The liquid burns a bit, but he ignores it in hopes that it’ll clean his mouth out effectively enough. He has no toothbrush to speak of, after all, and borrowing this woman’s is just too far. Once done, he cleans up what little mess he made and slips back out of the apartment. The woman should be none the wiser. Now that he’s clean, he takes back to the rooftops. He still has several hours before the sun will rise. Now he’ll have to find his meal. Someone sleeping…He prays. Anything to avoid drinking from a cognizant person. This search feels even less fruitful than his shower hunt. Hours pass. He begins to feel hopeless. That is, until he finally spots an apartment a few floors from where he’s perched. A woman is inside. She’s not moving — a sure sign she’s sleeping. This may be his best chance! He tests the window. Open! Thank goodness…! He slips inside. The room he’s in is empty. For a moment, he pauses. He doesn’t hear anything. His stomach gives a sharp growl, drawing him to grimace in pain. He approaches the bed, taking a deep breath to calm himself. When he looks at her again, he blanches upon finding her stark naked. Large, supple breasts remain exposed — uncovered by the sheets that are rumpled up to her middle. Shyly, his hands slap over his eyes and he tries again to calm his breathing. “Okay…” he whispers, “Okay. I can do this. Just a quick bite. And then I leave.” Another deep breath as he turns back to her, eyes desperate to remain locked on her neck and no lower. He leans in, delicately placing his hands on the bed beside her as he bares his teeth. His breath is caught in his throat, though, as his collar is grabbed and yanked back. He’s lifted off his feet, barely able to register what’s happening. He looks up in an attempt to identify his attacker. Above him stands a very angry-looking man. Cold blue eyes boring into him in a hateful glare. Dark hair a mess and wearing an open plaid shirt and grey pants, the man grits his teeth in fury. “The fuck do you think you’re doing?!” he growls in a deep, scratchy voice. “I-I’m s-sorry—I—” Edd stutters, fumbling fearfully over his words. “What the fuck are you doing here?!” the man demands. “I-I’m just…just so h-hungry! P-Please! Let me go!” The man releases another angry growl and drags him back out the window. Still gripping the back of the boy’s shirt, he lifts him up and holds him over the railing. After a quick glance at the ground several stories below, Edd releases a sob. “Oh god — please!” he begs, grabbing weakly at the man’s wrist, “P-Please don’t!” “Give me a fucking reason!!” Edd cringes in fear. “P-Please!” he wails, “I-I’m just so hungry! I just wanted to eat! Please! P- Please don’t drop me! I’ll leave and…a-and never come back! I swear!” “The fuck do you mean you were ‘hungry’?” the man asks with a sneer, “Why would you be here if you’re ‘hungry’?” Edd winces, bowing his head. He’s afraid to say it, but perhaps more afraid of what will happen if he doesn’t explain himself. “I…I need…b-blood…” he whimpers, “I-I have to…to drink blood…P-Please…I-I’ve not…‘e-eaten’ in so long…I’m starving!” His eyes are shut tight in fear of whatever response he might receive from the man. Waiting for the disbelief followed by the quick, sudden fall to the ground. Instead, he’s startled as his chin is grabbed roughly and his mouth forced open. Eyes snapping open, he finds the man to be studying him carefully. After a moment, the man grins. “Well well…Looks like you weren’t kiddin’…” Edd’s further confused as the man lowers him safely onto the fire escape with him. Brow furrowed, he takes a timid step back. “How long’s it been since you had any blood?” the man asks, crossing his arms over his chest with an amused look in his eye. Edd shrugs uneasily; “I can’t really remember…Weeks…maybe a month?” “Do your mommy and daddy know you’re out here so late?” Edd bows his head, wringing his hands together uncomfortably; “I’m afraid not…I was…chased away from home…” The man pauses, looking thoughtful, but pleased. “And…how old are you?” he asks after a moment. “T-Twelve…” Edd mumbles back, confused. A look of disgust passes over the man’s face at that. He begins stroking his goatee, thinking carefully about something. Finally, he shrugs. “Oh well…a meal’s a meal…” he grumbles to himself before returning his attention to Edd, “Alright, little vampire, I have a proposition for ya…” “Wh…What do you mean by that…?” Edd asks, shivering. “I think you n’ I can help each other out,” the man replies, “by feeding on each other.” Edd pouts; “I…I don’t understand…” The man’s grin widens; “In case you haven’t noticed, I ain’t exactly ‘human’ either.” Only now does Edd spot the curved horns on either side of the man’s head near his temples and the forked tail flicking back and forth behind him. Definitely not human…Were those there before…? He hadn’t noticed them in his panic, but he could swear they hadn’t been there… “What…Wh-What…are you…?” “Just your average demon…” the man chuckles back, “An incubus…” Edd pales a little at that. Ed often watched twisted horror movies about demons like this. He almost wishes his comic-crazed friend were here now. At least then he could have some idea of how to handle this… “I…I see…” he mumbles, “And…um…wh-what is this d-deal you’re suggesting…?” “S’just like I said, sweetheart,” the man snickers, “We both gotta feed, so why not feed on each other? You can have my blood, and I’ll have…you.” The boy feels his chest tightening at that. He tries to take another step back, but instead meets the railing. As the man takes the one stride necessary towards him, Edd cowers. “Um…” he stutters, “I-I’m not…N-Not sure what…H-How would you…” “I told you,” the man explains, leaning over him and resting one hand on the rail, “I’m an incubus. Like you, I gotta feed on other people. Not blood, o’course. S’more like…the ‘energy’ of my partners.” “And…you want to…” Edd gulps down his unease, “to ‘f-feed’ on…me?” “Not really…” the man relents, that distasteful look flashing across his face, “Yer a lot younger than I like ‘em, but I’ve never been that picky with my meals…” Edd shifts on his feet, biting his lip. An incubus…He’s only vaguely aware of what these demons are and how they sate their hunger. It’s…not a pleasant thought. “Um…H-How is it you…‘feed’, anyway…?” he asks awkwardly. The man chuckles, his grin looking more smug. “Sex. It’s basically my entire reason for existing.” A shiver accosts the boy and he pales. His legs feel weak, causing him to lean on the railing. “U-Um…A-And why would…” he bites back his anxiety, “Uh…Wh-Why would you…want that from…m-me?” The man bends forward to lean closer as he cups the boy’s chin. “Like I said,” he begins with a sneer, “I don’t usually like ‘em this young…” The grin returns and he licks his lips. “But you’re a cute lil thing…and I definitely wouldn’t mind havin’ a permanent snack waitin’ for me at home.” Edd shudders again and shyly pushes the man’s hand off to slink a step to the side. The man straightens up a bit, looking slightly annoyed. “Aside from that,” he continues, “If you’re a vampire, then you’re also immortal. For one thing, age doesn’t mean dick for you anymore. You’re gonna look like that for the rest of your life so it really doesn’t matter if you’re twelve or twenty — you’re always gonna look like that.” “How do you know?” Edd asks with a pout. “Trust me, sweetheart,” the man scoffs, “You aint the only bloodsucker I’ve come across over the years. Definitely the youngest though…” He pauses to choose his next words more carefully. “Anyway, more importantly, it means you’d actually survive for a while even after I feed on you. And it’s the same for me. You can have all the blood you want because I won’t die no matter how much you take.” He leans back against the railing, that smug grin taunting the boy before him. “So what d’ya say, sweetheart?” Biting his lip, Edd considers that. It’s not a ‘bad offer’, per say. As awkward and unpleasant as it all seems, he can’t deny that it would solve his current predicament. His hesitation is perceived as a challenge to the man, it would seem. “You’re free to deny my offer,” he informs the boy, “and if so, then you’re free to go back to whatever hole you crawled out of tonight.” He shrugs a bit. “Course, if you do, I’ll just head back in and finish off my date. What’s-her- name prolly won’t last much longer after our sex from earlier. Hell, I’d give her one more round before she’s dried up.” Edd whimpers a little, feeling the pressure of his decision. “I…I-I’m not even sure that…” he mumbles, rubbing the back of his neck, “that I can even feed on the blood of a demon…This is all still really new to me and…I don’t know if that would…work.” The man grimaces, stroking his goatee again. “That’s a decent point…” he admits, “Hard to say if a vampire ankle biter wouldn’t have some kind’ve reaction to demon blood. And come to think of it, I may not actually like feeding off you either…” After a brief moment of thought, he gives the boy a predatory grin. “Well, nothing for it but to try.” “What?” Edd manages to squeak. “We head back inside and have a little…‘taste’ of each other,” the man explains, “You can have some of my blood…” He looks the boy up and down, sending another shiver down the child’s back. “And you let me pleasure you sexually to make you cum.” Anxiety grips the quivering boy. He needs to feed. Even now, he can feel his stomach growling. The night is also waning. He’s certain he doesn’t have much longer before the sun will rise. If he doesn’t feed even a little, he’ll go hungry for another night or perhaps even longer. He’s been granted a very promising opportunity. This man even suggested providing him shelter — a home. Didn’t he…? “If…If I agree…would…w-would you give me a place to live?” The man shrugs playfully; “Sure I would. After all, I gotta keep my little morsel nice n’ close, right?” Bowing his head, Edd realizes that this really may be his best option. Shelter, sustenance, protection. All things he only barely has now (if at all). Taking a deep breath, he raises his head back to face the man, who’s watching him expectantly. “O-Okay…” he nods, “I…I suppose it can’t hurt to…t-to try…” Smirking, the man stands straight again and approaches him, setting his hand to the small of the boy’s back. Without much more provocation, Edd allows the man to lead him back inside. The woman is still sleeping on the bed; still unconscious. The man wastes no time in shoving her to the floor; startling the boy. “Oh my…” he gasps, “I-Is she alright?” “We need the bed, don’t we?” the man scoffs back. After a worried look from the boy, he rolls his eyes; “Don’t worry, darlin’. She’ll be fine in a few hours. For humans, fuckin’ an incubus takes a lot out of ‘em.” He grins and leans down to nip at the boy’s ear. “Not that you need to worry about that.” Edd cringes a little, covering his ear as the man moves away again. The look on the boy’s face makes him chuckle; “Anyway, since she’ll be out for a while, we have lots of time to get to know each other.” He starts to unbutton his pants. “Speaking of which; the name’s Terry. I expect to hear it a lot outta you here soon.” Edd feels his cheeks burning as Terry begins undressing. He shyly averts his gaze, fiddling with the hem of his own shirt. “M-My name is Eddward…” he mumbles, “My friends used to call me ‘Double D’…or sometimes Edd, for short…” He hesitates to undress himself just yet. Terry scoffs a bit under his breath as he recognizes the boy’s shyness. With a grin, he cups Edd’s chin to make the boy look up at him. “Relax, ‘Edd’. I ain’t gonna hurt ya…” Swallowing the lump in his throat, Edd turns away and reluctantly begins by pulling his shirt over his head. He only just manages to keep his hat in place as he holds the shirt over his underdeveloped torso. When Terry’s hand travels up his back, he tenses up again, shivering. He turns toward the man, brow furrowed nervously. He can’t fight the squeak that escapes him when Terry lifts him up under his arms to lay him on the bed. The man crawls over him, pointed teeth glinting in the moonlight shining in through the window and making his grin look so much more menacing. Edd feels his breathing grow ragged as his anxiety skyrockets. Terry casts him a calm, cool look; his intense blue eyes locking with Edd’s own. The boy feels his breathing slow again under that gaze. His quivering lessens and his grip on his shirt slackens slightly. Something else replaces his anxiety. Something he can’t place. The man looks quite pleased by this, though. “Hmm…” he purrs, “Twelve, huh?” He cups Edd’s chin, stroking the boy’s jaw. “Have you even been , before, sweetheart?” That gets the boy blushing again. “Y-Yes…” he answers reluctantly, “Th-There were these th-three girls back home who…wh-who harassed my friends and I and…a-and then that one time when Eddy…” With a wince, he takes another deep breath to calm himself. “Y-Yes…I-I have been…” “Aww, that’s a damn shame…” Terry sighs, “And here I was hoping to be all your firsts…” He shrugs. “Oh well…I can still make you forget all those other times…” Edd opens his mouth to say something to this, but is silenced by Terry leaning in to capture his lips in a kiss. For a moment, he’s too stunned to react as the man’s tongue slips past his open lips to tease his own. Wide eyes snap shut as Terry starts sucking on the boy’s lip, moaning softly. He feels the man’s hand slipping behind his neck, stroking his nape to sooth him. Long, sharp nails scratch comfortably at the skin there as well, drawing a mewling whimper from the boy. The shirt gripped tightly in his quivering hands is gently tugged away and cast aside. He shudders, unsure of what to do with his hands as he’s pulled closer. Settles on resting them on the broad shoulders. The heat of the man’s skin is so intense upon his own as the large chest comes in contact with his. When Terry finally pulls away to look down at him, Edd’s breathless. He doesn’t pause for too long before he starts kissing down along the boy’s jaw and down his neck. Nibbling in certain spots and sucking dark marks into his skin. His hands trail down the boy’s sides, teasing the soft, supple flesh beneath his fingers. He leans in to nibble on the boy’s earlobe; pleased by the way Edd arches his back and whimpers meekly in response. “Mm…” he purrs, nuzzling his nose against Edd’s cheek, “So soft…” He licks the boy’s jaw, delighting in the shiver he receives. “And sweet.” Edd glances at him through his half-lidded eyes, his brow furrowed. He gasps softly when he feels the man’s hands tugging his shorts and underwear down. In a moment of panic, he clasps his hands down onto the man’s arms, trying to stop him. Terry catches him in another kiss, effectively distracting him. When the boy lies naked beneath him, Terry returns his attention to kissing down the slender neck and chest. He stops at the boy’s nipples, teasing each one and making him cry out in pleasure. He takes a moment to glance at Edd’s face. Quivering and panting softly, the child is wearing a very uneasy look. “Don’t look so worried, lil vampire,” the man purrs, licking his lips. Edd squirms uncomfortably; “This…Th-This doesn’t feel right…” “Relax,” Terry chuckles, his hands resting gently on the slender hips, “and I’ll make you forget all your troubles.” Laying his head back, Edd tries to calm himself. Only to tense up again when the man’s large hand wraps around his cock. With weak little whimpers, he thrusts his hands down to stop him. He winces at the man’s laugh. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?” Terry asks teasingly, “Aint you ever touched yourself before?” Edd shakes his head, shutting his eyes tight. He hears the man’s laughter soften to a chortle. When Edd opens his eyes again, it’s to be captured by that intense blue gaze. He cringes again as Terry starts stroking him, carefully bringing him to arousal. Panting softly as desire takes him, he’s silenced only by Terry’s lips upon his own again. With a soft moan, Edd brings his small hands up to rest instead on the man’s shoulders. When the man pulls away, he grins down at him smugly. “Just relax, cutie,” he chuckles, “I’ll make you feel real good…” Shyly, Edd nods, his eyes glazed in desire. With that twisted grin, Terry lowers himself down over the boy’s body again, kissing and rubbing each inch of skin he comes across. Finally, he reaches the boy’s waist. After a few more strokes, Terry leans in to envelope the small cock in his mouth. Edd releases a gasping cry. “T-Terry!” he whimpers, squirming uncomfortably. He can’t see it himself — because he absolutely refuses to look in his direction — but he can feel the man’s lips tug upward into a grin. A sinful tongue sets to work, dragging along the rigid flesh and drawing wavering moans from the boy. It’s not long before Edd starts to feel heat pooling in his abdomen. Laying his head back, he closes his eyes and tugs his hat down slightly over his face, his breathing ragged as the man starts bobbing his head. Long fingers massage gentle circles into the boy’s soft hips, drawing longer, louder moans from him. The pressure in his abdomen is growing more intense. Coiling tighter and tighter. His skin heating up more and more. The man’s name is all he can muster in his state. Dazed by feelings he doesn’t understand and which he’s never experienced before. He digs his fingers in the sheets in a feeble effort to ground himself. “A-Ah! T-Terry!” he whines, “I…I-I feel…strange…” The heat around his erection dissipates as Terry sits up. He grins down at the boy as he instead wraps his hand around the small cock. “That’s good, lil darlin’…” he chuckles, “That means you’re close. Just a little more and I’ll get what I’ve been waitin’ for…” Edd shivers, glancing up at him shakily. Another look into those piercing eyes has him melting. With a smug look, Terry leans back down. “C’mon, sweetheart…” he murmurs, licking his lips, “Let go for me.” Edd’s eyes screw shut as the warm, wet heat envelops his cock again. So close! Whimpering, he reaches down to bury his fingers in the man’s dark hair. The twitching appendages graze the base of the man’s horns, drawing a deep moan from the man. The vibrations around his arousal are enough to send him over the edge. With a weak, strangled cry, the pressure that’s been building is finally released. White light explodes behind his tightly shut eyes, blinding him momentarily. His breath is robbed from him, leaving him gasping desperately for air. He vaguely hears the man’s chuckling over his panting as Terry rises to sit up in front of him. “My my, so quick,” he laughs. Edd glances up at him, his vision a bit blurry. The man looks quite pleased as he licks away any remnants of ejaculate from his lips. “Mm…” he muses softly, “Well, I definitely want to keep you, but first…” Bringing one hand to his mouth, he bites sharply into his index finger. The scent of blood hits Edd’s nostrils instantly, making him tense. Terry shoots him a lustful grin before crawling over him. He holds the bleeding finger to Edd’s lips before sticking the digit sensually into the boy’s mouth. The second the blood hits his tongue, Edd loses himself to his hunger. Releasing a soft moan of desire, he latches onto the man’s wrist, sucking at the liquid and drinking greedily. He wants to feel disgusted by the taste, but can’t bring himself to. It feels too good and fulfilling to him. Before he can be fully satisfied, however, the finger is yanked out of his mouth. Edd’s eyes shoot open and he reaches desperately to try to pull it back. “Ah-Ah-Ah!” the man tuts smugly, wagging his finger as it heals before Edd’s eyes, “Not yet, Princess. There’s a small matter we need to settle first.” Edd pouts a bit, his brow furrowed. Terry pulls him to sit up, grinning down at him as he sits on his knees. “Now then,” he chortles, “I’ve decided I want a lot more of you, but if you want more of my blood, you have to agree to be mine.” Edd shrinks in on himself some, looking uncertain. “Um…” he bites his lip, “Wh…What…exactly would that entail? Aside from…f-from feeding on each other…?” Terry pauses to think about that carefully. Moments later, he answers. “Let’s see…” he ponders aloud, “First, you’re gonna be living in my apartment with me. And you’re not gonna leave that apartment…ever. Do you understand?” Bowing his head, Edd pouts, but offers a shrug. “I don’t imagine I have anywhere I necessarily need to be…So I suppose that’s acceptable.” “Good, cuz along with never leaving, you also can’t talk to anyone ever again,” Terry grimaces, “I aint babysitting a bunch of ankle biters and I aint interested in random fuckers hangin’ around my place unless I’m fuckin’ ‘em…” “I guess I can live with that…” Edd mutters with a frown, “It’s not like I have any friends since this happened to me…” Terry’s eyes narrow a little; “Finally, whenever I wanna fuck you, you’ll let me. No resistance; you submit to me when I ask.” The child looks far more uncomfortable with that condition, biting his lip and furrowing his brow. He takes a deep breath. “V-Very well…” he gulps, “But…what will you do for me in return?” “Oh, I haven’t forgotten that, Princess,” Terry counters playfully, his hand coming up to toy with the hair coming out the back of the boy’s black hat, “In return, you can have my blood whenever you want it.” He grows more serious, cupping the back of the boy’s neck. “I’ll also provide protection for you. If anyone’s still tryin’ to hunt you down, I’ll make sure they don’t come anywhere near you.” Edd looks up at him anxiously, feeling suddenly vulnerable as the man’s nails graze his neck again. “Wh…What about…y-you…?” Terry cocks his brow; “What about ‘me’?” Edd cowers a bit; “Y-You…You won’t hurt me either…w-will you…?” The man calms some at that; “Ah…Nah. I have no interest in hurting you. But if it’ll make you feel better and agree, then that’ll be the last condition. I can’t, under any circumstance, bring you physical harm. How’s that sound?” Biting his lip, Edd thinks about that carefully. It’s a promising offer. The man makes it sound so official too. Briefly, he wonders how many times he’s made deals like this. After a moment, though, he decides it doesn’t matter. What matters is that this is as good a situation as he  could possibly be in and he must take advantage of it. Taking a deep breath, he looks up at the man carefully. “Okay…” he says with a nod, “I…I agree.” Pleased, Terry flashes him a smug grin. His cool eyes look brighter, as though reflecting the moonlight. “We have a deal, then.” ***** Handle with Edd Gloves ***** Chapter Summary When his life is uprooted by tragedy, Edd must find a way to survive as a creature of the night. Will a deal with a demon be his saving grace? Supernatural creature AU. Updates every other Friday. Chapter Notes Hey so…not a lot I can really say at this point. Um…to those who are actually following this, I certainly hope you're enjoying it and, well, I hope you enjoy the chapter. Please leave a comment after reading and let me know what you think. The walk to the man’s apartment is a relatively short one. Terry claims he doesn’t drive because the city’s traffic is a nightmare and he doesn’t have the patience to deal with it. Luckily, he knows the city like the back of his hand. All of the little shortcuts and back alleys. They’re home in no time. Edd bows his head as he waits for Terry to unlock the door. The building they’re in isn’t the most lavish place. The lights above are blinking a bit and there’s water damage in many places, but it could look a lot worse. Edd’s seen buildings in much poorer conditions since he arrived in the city. Nevertheless, he feels a little uncomfortable here. The lock clicks and Terry opens the door before pocketing his keys. Placing his hand to the boy’s back, he ushers him inside. Edd’s startled by what he finds. A quaint, nicely furnished living room greets him. There’s an adjoining kitchen to his right that looks as though it’s rarely used, but still pretty clean. Sitting on a closed cabinet against the wall to his left is a big screen television that’s been situated across from a comfortable-looking couch. The wall between them has a couple of large windows covered with off-white blinds. “Welcome home, Princess,” the man says suddenly, making the boy jump a little. Edd glances at him before taking a meek step forward into the apartment to get a better look around. He doesn’t go far, stopping before the hallway that extends in front of him. “Whatcha think?” Terry asks as he locks the door back. “It’s…not what I expected…” Edd admits, glancing at him with a furrowed brow, “It’s very…nice.” That earns a laugh from the man; “Oh, so you expected some kinda shithole?” Edd tenses up; “O-Oh no! I-It’s not that…I-I didn’t mean—” “Don’t worry about it, sweetheart,” Terry snickers, “I make sure the place looks nice so my…‘guests’ feel comfortable. Helps get ‘em in the mood.” Edd cringes a little at that, suddenly wondering what all might have happened in this space. Resting a hand on the boy’s shoulder, Terry gestures around them. “How ‘bout a tour, then?” he offers with a smirk. Edd gives a shy nod, so Terry motions toward the living room. “TV has pretty basic cable,” he explains, “I get a guide every week, but I can’t say I watch much of anything. Oh, and considering how squeamish you’ve been actin’ about sex, I’d stay outta the cabinet. I don’t have any ‘movies’, per say, but you’ll find a ton of tapes down there you won’t wanna watch.” Edd shudders in disgust; “Noted…” Terry turns the boy around to the kitchen. “Kitchen has all the basics,” he pauses, “Do you even eat real food?” Edd shakes his head; “I’ve not eaten real food in months…I believe that I can, but it won’t satisfy my hunger at all. So there’s really no point.” He glances up at the man curiously. “Do you?” “Sure,” the man shrugs, “But only cuz I like it.” He tugs Edd toward the hallway that has four doors: one on the left side of the hall and two on the right with the last at the very end. The first that they pass is a bathroom on their right, which Edd eyes in want. In an effort to avoid being rude, however, he fights the urge to ask for a shower and tears his eyes from the door before bowing his head. Next to the bathroom is a closed door, which Terry explains to be a closet. They also pass a bedroom on the left, which the man ignores. Instead, he makes a beeline for the room at the end of the hall. He opens the door and lets Edd pass. Inside is a large, luxurious bed with red sheets. Red curtains hang over the window above the bed, open slightly to reveal the night sky that’s just managing to peek over the neighboring building. Candles rest on every piece of furniture. The melted wax built up heavily on their sides and base is evidence of a great deal of use. It looks much nicer than the rest of the apartment. Better than the living room, kitchen and even the other bedroom combined. “Master bedroom,” Terry explains with a grin, “My bedroom.” “I see…” Edd says with a gulp, “And…wh-where will…I be staying?” Terry cocks his brow before releasing a sharp laugh. “Where d’ya think?” he asks, motioning towards the bed, “We gotta deal, remember? You sleep here…” He grins wider. “With me.” The child feels his heart drop in shock. “I…I don’t…Th-That seems…r-really ina…i-inappropriate…” “What’s ‘inappropriate’, is all this time we’re wastin’ just standin’ here talking…” the man purrs, rubbing the shoulder his hand is still resting comfortable upon, “what d’ya say we…‘seal our deal’?” The feeling of dread worsens, leaving the boy feeling suddenly cold. Biting his lip, he glances up and around the room. His eyes widen when he notices the connecting bathroom. “Um…a-actually…” he stutters, sidling away as best he can, “Would…Would it be alright if I took a shower first?” “Oh?” he shudders at the intrigued smile he receives, “That can definitely be arranged. As long as I can join you, of course.” Edd pouts; “I…I’d much rather bathe in peace…” Terry gives him a suspicious look; “Why’s that?” “Please,” Edd begs, “It’s been so long since I’ve really relaxed…I’ve been running nonstop since I was chased away from home and this would be the first time in…months…that I could take my time and actually enjoy a bath.” Terry grimaces some. He’s definitely not pleased by this development. After a moment, however, he sighs. “Alright, fine,” he grumbles, “I guess if you’re more relaxed, it’ll work out better when I fuck you…” Edd fights back the groan that tries to escape him. Must everything come back to sexual intercourse…? The man walks further into the room and to the bathroom. “C’mon.” Edd follows, timidly scurrying along behind him. Escorting the boy into the master bathroom, Terry flicks on the light. Like the rest of the apartment, it’s not too clean, but it’s not a mess either. Edd imagines it’s for the reasons Terry had described to him; kept clean enough to make his guests comfortable. The combination bath/shower is on his right with a sink and large mirror to his left. At the far end of the room is a closet on the left across from the toilet on the right. Terry opens that closet before turning to him. “Alright,” the man sighs, “Towels are in here.” He takes a step towards Edd and nudges the opaque shower curtain. “Shampoo and soaps are sittin’ on the edges of the tub.” “Um…” Edd hunches his shoulders, “You…Y-You wouldn’t happen to have an extra…tooth brush…would you?” “No,” the man shrugs back, “Don’t keep extras of those on hand…I can pick one up in the morning. I’m guessin’ you’ll be sleeping all day, right?” Edd nods; “Thank you…I-I appreciate that.” Rolling his eyes, Terry approaches the door to the bathroom, stopping to stroke Edd’s jaw. “Enjoy your bath, Princess.” With that, he leaves the room, closing the door behind him. Edd heaves a sigh of relief, glad to finally be alone again. Frowning, he turns to the mirror to look at his reflection. It’s always confused him why he can still look into mirrors and see himself. Any weird stories Ed would tell him and Eddy about vampires and other creatures would make mention of a specific lore that vampires do not have reflections. Yet, he can still see himself. Still see the heavy bags beneath his eyes. Still see the faded marks upon his neck that stand out as red scars that refuse to heal. Heaving a sigh, he stands back from the counter again to start undressing. He starts with his hat, running his fingers through his messy black hair. As he does, he tries to calm his breathing that’s quickly running ragged. More and more, the realization of this deal is dawning upon him. He glances down and starts rubbing the skin over his left wrist. It’s still a little tender from where the man had burned their contract into his flesh. The mark has faded — as though it had never been there at all — but he can still feel it. He begins to regret what he’s agreed to. Can I really go through with this…? He’s not sure. He doubts it, though. Very highly. Biting his lip, he tries to focus on his shower instead as he removes his shirt. His shorts and underwear follow shortly, as do his shoes and socks. Before anything else, he takes a moment to fold the clothing and set it on the counter. He then scurries over to the closet and retrieves a towel. There’s a rack on the wall next to shower, which he hangs the towel on. When that’s set, he steps inside and closes the curtain behind him. The set up is pretty simple, he’s thankful to say, and hot, soothing water is washing over him in no time. He sighs softly, a blissful grin breaking out on his face. After a moment to enjoy the water, he focuses on cleaning himself. Massaging the shampoo into his hair summons another sigh from him, and the feeling of soap on his skin is heavenly. So wonderful… He hates to end it. As he turns the water off, he can only frown in disappointment. But he can’t stay in here forever. Can’t waste any more water than he must have already. Before stepping out of the shower, he grabs his towel to avoid making a mess. He dries himself off as much as he can before finally stepping out and wrapping the towel around his waist. After a quick search through the drawers and closet, he realizes that he’ll have to dry his hair with a towel as well and grabs a spare. It feels almost therapeutic as he massages the dry towel against his head. When his hair is only slightly damp, he turns to where he’d set his clothing. To his surprise, he only finds his hat, lying on the floor. He pales a bit. Where did— He winces a little as it occurs to him just where his clothes might have gone. His shoulders hunch as he glances to the door. This is not good… Ensuring that the towel is secure around his waist and after donning his hat, he shyly opens the door. A chill runs down his spine. Terry’s waiting for him on the bed and lounging in a provocative position. He’s lit a few candles — to set the mood, Edd assumes — and he’s dressed down to a black, likely satin robe and nothing else. Edd’s grip on his towel tightens. “‘Bout time…” the man purrs before beckoning the boy towards him, “Now that you’re all clean, you can c’mon over here and get dirty with me.” Edd shudders again in response. “Um…” he gulps, “Wh-Where are my clothes…?” Terry strokes his goatee, pretending to think that over. “Hmm…Good question. Why don’t ya come over here and refresh my memory?” Edd heaves a soft sigh before reluctantly approaching him. He sits on the edge of the bed, refusing to look back at the demon. Terry’s large hands grabbing his waist make him jump and squeak in surprise. The man’s lips are upon his bare shoulders and neck, nibbling and kissing along the soft skin. “T-Terry…” Edd whimpers, “P-Please…where are my clothes…?” “Mm, threw ‘em in the hamper,” the man moans back, nipping at the boy’s ear, “Figured you wouldn’t wanna put those old clothes back on till they’re washed.” Edd grimaces a little. “Y-Yes…I suppose that’s true…” He bites his lip when Terry’s hand moves down his hip and toward his inner thigh. “Uh…Y-You wouldn’t happen to…t-to have something I can wear in the meantime, would you?” The chuckle he receives in response makes his heart drop; “Trust me, sweetheart, you aint gonna need ‘em.” Terry’s kisses trail down to Edd’s shoulder and over the faded bite mark. With soft moans, he starts sucking on the scarred flesh, making Edd start squirming in his grip. The hand that’s not stroking and massaging the boy’s thigh moves up to start tugging at the edge of the towel around the small waist. “C’mon, my pretty little Princess…” the man urges, “Let’s get rid of this towel and get started already…” Panicked, Edd tries to push the hand away from the towel. “O-Oh dear…” he pants, “I-I don’t…I…P-Please…I…I’m not r-ready for…f-for…” The man grits his teeth; “Hey…we have a deal, remember? You let me fuck you whenever I want — no resisting.” “I-I know, but…B-But I-I’ve never done this before and…a-and I’m really not ready for this yet…I…I really don’t think that…th-that I can do this just yet…” As Edd continues to mumble incoherently, he hears Terry groan a bit behind him. After a moment, the hands that were upon him are removed and he hears an irritated sigh from the man. “Alright, alright…” the man says with a sneer, “I guess I shoulda seen that coming…You are just a kid, after all…and a pretty prudish one at that…” Edd bows his head, feeling suddenly ashamed for his shyness. Terry seems to be thinking carefully about what to do with this. It’s not too long before he seems to come to a conclusion, though. “Alright,” he begins carefully, “Here’s what we’ll do. You can call it an ‘amendment’ to our deal. I’ll give you a few days to adjust to the idea of being with me. Now, during that time, I can still touch you and all that and you’ll let me make you cum so that I can at least still get a snack outta you, but I won’t actually fuck you till you give me consent.” Edd grimaces a little at his choice of words, but gives a nod of understanding. “O-Okay…I guess that would be acceptable…And it would make me feel better to have a little longer to get used to all this.” “Yeah yeah, well, I aint waitin’ forever for you,” Terry grumbles, “I’ll give you some time to get used to all this so you can…‘loosen up’, but I’m not a patient man. So lemme make one thing very clear; if I aint gotten any real sex outta you in three days, our contract is void. And if that happens, then you’re outta here — back on the streets and left to fend for yourself. Got it?” With a gulp, Edd offers another nod, turning to him more fully. “I understand…” he mumbles, “Th…Thank you…I…I really appreciate your understanding…” Terry scoffs before rising from the bed. Shyly, Edd watches him, wondering what he’ll do. Terry approaches the dresser, blowing out the candles situated there before opening one of the drawers. He rummages through the clothing within before retrieving a yellow jersey with the number sixty-two in a faded blue. Something about it looks very familiar to the boy, but he can’t place why. Had he seen similar shirts around the city? Maybe. It’s sports-related, but he’s no idea how. “Here,” Terry sighs, handing the clothing to him, “You can wear that till I can get you some more clothes.” “Thank you,” Edd says softly as he slips off of the bed to pull the jersey on. It hangs off of his small frame like a dress and reaches his mid-thigh. The neck is far too wide, causing one of his shoulders to become exposed. Now that he’s got some covering, he discards the towel. He’s startled when the fabric is yanked out of his hand and he’s shoved onto the bed again. Before he can react, the man is upon him, holding him down with a grin. “Maybe I won’t bother getting you any different clothes?” he muses in a husky voice, “You look a helluva lot better wearin’ mine.” Edd’s face burns in embarrassment at that. “T-Terry…” he protests with a soft whine. He’s silenced from saying much else by a possessive kiss. He cringes a little against the man’s tongue slipping into his mouth. He doubts he’ll ever get used to this… The deep, passionate kisses continue, growing more and more heated as time passes. Light is peeking through the curtains with the rising of the sun, but Edd only vaguely notices it as Terry starts moving down his body again. Pushing the shirt up and leaving torturously sensual kisses on his skin; going lower and lower. Edd had barely noticed his own arousal until now as Terry starts stroking him. It appears he’s still hungry… He squirms in desire when the man wraps his lips around his cock again. He certainly wasn’t expecting this again so soon. However, he doesn’t fight it. Instead, he lays his head back, his eyes slowly closing as little moans slip past his lips. He hardly notices that he’s begun rocking his hips until Terry holds them down. Panting, he glances down at the man through half-lidded eyes to see him glancing at him. He shivers at the intense desire in those cold orbs, his fingers fearfully gripping the sheets beneath him. Terry seems to notice this and doubles his efforts, stroking the boy’s erection with his tongue and moaning softly around the appendage. Edd’s moaning gets louder and his hands come up around the man’s head. Finally, he reaches that wonderful peak that makes his extremities tingle and leaves his body quivering in desire. When he opens his eyes again, Terry is crawling up toward him with a grin. “If I didn’t know any better,” he chuckles as he pulls Edd into his arms, “I’d say you’re startin’ to enjoy that. Aren’t you, little angel…?” Edd bows his head, unable to hide the shy smile as Terry leans in to leave tickling kisses to his jaw. He giggles a little, his hands resting on the broad chest. “You still hungry, Princess?” Terry asks in a sensual whisper. Glancing up at him, Edd nods, his brow furrowed. With that twisted grin still in place, Terry pulls open his robe to expose his neck. This makes the boy’s eyes grow wide. This will be the first time he’ll have ever voluntarily fed from another person like this. Apprehension claims him, making him shiver. Taking a deep breath and licking his lips, he bares his fangs and sinks them into the man’s neck. He’s startled by the groan that the man releases in response. For a moment, he’s overcome with worry that he’ll be punished for what he’d done. However, the man brings his hand up to hold Edd’s head in place and he begins kissing the boy’s exposed shoulder. He’d be concerned by this turn of events, but blood has begun pooling in his mouth, providing an effective distraction. Closing his eyes, he wraps one arm around the man’s neck, caressing the back of his head while the other rests on the strong shoulder. He doesn’t take long to feed and, moments later, he pulls away. There are still a few drops of blood that remain around the closing wound, which Edd licks away. Now that his hunger has waned completely, he begins to feel more relaxed. Enough to start drifting to sleep. The sun is rising more and more, bathing the room in a warm light that’s growing brighter and brighter. Edd whimpers a little, curling up beneath the man to try to avoid the light. Terry notices this and sits up to close the curtains. The light dims significantly, leading Edd to assume that the curtains are made from a particularly thick fabric to be able to block out the sunlight so effectively. With the room darkened, Terry returns to his spot beside Edd, pulling the boy into his arms. Edd doesn’t fight it, cuddling close as he relaxes more and more. He sighs contently as Terry gently massages his hips and the back of his neck before finally drifting off to sleep. =============================================================================== It’s night, of course, by the time Edd wakes again. He snuggles deeper into the blankets, feeling too comfortable and warm to move. After so long of sleeping on the unforgiving ground, without any coverings and exposed to the elements, it feels so nice to be sleeping in such a nice bed again. Despite that comfort, however, he can’t fall back to sleep. With a soft groan, he stretches out. Sitting up, he opens his mouth in a wide yawn before looking around. He’s alone in the room and still very under-dressed. With a sigh, he crawls lazily out of the bed and walks over to the door. Surely Terry’s around somewhere…? Indeed, when he walks out, he’s met immediately by the scent of brewing coffee. He spots the man in the kitchen, leaning against the counter and waiting for the drink to be ready. Biting his lip, he steps out from the hallway. “G-Greetings, Terry…” he mumbles. Terry glances at him, his brow cocked, before he shoots him a grin. “Well well…” he purrs, “How’d ya sleep, Princess? Feelin’ better?” Edd nods, smiling a little. “Much better…” he admits, “I believe that was the best sleep I’ve had in months…” “Good…” the man says with a smirk. He nods towards the table. “I picked up some stuff for ya while you were sleepin’.” Surprised, Edd approaches the table. In one of the chairs is a plastic bag. Within are a few basic clothes; shirts, shorts, a few pairs of underwear. There’s even a toothbrush. He smiles a little more genuinely at the man. “Thank you,” he says as he turns back to face him fully. Terry pushes himself off the counter and gently grips the boy’s chin. “How ‘bout you show me your appreciation?” he purrs, “We can head on back to the bedroom for a little fun.” Bowing his head, Edd hunches his shoulders shyly. “Um…I-I don’t think I’m…r-ready yet…” he stutters back. With a grimace, Terry lets go of his chin and turns back to the coffee pot to pour himself a cup. Edd pouts a bit, noticing the irritation on his face. “Um…S-So…uh…” he swallows thickly, “Wh-What shall we do tonight?” “You are gonna stay here and do whatever the hell you want,” the man retorts, “While I go out for work.” “Work?” Edd echoes. “You think any of this shit pays for itself?” Terry sneers. “What do you do?” Edd bows his head contritely, “I-If you don’t mind me asking…” Terry pauses, taking a sip of his drink. He looks back at him carefully. “I’m what you might call…an ‘escort’,” he answers vaguely. Edd furrows his brow; “What does that mean?” The man scoffs at that; “You really are a naive little thing, aren’t you?” The boy pouts a little, still confused. Terry leans against the counter again. “It means I go out and meet up with prospective clients and they pay me to have sex with them. Works out great for me. I get a free meal and I get paid for it.” “O-Oh…” Edd stutters, “Was…um…W-Was that woman from last night…W-Was she…” “One of my clients?” Terry finishes, “No. That was just a fling on my night off. Met her at a night club.” “Night club?” “I like to enjoy the night life when I don’t have to work,” the man explains, “Helps spread the word to more possible customers, too.” Rubbing the back of his neck, Edd fidgets uncomfortably. “Um…” he gulps, “When…wh-when you’re with your…‘clients’…do you…um…d-do you use the proper…” he bows his head a little more, “p-protection?” The man gives him a suspicious look; “What would you know about that?” Still fidgeting, Edd starts playing with the hem of his borrowed shirt. “M-Mother and Father kept a lot of medical books…” he mumbles, “Some of them included information about…a-about ‘safe sex’. Th-Then, of course, there were those…c-classes my friends and I were…erm…‘obligated’ to attend in school…” The man hums a bit, as though that answer isn’t satisfactory to him. He takes another drink from his mug before replying. “Yes. I don’t trust humans when it comes to sex. Especially with how many different people I hook up with. I may be immortal, but that doesn’t mean I wanna deal with the bullshit diseases humans spread.” “I see…” Edd murmurs thoughtfully, bowing his head, “But…if that’s how you earn money and…how you get your sustenance…th-then why would you need…me…?” Terry cocks his brow, making the boy fidget a little. “I just mean…wh-why would you bother with me when you seem to have such a lucrative system…?” Terry sighs a bit and sets his mug aside, close to the coffee maker. Without a word, he picks the boy up, startling him, and sets him on the counter to look him in the eye. Edd cowers a bit, his shoulders hunched and brow furrowed uneasily. Eyeing the boy carefully, he drags his hands over the boy’s hips. Edd squirms a little, making the man grin. “I told you, Princess,” Terry murmurs, kissing along the boy’s jaw, “You make the perfect little snack. So, of course I’m gonna keep you.” Edd bows his head a little, closing his eyes as the man nuzzles him and nibbles on his neck. His hands are shaking slightly as he shyly reaches up to wrap his arms around the man’s neck. Terry’s hands grip his thighs to pull him closer; the boy’s legs on either side of the man’s waist. The kisses move from his skin and neck to his lips as Terry pulls him flush against him. The passionate kisses feel like they last ages. The longer they remain together like this, the more comfortable Edd becomes and the more he enjoys it. When Terry finally pulls away, Edd finds himself disappointed. The man’s looking over his shoulder at the clock with a slight grimace. “Sorry to cut this short, little angel,” he grumbles, returning his attention to Edd, “But I gotta go.” He leans in for another quick kiss before helping Edd off the counter. One last long drink from his mug and the man’s turning to the door. “I usually get in around five,” he informs the boy as he pockets his wallet. “Wait…” Edd pouts, grabbing his wrist feebly, “C-Can’t you stay…? So that, y- you know, we can get to know each other better? Just for one night?” Cocking his brow, Terry pulls his wrist free. “How ‘bout you give me a real reason to stick around instead of going out to earn money?” Edd bows his head. He knows what the man is insinuating and he doesn’t like it. Terry scoffs, taking his silence as answer. “Yeah, that’s what I thought…” He turns back to the door. “Like I said, I’ll be back around five.” He shoots a glare over his shoulder at the boy. “And remember, Princess; you don’t leave this apartment.” With a sigh, Edd nods; “Y-Yes sir…” “Good.” After opening the door, Terry leans back in for one last kiss before stepping out and locking the door behind him. ***** No Such Thing as a Free Edd ***** Chapter Summary When his life is uprooted by tragedy, Edd must find a way to survive as a creature of the night. Will a deal with a demon be his saving grace? Supernatural creature AU. Updates every other Friday. Chapter Notes Hello everyone. Thank you to everyone who’s reading. I hope you’re all enjoying it so far. Enjoy the chapter and please don’t forget to review. The night passes slowly for Edd. After Terry left, he changed into one of the new outfits the man had purchased for him. They're a little baggy — perhaps a size too large — but they'll certainly do for now. Then, with nothing else to do, he tried to distract himself with one of his favorite past times; cleaning. Top to bottom. No surface of the apartment left unchecked. However, he made sure to avoid any drawers and cabinets outside of the kitchen for…obvious reasons. The place doesn't need too much work, he almost regrets to find. Mostly dusting. There's very little clutter to worry about. The man doesn't seem to have many possessions. Edd imagines he doesn't have much need for them. He wishes he could at least have a few books to read, though. Not that he needs any reading material this night. His meticulous cleaning takes hours and, afterwards, he rewards himself with another hot shower. After so many weeks of running and anxiety, he's finally able to unwind. And, when he leaves the master bathroom, clean and refreshed, he wants nothing more than to crawl into bed and sleep. He pulls the jersey back on over a pair of clean underwear. Turns out, the large shirt makes for very comfortable pajamas. When he's clothed and clean, he collapses into bed. The pillows and sheets are like clouds wrapped in silk compared to the poor excuses for beds he'd been relying on in the past month. He releases a content sigh as he snuggles into the warmth of the comforter. So good…May I never have to move from this spot…His breathing slows significantly and his body is the most relaxed it's been in ages. His consciousness is slipping further and further away. Until he feels something warm against his hips, making him squirm and sigh softly. The warmth is spreading and he soon feels something hot and wet against his neck. With a soft groan, he blinks open his eyes. He feels something sharp pinching his earlobe, followed by husky chuckling. "Mm…I could definitely get used to coming home tothis…" Edd smiles a little, rolling over onto his back to face the man and to welcome the affectionate nuzzling to his neck and jaw. Terry's goatee tickles his neck again, making the boy giggle softly. It's now that he smells something sweet and fragrant. He glances at the man with an incredulous look. "You smell like perfume…" he notes with a quiet laugh. "Yeah, that'll happen…" Terry replies with a smirk, "More importantly, I notice you've been a busy little bee while I've been away, haven't you?" With a blush, Edd averts his eyes shyly; "Y-Yes…I-I hope you don't mind. M- Mother and father were always very adamant about filling my days with chores and insisting the house be clean from top to bottom. It's…sort of a nervous habit by now…And, since I didn't have much else to do, I thought it would be best to…t-to fill my time with cleaning." Terry chuckles; "Oh yeah, place looks great. Better than when I moved in…" For a moment, Edd looks incredibly pleased by the praise and drinks it in. It fades, however, when the man continues. "Hate to break it to ya, though, lil darlin', but I have a feelin' that you're gonna get pretty bored pretty quick if all you wanna do is clean." With a pout, Edd offers a shrug; "I guess that's true…I think I've already run out of things to clean. There's no way I can keep that up every night…" He bites his lip nervously. "You…You wouldn't happen to have any reading material I could indulge in, would you?" The man scoffs softly; "Nothin' you'd be interested in." In other words; more pornographic material…Edd sighs. Eddy would have a field day with this man…He's brought from his thoughts by a particularly sharp bite to his neck. "That's enough talking," the man breathes in desire, roughly grabbing the boy's hips, "Or at least enough talking about that. What d'ya say, lil angel? You gonna give me what I want?" Edd swallows thickly; "Um…I-I still don't think I…can…" He receives a grimace from the man in response before Terry sits upright. Surprised, Edd sits up as well, watching as Terry slips off the bed and heads for the bathroom. The door slams shut behind him, making Edd cringe. Moments later, he hears water running, indicating that the man is taking a shower. He sighs a bit, resting his chin in his hands with a pout. "And…now he's upset with me…" He lays back down, staring up at the ceiling. The sun's only just started coming up and his energy is incredibly low. He's not sure how much longer he'll be able to stay awake. The soothing sound of the water running is almost hypnotic, putting him in a daze. He's roused a little later, but for only a moment. Unfortunately, even as Terry strokes his cheek and seeks to wake him, he can't keep his eyes open for longer than a minute. He does manage to catch Terry's very irritated expression, though, which unsettles the boy significantly. However, it's not enough to make him alert or wake him. =============================================================================== When he finally wakes the following night, he finds himself alone. Unlike the night before, Terry's nowhere to be found in the apartment. What he does find, however, is a scrawling note on the table. Out to work. Be back at 5. Don't leave the apartment. Edd sighs, bowing his head. It certainly hits home pretty hard. Communication through handwritten notes rather than face to face. It hurts a lot more than he thinks it should. Downtrodden, he walks over to the couch. There's a remote control and a TV Guide on one of the end tables, which he picks up before sitting down. A pretty standard-looking remote, he's glad to say; easy to operate. Glancing up at the television he shrugs. Not much else Icando, I suppose… He clicks the power button and the television blinks on. He's met immediately with some political talk. A news channel of some sort, he imagines, and certainly not one that interests him. He flips through the guide in search of a program he might enjoy. It suddenly occurs to him, though, that he doesn't even know what day it is. A quick look back at the news station. September 19th. He feels his heart drop in despair. Two months. It's been at least two months since this whole mess started…He feels teary-eyed as he thinks about home. School must have started by now. He mourns the classes he has to miss because of this. Mourns the loss of his friends and family. Just when he thought he couldn't cry anymore, the tears come. He tries to fight them — tries to tell himself he's being too emotional for no reason. Of course, it doesn't help. He's overwhelmed by his own sorrow and he can't escape no matter how hard he tries. It feels like ages before he can finally calm himself long enough to distract his mind with the television again. That'll help turn my brain off…Sniffling, he flips through the channels stopping once or twice when he sees something he might like and continuing when it turns out to be a commercial for something that will come on later or on a different channel. He settles finally on some nature documentary about big, wild cats. He's only half-paying attention. His thoughts regretfully drift back to his grief often. At least I'm not sobbing like an infant any longer…He draws his legs up to his chest, bowing his head. "I wonder what Ed and—" he stops himself from finishing that thought, takes a shaking breath, "what Ed is up to right now…" As he stares listlessly at the screen, he wonders if anyone misses him back home. Surely not the other kids. They'd never cared for him or his fellow Eds, after all. Why should they care that they have a couple fewer Eds to deal with? He bows his head a little. Ed must still hate me for what I did…Fresh tears are burning at the corners of his eyes. And Mother and Father… With a groan, he holds his head, trying to abolish those thoughts. Thinking about it like this will only make it hurt more. He glances at the clock, his brow furrowed. Twelve-fifteen. He sighs pitifully. It's going to be a long night… =============================================================================== As five a.m. creeps and crawls closer, Edd finds himself torn between watching the television versus watching the clock. Will Terry still be upset when he returns? Or will his late night…'dining' have left him satisfied for now? Hard to say… Five o'clock. Five minutes past. Ten. Edd starts to worry until at five-fifteen the man walks through the door. He looks pretty pleased with himself as he locks the door behind him. At least he seems to be in a good mood… Biting his lip, Edd takes a deep breath; "W-Welcome home." This alerts the man to his presence and he turns, his brow cocked curiously. Edd shivers under that gaze and hunches his shoulders a little. Terry approaches him and glances at the t.v. "Looks like you found somethin' to entertain yourself with after all…" he notes in a grumbling tone. Edd shrugs, wringing his hands together nervously. The man chuckles, resting one hand against the back of the couch and leaning over the child. It sends another nervous shudder through the boy, though he tries his damnedest not to show it. "Well, it's gotten awful late, now, hasn't it?" Terry asks in a mocking voice, "Bet you're all 'tuckered out' from watchin' t.v. all night, aint ya?" It doesn't take much for Edd to recognize the sarcasm in his tone. "N-Not really…" he mumbles back, "I-I don't feel tired at all, actually." "Oh?" Terry chuckles softly, "But don't little ankle biters like you need lots of rest?" The boy's shoulders fall; "W-Well…I-I suppose so…" "Course, you do," the man says, snatching the remote from where it's resting on the couch, "So let's go, Princess. Time for bed." Terry turns the television off, making the boy pout some. With a small sigh, Edd pushes himself up off the couch. The man's hand is upon his shoulder near his neck in a very domineering move which he uses to usher Edd along toward the bedroom. Along the way, his thumb massages the nape of Edd's neck. To the bed, Edd feels the tension eating at him as he's trapped between the mattress below and the demon above. "Well, if you're so awake, why don't we have a little fun?" the smirk that had been tugging at the man's lips morphs into a sneer, "Unless you're still gonna play hard to get…" His eyes narrow as he glares down at the boy. "So, what's it gonna be, Princess?" Edd flinches — that nickname the man's been using sounds more and more bitter each time he says it. He gazes up at him, quivering. "I…I'm not…sure…" he mumbles. He cringes again as the man's lip curl into a darker grimace. Edd swears he can hear a soft growl from the demon, who's eyes are glaring daggers at him. "You've already wasted one day," Terry grumbles, "Are you really gonna keep this up for the next two?" Edd averts his gaze, feeling more self-conscious than before. "What're you so damn afraid of?" the man continues, gritting his teeth, "I can't hurt you, remember?" He starts rubbing Edd's hips, his tone softening slightly. "So you know I'll be gentle." "I…I-I…" Edd can hardly formulate a thought through his panic. If he doesn't give this demon the answer he wants, he's only going to upset him further. But… "P-Please…" he begs softly, "I-I am scared…I…I know our…'d-deal' prevents you from bringing me harm, but…I-I know it will…" "Not for as long as you seem to think," Terry scoffs. Shrinking in on himself, Edd squeezes his eyes shut tight. "I-I know," he whimpers, "But…B-But it'll still hurt and…a-and I know you'll be disappointed anyway because I'm not experienced like your c-customers must be and…a-and once it's done, y-you won't want me anymore so you'll get rid of me anyway and—" His eyes open wide when his sobbing words are interrupted by the man's lips closing around his own. Relaxing some, he allows his eyes to drift shut again as he leans into the kiss. When he's calmed enough, Terry pulls away again to look down at him. "That's it?" he asks, his voice softer than before, though still hinting of judgement. Edd nods, waiting for the laughter. Terry grabs his chin — far more gently than before, he's relieved to say — and urges the boy to open his eyes. The man grins down at him, as though that answer finally appeased him. "Lemme let you in on a lil secret, sweetheart," he purrs, "I like 'em young cuz I prefer 'em to not have experience. The taste of virgin flesh is so much sweeter cuz I'm the one who gets to taint it." Terry rests his forehead against Edd's, grinning cooly as he looks into the boy's eyes. "So there's nothin' about you that's gonna disappoint me." In response to this, Edd can only gaze up at the man in uncertainty. "Th…Th-Thank you…I…I do appreciate that greatly but…I-I still don't think that…I can. I mean…I-I don't know what to do…" "Just lie back and let me take care of that." "B-But…" He flounders for an excuse, feebly stumbling over his own words. Terry heaves a sigh and looks thoughtful again. After a moment, however, he leans in to kiss and nuzzle the boy's shoulders. Edd shivers, but doesn't fight it, allowing the man to pull him closer. "C'mon now, lil darlin'…" he murmurs, one hand sliding up the boy's waist and to his chest, "I promise I'll be gentle…I'll make you feel so good…" Edd whimpers softly, arching into the gentle caresses. Putting this off any longer will only make it worse and, he regrets to consider, will only serve to upset the man further. Pushing through his anxiety, he takes a deep breath. "Will…" he gulps, "W-Will you s…st-stop if it…i-if it's too much…?" In response, the man rolls his eyes. "Fine fine," he relents, "I promise you, Princess, it ain't gonna hurt as bad as you think it will…" The boy offers a weak nod, earning a smug grin as Terry takes a hold on the slender hips. "Now, you just lie back and let me pamper you, my little angel." That's enough to send a shiver down the boy's spine as the man slips his plaid shirt off. Next to be removed is the makeshift pajama jersey, exposing the boy's body to the demon again. As Terry slips the boy's underwear off and down his legs, he averts his eyes, too shy to look at the man directly. His gaze is drawn back, however, as Terry grabs his chin again. That's getting a little irritating… "Ah ah ah," the man tuts, "Keep your eyes on me." Furrowing his brow, Edd offers a reluctant nod. For the first time since they'd met, he looks upon the man's body. His weight is carried mostly in his middle and he's far from physical perfection. However, as he cowers beneath him, that anxious feeling burrowing into his chest worsens. Something about the man's body sends a shiver of desire through him. In a way, he's reminded of Eddy, who he also knew to boast a confidence in spite of his less-than-stellar physique. To some extent, it's kind of comforting. What isn't comforting, however, is the man undressing himself completely. His gaze drifts down past his waist and he pales considerably. "Um…" he mumbles in a warbling voice that just barely draws the man's attention, "I…don't think I can do this…" Terry cocks his brow in suspicion; "I told you; I'll do all the work." Edd grimaces, averting his gaze and brushing his hair under his hat. "No, I mean I literally don't think this is going to work…" When he receives silence and a judgmental look in response, he sighs pitifully. "I don't…I fear that…th-that's not going to…um…" He cringes a little. "'f-fit'…" Terry's chuckling draws his attention back to the man before him. "Don't you worry about that, sweetheart," he snickers. Turning to the beside table, he pulls open the drawer and rifles through it. Edd dares not glance in its direction as he hears a few things thud and clink as they're moved around. Finally, the man retrieves a plastic tube and shoots him a smug grin. He pulls Edd's legs apart, and moves closer, resting them on either side of his waist. "I can make it fit…" Edd pouts in confusion as the man uncaps the tube and squeezes out a colorless gel. "Wh…What is that…?" he mumbles, his brow furrowed. "Just lie back and hold still," Terry retorts, setting the tube aside and resting one hand on Edd's hip. "Hold still for wh—Hey!" Edd bolts upright, edging back against the pillows as the man's coated fingers briefly graze his inner thigh. "Wh-What are you doing?!" he demands, pulling his knees together defensively. "Just a lil somethin' to loosen you up." "What's that supposed to mean?" "What happened to all that talk about your Sex Ed classes?" Terry asks with a scoff, "And those books your folks had? I thought you knew about this shit?" "W-Well…yes…B-But I never read about the…'mechanics'! Only the passages about practicing safe sex with condoms and other contraceptives. Not…whatever that is…" Terry rolls his eyes dismissively; "Alright, I'll put it nice n' easy for ya; if you don't want this to hurt like hell, you'll just lie back and let me stretch you out." Edd's face feels like it's on fire as he pulls his hat down over his eyes and covers his ears. "M-Must you be so vulgar?" "Just hold still!" the man growls as he grabs the boy's leg. With a gasp, Edd struggles, abandoning his grip on his hat. "Terry!" "It'll only hurt a second." Edd doesn't cease his flailing until the man puts his arm across the small chest and holds him down. The pressure above him proves too much, rendering the boy motionless. He whimpers softly as he looks up at the man. Terry's glaring down at him. There's no malice in his eyes; just impatience. "I know you're not into this yet," he informs the boy, "But we made a deal and you're gonna get used to it if you wanna stay here." Edd wants to argue this, but he knows the man's right, resulting in a weak huff. Terry continues, his voice a bit softer. "I'm not gonna try to hurt you, but if you keep strugglin' like this, it'll hurt anyway. So, do yourself a favor and just relax. Let me do what I need to and I'll make sure it feels good, got it?" With a pout, Edd thinks it over and gazes up at him. "P-Please…" he mumbles, "Just…g-go slowly…" Rather than answering, the man moves his arm away before leaning in to press a tender kiss to the boy's lips. The act is reassuring and as Edd closes his eyes, he tries to focus on the tongue slipping past his lips and grazing his teeth. He tenses again when he feels the cold gel against his inner thigh and moving lower. When the first digit probes him, his eyes shoot open again. It's not quite a searing pain, more of a discomfort. The long, sharp nails he remembers seeing are absent, he's grateful to note, though he wonders, briefly, why that is. However, it's far from a relief. He pulls himself away from the kiss, his entire body squirming and trying to escape the intrusion. With his other hand, Terry holds his hip down. He gazes upon the boy's face, his eyes intense and focused. "Look at me." Edd cringes against that cold tone before peeking up at the man pitifully. The look in the man's eyes sends a calming shiver through the boy. Terry leans back down to kiss him again, drawing a soft moan from the boy, who's eyes drift shut again. It manages to sooth him more as the man moves his finger. In and out. In and out. It's still quite uncomfortable, but nowhere near as bad as before. That is, until a second finger is added. Edd releases a soft cry, breaking the kiss. Terry cups the back of his neck with his free hand, keeping the boy from pulling away again. Edd's little hands come up to push weakly against the man's shoulders in a pitiful attempt to make him stop. Terry moves down from Edd's lips to his jaw, sucking dark marks into his skin. "Just relax, Princess." Clinging tightly to the man's shoulders, Edd takes several deep breaths, trying to calm himself. As his body finally begins to relax, the discomfort eases. Terry's free hand moves back down to the boy's hip to massage the flesh there for a moment. Then lower to stroke the small, half-flaccid cock. Long, lilting moans rise from the boy beneath him, no longer in pain, but in pleasure. The third finger, though, brings that discomfort back, making the boy whine and whimper. "T-Terry!" he groans, "I-It hurts!" "Shh…Don't fight it, lil darlin'…" He pants heavily, trying to focus on the tender kisses to his jaw near his ear and the hand stroking him to arousal. Desperately, he wraps his arms around the man's neck, trying so hard to ground himself. The man doesn't fight the tight hold, nor does his pace slow. It feels like ages before he finally stops, removing his fingers. Edd heaves a heavy sigh of relief, his body going slack on the mattress. He hears the snap of the tube through his haze. With a furrowed brow, he opens his eyes and peers up at the man. More of the clear gel is squeezed out into his palm before the tube is set back onto the bedside table. Terry casts the boy a lustful grin before wrapping his hand around his own erection. Edd's eyes are as big as saucers as he watches the man cover his cock in the gel. The dread that had finally faded has gripped the boy's chest like a vice, leaving him cold and so afraid. Terry catches the frightened look, but isn't fazed in the slightest. He adjusts the boy so that he's straddling the man's waist again. A quick look into the fearful eyes. "Take a deep breath, sweetheart," Terry licks his lips, "I'll make it quick." Edd shuts his eyes tight, clutching the sheets beneath him in a desperate effort to brace himself as he releases a whimper. The worried little noises only increase in frequency when he feels the man's cock pressing against him. His breathing is uneven and shaking as Terry pushes inside. The grip on his hips get harder as he's pulled towards the man. As the member begins to penetrate him deeper and deeper, Edd's whimpers become painful whines. "T-Terry!" he sobs, "P-Please!" "Relax," the man warns, "I told you, Princess; it'll only hurt for a second." Of course, he doesn't. The tears are falling down his face, soaking into his hair and hat and surely the sheets beneath him. His breath comes out in little sobs. Finally, the man is sheathed completely with a pleased groan. Edd tries so hard not to move. Even a slight twitch is enough to send an agonizing wave through him. Another sobbing cry as Terry leans down to kiss him. It barely registers, even when the man's tongue mingles with his own. "Look at me." He sobs again, shaking his head feebly. "Look. At. Me." Feebly, he forces his eyes to open, blinking his tears away to gaze into those intense, blue orbs. His body grows lax as desire fills him. More receptive as the man leans back in to kiss him. Growing accustomed to the sensation as he grabs the broad shoulders again. And then Terry starts to move. Rocking back and forth. He's going slow — Thank God! — but the pain doesn't wane. Whatever desire Edd had felt before is gone as he starts sobbing again. But he doesn't beg the man to stop. Doesn't beg for mercy. This is his only option for shelter and sustenance. As bad as it hurts, as much as he hates it, he has to see it through. Terry starts stroking him again, making him grunt against the pain. He can hardly feel the pleasure the man's hoping to provide. He doesn't know how much time passes. Terry slowly picks up his pace, his own breathing shallow and heavy as he thrusts into the small body beneath him. Edd gazes up at him weakly. His arms have long since fallen to the mattress, too frail to grip any tighter to the man above him. The man's stroking is finally beginning to register to him, wringing moan after moan from him. Even the penetration is beginning to feel pleasurable. That wonderful heat and pressure growing and growing. He feels the man lean in to his ear. "C'mon, now, lil darlin'," comes the husky purr, "You really gonna tell me you're not lovin' this?" Edd responds with soft moaning; "P-Please…Please…" "You want me to cum for you, Princess?" Gulping down air, Edd forces himself to nod. "Then say it." Panting, Edd nods again; "P…P-Please…I…I want…y-you…" He can't bear to say any more, but that seems to be enough. Thrusting harder and faster, Terry groans as he reaches his peak. He doesn't ease up on his stroking and Edd follows soon after, moaning the man's name. As they slowly come down from the pleasure, the man holds Edd close. When his breathing returns to normal, he starts peppering kisses all over Edd's face. Only after the boy has calmed does he carefully pull his cock out. It draws a sharp gasp from the boy, but he's not crying as badly as before. "Good boy…" Glancing at the man through tired eyes, Edd furrows his brow. "You did real good, sweetheart," Terry praises, kissing the boy's cheek, "How do ya feel?" Edd swallows, his throat feeling dry. "I…It…h-hurts…" he whimpers. "Mm…" He feels Terry rubbing his hip in soothing circles, "I know…It won't hurt like that every time, angel…" Edd leans into the gentle kisses before glancing up at him uneasily. "W…Was it…o-okay for…f-for you too?" he mumbles, "Was I…a-acceptable…? Terry grins, scooping the boy into his arms. Edd follows suit, slipping his arms around the man's neck. "Oh yes, my little darling," he purrs, "Yer exactly what I want…" That's enough to relax the boy some and draw a relieved sigh. Terry's hand drags up his waist, making Edd squirm a little. "I think you've earned a lil treat," the man purrs, "And I'll bet you worked up an appetite, hmm?" A nod is all the boy can manage and it's all the man needs. Exposing his neck, he leans over the child. Edd licks his lips before raising himself up to sink his teeth into the man's neck hungrily. He feeds for several minutes, enjoying the taste of blood as it washes down his throat. Pulling away, he relaxes completely beside the man. Pulled into a warm, comforting embrace, he nuzzles affectionately against the man's chest. "Sleep tight, my little angel…" the man coos, stroking the nape of the boy's neck. ***** Given the Bro Shoulder ***** Chapter Summary When his life is uprooted by tragedy, Edd must find a way to survive as a creature of the night. Will a deal with a demon be his saving grace? Supernatural creature AU. Updates every other Friday. Chapter Notes Here we are at chapter 5. I’m not sure how many of you are actually enjoying this. Some feedback would be most appreciated. I hope you enjoy this story as it continues, but I really won’t know unless you comment. So please don’t forget to leave a comment. It takes a few days, but Edd slowly adjusts to his new routine. In the evening, while Terry goes out to work and enjoy the night life, he's left alone to entertain himself. Since he can't leave the apartment, he's tries to fill his time with cleaning and television. At first, he also tries to sleep the hours away, but his affliction prevents him from doing so. Suffice it to say, it's not a week before he succumbs to boredom. Terry's less than helpful. After a couple of days, he picked up a bottle of sleep medicine in hopes that Edd could get his sleep at night. Edd acknowledges it at least knocks him out, but something still compels him to drift off not long after midday. From the time sun rises and until it sets, he's with Terry. Certain days require the man to leave the apartment to take care of business that cannot be done at night — such as paying bills or purchasing some groceries or other amenities — but otherwise, he comes straight home to be with Edd. There's not much else he's interested in outside of sex, but a part of Edd still likes having him around. Even if he doesn't get a lot of information out of him, he still likes the company. Little information is an understatement, though, as he really doesn't get to know the man well at all. Terry greatly enjoys dodging whatever questions Edd comes up with. Despite this, the boy never gets the impression that Terry's trying to necessarily 'hide' anything. It's more like he just doesn't feel like sharing. Even after the boy tries to share about his own life — what his ambitions used to be before he became a vampire, what his likes and dislikes are, even what his fears and insecurities are — nothing worked. Nothing got the man to crack and share anything of his own. In a desperate attempt to urge information from him, Edd had even tried revealing the scar under his hat. To his surprise, even that had proven ineffective. After their relationship spanning nearly a week, Terry had revealed that he had already seen it and couldn't care less. It was definitely disappointing, but he's determined to keep trying. Which is why he's here now, sitting at the kitchen table and watching the man prepare a couple of steaks. The tantalizing scent of meat and seasonings have filled the apartment, making his stomach growl. Despite his inability to process food, he can't deny how good the smell of cooked meat really is. It's before noon, so he can't be sure how long he'll be able to stay awake, but he wants to at least try to enjoy the meal and actually talk to the man for once. Besides, it also gives him something of a chance to spend time with him. "I must say, I still find it kind've surprising that you're capable of cooking…" he notes with a small smile as he adjusts the jersey back over his shoulder, "No offense, but you don't strike me as someone who'd enjoy cooking at his leisure." Terry offers him a shrug in return; "Wouldn't say it's a hobby or anything." "What made you want to learn to cook?" "Just another way to get my dates all hot 'n bothered," the man replies with a smug grin, "You wouldn't believe all the foods that get humans horny as hell." Edd sighs; "Yeah, I guess I should've expected that…" He sinks back into his chair a little. "Don't you ever think about anything else?" Terry scoffs; "What else is there to think about?" "Um…anything? There are other ways to occupy your time. Movies, reading, cleaning…other hobbies. Isn't there anything else you enjoy doing?" "Nope." With a small groan, Edd crosses his arms over his chest and rests them on the table in front of him. "Well," he grumbles, "even if it's a means to an end, you don't need to eat. And neither do I. So why are you cooking now?" "You sayin' you don't want any of this?" Terry asks, cocking his brow and shooting the boy a sneer. "You're avoiding my question." The man rolls his eyes; "I told you, I like to eat sometimes. Today, I felt like havin' a steak. And I can hear yer stomach growlin' over there, so are you really gonna keep bitchin' about it?" Edd pouts; "You know that doesn't satisfy whatever hunger I feel…My stomach is only growling because it smells so appetizing." "Whatever you say, Princess…" Edd lets that conversation settle for a bit, bowing his head as he thinks carefully about how to proceed. Something's been on his mind over the past few days, but he's not sure how to breach the subject. "You do a lot for your partners…" he mumbles, resting his chin against his arms, "You taught yourself to cook and you keep your apartment clean…Despite your brutish personality, you put a lot of effort into making your partners content." "You goin' somewhere with this?" "I'm just…curious…" Edd starts fidgeting shyly. "Have you ever been…'in love' with any of them?" "No." Edd's startled by just how quickly the man answered. So matter-of-factly too. "Really?" he asks, cocking his head to the side, "Have you yet to meet the right person or…?" "No," Terry doesn't look at him as he removes the cooked meat from the pan, "I just can't." The boy gives him a confused look; "What does that mean?" "Incubi don't 'fall in love'," Terry explains, setting the steaks aside, "I don't 'need' to." "You don't need to eat either, but you're doing that." "Yeah well, all I really need is sex. It's the same reason you need blood; s'just food." "But…haven't you ever felt…something for any of your partners?" Edd asks, his brow furrowed in confusion. Terry shrugs; "Sure. I'll come across a few I like fucking more than others. Hell, you're not the first person I've struck a long-term deal with. Prolly won't be the last, either. But I've never 'cared' for them as anything more than 'favorites'. Love is just a word to me; not something I feel." He seems to want to drop the discussion after that as he grabs the plates and approaches the table to set them down. Edd stares down at the dish with a pout as Terry tucks in to his meal. He'd neglected any sides for whatever reason — Edd imagines the man's feeling too impatient to bother with any of that. The delicious aroma makes the boy want to start eating, but he feels a bit too distracted by their chat. "Don't you ever feel…lonely?" he asks, glancing at the man shyly. Terry leers at him before swallowing the bite in his mouth. He sets his knife and fork aside before sitting back to regard the boy with a suspicious look. "I go out every night and jump into bed with the first person who says 'yes'. And sometimes the second after that. I don't get 'lonely'. I get laid." He pauses, his lips pulled back in a slight grimace. "Why are you so damn curious about this all of a sudden?" Edd hunches his shoulders a little. "I just…" he bites his lip, refusing to look at the man, "I suppose I just don't understand…Even if you don't need to feel love, how can it not just…happen? Especially surrounding something so intimate? How can you not inevitably feel something for the people you sleep with?" Terry sighs, rubbing his forehead. "Alright, sweetheart," he licks his lips as he sits up and leans forward, "I can tell this is gonna be a problem for you down the line, so I'll try to make this easy for you. You ain't been immortal for too long — I get that you don't know how this works — but you better put all that bullshit about love well outta yer mind cuz it won't be long till it eats you alive." Edd's shoulders fall a bit and his brow furrows in confusion; "What do you mean…?" Terry cocks his brow; "To put it as simply as possible; you're gonna live forever unless some outside force decides to kill you. That means that anyone you meet is gonna die and what little time you'll get with them will feel like blinking. You let yourself get attached and all you're gonna feel is heartbreak." The boy pouts in return; "So…what…? You just 'refuse' to fall in love with anyone because you're afraid of being hurt?" "No. I told you, I can't," Terry grumbles, "Incubi cannot fall in love. Period. I'm literally incapable of it. I'm saying you're the one who needs to 'refuse to fall in love' because you're the one who'll apparently be disappointed if you're still capable of it." Edd's shoulders fall, a soft sigh escaping him. "I see…" Terry observes him carefully for a moment before returning his attention to his steak. "Eat up, Princess," he commands softly, "Yer food's gettin' cold." After a quick glance in the man's direction, Edd picks up his fork and pokes at his food. He's beginning to feel drowsier and drowsier and his disappointment is certainly not helping matters. Terry seems to notice his dour demeanor. "Cheer up, angel," he says with a prideful smirk, "You're still my favorite for now." Lucky me…Edd bites his tongue as he averts his gaze. He eats slowly, still feeling a little down. "Try to eat a little faster, will ya?" the man demands as he finishes his own steak, "I can tell you ain't gonna last much longer and I wanna get in a real meal before you fall asleep on me." The boy fights the urge to sigh as Terry stands to set his dishes in the sink. As he walks back, he approaches Edd's chair and leans over him, cupping his chin to make Edd face him. "I'll be in the bedroom," he informs the boy, leaning in to steal a kiss, "Don't keep me waiting." Edd shivers in desire as the man walks away, looking quite pleased with himself. Resolutely, he returns his attention to his food. Best not dally…He starts eating a bit faster, while still savoring each delicious morsel. It really is quite nice. Though he feels no more full than when he'd taken that first bite, it's absolutely worth it. He's careful not to take too long, but he refuses to leave a mess. After finishing the meat, he washes his dishes and Terry's before setting them in the rack to dry. Then it's down the hall to the bedroom. For a moment, he pauses at the closed door. Takes a deep breath to mentally prepare himself. It's not as bad as it was to begin with — in fact, he hates to admit he's begun to enjoy the sex — but it still tends to hurt and the whole situation in general still feels a bit uncomfortable. When he's ready, he opens the door and slips inside. As expected, Terry's waiting for him, lounging languidly amidst the sheets. He's removed the little clothes he'd been wearing and has donned nothing more than the lustful grin Edd's become so familiar with. Uneasily, Edd shuts the door behind him, keeping his eyes glued to the ground. Oh yes…This part is always the most awkward… "C'mere, Princess." Swallowing down his shyness, Edd approaches him before crawling up onto the bed. With a predatory grin, Terry tugs him down to the mattress and attaches his lips to the slender neck. Edd squirms against the hold, his eyes shutting tight as the man's hands drag along his sides to push the shirt up and off of his body. "T-Terry…" No response as the man's far too preoccupied with leaving dark marks along his neck and shoulders to add to the many many others. What follows is no different than usual, really. The man's a little rougher than normal and grips Edd's hips like a vice, but otherwise, he doesn't deviate from his routine. Not that Edd minds, really. The last thing he needs is Terry trying to get 'creative'. He wishes his mind were a little less fuzzy for this, though. He wants to sleep. So very badly does he want to sleep. Maybe that's why he's acting so rough… Climax can't come quickly enough. Clinging to the man's shoulders and crying out in pleasure. The man's grip on his waist tightening — bruising even — as he hits his own peak. When it's done, Terry nuzzles his neck and cheek, kissing here and there and murmuring encouraging, affectionate words. "That's my good little Princess…" A kiss to his jaw. "So good…" Another to his neck. "My angel…" They sound fuzzy and almost far away, but they still just make it through. Due to his earlier claims, Edd finds it even more surprising that the man would become so tender like this. An ulterior motive is certainly at work here, but he doesn't bother trying to decipher it now. The soft-spoken words and gentle touch are soothing him more and more until he's lost to his slumber. =============================================================================== He wakes hours later. The sun is setting, resulting in a warm, golden glow peeking through the curtains. With a soft whimper, he burrows further into the sheets, nuzzling the warm body still beside him. It brings a content smile to his face. Lately, Terry will stay in bed with him until he wakes — or at least he'll stay close enough to be present. It's a very comforting notion, he finds, to wake up and have that company waiting for him. He'd learned pretty early on that Terry doesn't need to sleep. If not for his persistent need for sex, Edd would wonder whether or not the man were a robot of some kind. However, he claims he likes to sleep too, but it's much rarer for him to do so than, say, eat. He feels himself waking more and more and groans in displeasure. How good it would feel to just lie here and sleep forever…Terry's chuckling alerts him even more. "Wake up, Sleepin' Beauty…" Edd grimaces a little and peeks up at him. "Must you always refer to me with such feminine nicknames?" he grumbles. "Mmm…what would you like me to call you?" "Well, I do have a name. I gave it to you when we met." "Oh yeah…" he feels the man move closer to his ear, "Edd, right?" He shivers a little at the sensual way the man spoke his name. Terry's hands move up his bare hips and torso. "Is that what you want me to call you?" the man chuckles, nibbling seductively at his ear, "Edd?" Another shudder before Edd shoots the man a glare. "Alright alright," he groans, "I suppose if all you're going to do is say it in such a vulgar tone, then I don't want you saying it at all." "Figured as much." Rolling his eyes, Edd lays his head back to allow the man access to his neck again. Terry leans in, greedily kissing and sucking on every inch of flesh he passes. He pauses in his ministrations for a moment and Edd glances at him, surprised. It's so unlike him to just stop…Terry's eyes are drawn to the clock on the bedside table. He seems to be thinking about something and, regrettably, Edd has a feeling he knows what that something might be. "Hmm…I should have time…" he mumbles as he rummages through the drawer and returns his attention to Edd, eyes half-lidded yet focused, "We can fit in a quick one before I gotta leave." Edd heaves a weary groan as the man retrieves the bottle of lubricant; "You're such a glutton…" "And?" The boy opens his mouth to comment further, but is silenced as he's pulled into the man's lap. "T-Terry!" he cries in a half gasp as the man doesn't hesitate to start preparing him with his fingers, "C-Can't you give me even a moment to prepare myself before you just…start?!" Terry offers a snickering laugh in response; "I'm the one doin' all the work. You just do what yer best at and lay there like a good little toy." "Terry!" Edd's pleas are, of course, ignored as the man focuses on scissoring his fingers to stretch him. Once he's deemed the boy prepared enough, he gets right down to it, pushing his cock in with a groan. The discomfort wrings a whine from the boy, who wriggles in protest. However, once the man reaches a groove in his motions, Edd does indeed lie back to allow the man to do what he wants. It feels almost mechanical at this point and the boy wonders if that's a good or a bad thing. On one hand, it doesn't hurt nearly as bad as it did. Still uncomfortable, but nowhere near painful. That, he believes, is a relief. He's so glad for it. On the other hand, however, he fears he's growing numb to it. Is that how it's supposed to be? He often wonders to himself. Am I just supposed to be numb to the entire experience? Everything about Terry's disposition would suggest so, but he's not sure if he should go by that. The man seems to notice he's not as 'involved' in their relations as he'd prefer him to be and starts to take action. Leaning down to kiss and suck at Edd's neck and chest and using one hand to stroke the boy's cock. Edd whines and squirms again. Not in pain, of course, but pleasure. The whining and whimpering shifts into moaning and the man's name sputtered out in want. Desperately, he wraps his arms around Terry's shoulders, trying to hold onto him as the man's pace becomes more intense. Terry grins down at him, licking his lips. "You're startin' to like this, aren't you, angel?" Edd peeks at him, panting heavily. He doesn't answer — why should he? That smug look on the man's face makes it obvious that the question was rhetorical anyway. When he feels his orgasm nearing, he begins bucking his hips, trying and failing to match Terry's rapid pace. Eyes shut tight as he reaches his climax and gasps the man's name. Terry's teeth sink sharply into his shoulder; a rare show of dominance and a reminder of Edd's place. The boy whines at the modest pain, grimacing up at the man. With an angry pout, he leans forward to return the favor, biting into Terry's neck. The demon's response is vastly different. A pleasured groan as the man pulls him closer to ride out his own orgasm. When they've calmed again, Terry pulls himself away to grin down at the boy, licking his lips and the blood that lingers there. Edd glares up at him as he holds his aching shoulder. "For someone…" he says through his panting, "who constantly…brings up our deal…you don't mind…breaking it when it suits you." When the man cocks his brow in answer, Edd elaborates. "Part of our deal…is that you wouldn't hurt me…" He motions towards his bitten shoulder with his eyes before glaring at the man again. "That hurt." "Aww…" Terry coos, giving the boy a mocking pout, "You can't blame me for wantin' to leave a lil love bite on you…" Edd gives him an unimpressed look; "You said…you can't feel love." The man chuckles a little; "Alright, guess ya caught me on a technicality…" He pushes the boy's hand aside to gently stroke the broken flesh. "Let myself get a little carried away. Ya want me to kiss it better, Princess?" Edd shoves his hand away, his breathing finally returning to normal; "Very funny." He looks away with a frown. "You don't have to mock me like that." Terry rolls his eyes; "Alright, alright. No need to get all mopey." He glances at the clock. "I gotta get a shower before I leave…" That small smile returning, he strokes Edd's chin. "You wanna join me, sweetheart?" Shaking his head, Edd looks away; "I'll pass, thank you." With a shrug, Terry carefully pulls out of the boy, earning a sharp gasp, before he saunters off to the bathroom. When the door closes, Edd wearily pulls on the yellow jersey before curling up onto his side. He can't dismiss the thoughts running through his mind. The thoughts that he's made a huge mistake. That this isn't the best living situation he could find himself in. That he should have just run away that night… Terry doesn't take long to shower and when he exits the bathroom again, he has a towel around his waist. Edd doesn't pay him much mind, too distracted by his own, sad thoughts. He wishes he could at least know more about the man. Wishes he could at least spend more time with him. It's only when the man's arms, still speckled with some water from his shower, slip around his waist again that his attention turns back to him. He glances up at the demon with a pout as Terry leans down to kiss his jaw. "You promise to be a good little pet and wait for me to come home?" Edd sighs a bit, averting his gaze; "Y…Yes…" "Good." Pleased, the man leans in closer, turning Edd's face back to him before placing a chaste kiss to the boy's lips. As he starts to rise from the bed, Edd shakily grabs his wrist. Brow cocked, the man glances back at him suspiciously. Edd gulps down his fear, trying to gather his nerve as he sits up. "P…P-Please…" he mumbles, "Can't…C-Can't you please stay…? Just for tonight…?" Terry jerks his hand away, rising from the bed. "Why should I do that?" he asks with a scoff as he walks over to his dresser to pick out his clothes for the night. "Please…?" Edd begs softly, "I…I don't want to be alone…Do you really have to go?" "Yes," the man retorts, shooting him a sneer, "Unless you want the electricity and water and shit to get shut off…" "But…would it…" Edd bites his lip uneasily, "Would it really hurt to miss one night? I-I'll do whatever you want…Anything. And…A-And I reallywould like to get to know you at least a little better…Wouldn't that be nice?" "Aw, don't start that shit again," Terry groans. "What's wrong with wanting to get to know you?" "There's nothin' you need to know," Terry retorts cooly as he pulls on a pair of jeans, "And all I wanna do is fuck, which I get paid for when I go out." He glances at the boy. "So why the fuck would I stay in?" Bowing his head, Edd fidgets with the comforter. "I just…I wish I could spend more time with you…You're only ever here in the day when I can't stay awake. Can't you stay home at night once in a while and spend time with me?" "Why should I?" the man scoffs back as he finishes dressing, "I give you all the attention you could fuckin' ask for during the day but you can't be bothered to stay awake long enough to actually 'enjoy it'. Maybe if you would sleep at night,this wouldn't be a problem." "But, I can't help that. It just happens that I'm compelled to sleep during the day." "That's your problem, Princess." "I didn't ask to be a vampire. I didn't ask to be restricted to the night." "Yes," the man snaps, whipping around to face him, "And I didn't ask to be stuck with you. But you fell into my lap one night and I decided to take advantage of it. I adapted and here we are." "What was the point then?" Edd whines, sitting up on his knees, "What was the point of making a deal with me if you didn't want me at all?" "I told you, Princess," Terry snarls, "The only reason I wanted you at all is because I can use you as many times as I fuckin' want and you won't die. That's it.Otherwise, you're just some obnoxious little ankle biter that I'm forced to deal with." Edd braces himself a little against the hurtful words; "But if you're gonna have me live here with you and be in this relationship, can't you at least try to connect with me on some level? Can't you talk to me or treat me as anything more than…some pet?" Terry grits his teeth in anger; "I dunno how this is goin' over yer head,sweetheart, but you are just 'some pet'. All you have to do is stay inside the apartment and lie back and spread your little legs when I fuckin' tell you to!" "But why?!" Edd demands, "I know you said you can't feel love, but can't you at least pretend you care about me at all?" "No, because I fuckin' don't. That ain't gonna change just cuz you're feelin' 'lonely'." "This isn't fair…" Edd mumbles, rubbing the tears that are threatening to fall, "I've given you everything you want, and you treat me like a toy…" "Those crocodile tears aint gonna work on me, Princess," Terry scoffs, "I suggest you drop this. Now." "No! I'm not asking you for much! Shouldn't you be happy I want to be around you more?! Why is this so upsetting to you?!" "Alright, that's it." Terry storms over before grabbing his wrist. "You're takin' my hospitality for granted and I aint fuckin' havin' it." Edd feels his chest gripped with fear as he's jerked from the room; "Y-You're throwing me out?!" "No." He furrows his brow in confusion as he's tugged down the hall to the spare bedroom. Terry yanks the door open before glaring at him. "You think yer lonely now?" he growls, "Well, let's just see how long you last without everything that I've done for you. You're gonna stay in here from now on. No more sex and no more precious attention you seem to think you ain't getting." Edd gapes at him, shocked that he'd go so far as to stop feeding on him. "Oh, and no more blood, either." "Wh-What?!" the boy gasps. "That's right. No more blood." "B-But what about our deal?!" "Ah yes, our deal," the man says with a sneer, "I give you blood in return for you letting me fuck you. That's exactly why I'm not gonna be fucking you for a while. I can get my meals from my patrons. You, on the other hand, are fucked. We'll see just how long you remain so fuckingungrateful." He points sharply into the dark room. "Now, get in there!" Quivering under the angry gaze, Edd reluctantly steps into the room. Once he's past the door frame, Terry slams the door shut, locking it behind him. He hears him storming off back to the main bedroom before reemerging several minutes later. He stops in front of the door again. "I'll be back at five," the man informs him coldly from the hallway, "Have a good night,Princess." With that, the man tears down the hallway, his footsteps disappearing out of the apartment after the door opens and closes. Edd looks around the room, shivering. It's very barren; lacking in any decor. As he sits on the bed, he finds it to be far less comfortable than the one in the master bedroom. It hadn't even occurred to him before, but now that he's here, he wonders why Terry would have acquired an apartment that would have more than one bedroom at all. No reason comes to mind. If he thought the man would answer, he'd ask him later. He wonders if he'll even have the opportunity. With a whimper, he curls up, trying to ignore the discomfort of how little he's wearing. Another long, lonely night is ahead of him. And, he regrets to note, it may not end at five a.m. ***** Absence Makes the Edd Grow Fonder ***** Chapter Summary When his life is uprooted by tragedy, Edd must find a way to survive as a creature of the night. Will a deal with a demon be his saving grace? Supernatural creature AU. Updates every other Friday. Chapter Notes On to chapter 6. I hope you’re all enjoying it so far. I’m…honestly not that sure. Please, if you like it, let me know. If you don’t like it, let me know. I can’t improve if I’m given no feedback. Regret. That's the word of the day. When Terry returns, it's a surprise. It hadn't been very long since he'd left; a couple hours at most. Edd opens his mouth, ready to apologize or at least reach some kind of compromise through the door. That is, until a soft giggle from a second voice permeates the silence of the apartment. A woman's voice, speaking so sultry towards the demon who seems to be escorting her through the apartment. He dares not speak then. Dares not alert this strange woman to his presence. Surely that would only upset the man further. The woman doesn't leave for the rest of the night. He'd ask why, but he doesn't need to. With the overall silence of the apartment and the thinness of the walls within, he can hear every gasp, every moan, every creak of the bedsprings as she indulges the demon's insatiable appetite. He tries to ignore it. Tries to cover his ears and drown it out. But of course, he can't. It gets through no matter what. A little over an hour in, silence finally resettles. No more moaning or even talking at all. Just quiet. Then the footsteps begin again, moving through the room and down the hall to his own. Now he sits on the bed, quivering in anticipation as the lock clicks and the door opens. Terry regards him from the door, dressed in nothing but one of his silk robes and a smug grin before giving him a mocking pout. "Aww," he coos in a faux sympathetic tone, "What's wrong, Princess? Can't sleep?" Whatever unease Edd was feeling is eradicated in that moment. He scowls at the man and slips off the bed to stand up. "Why are you being so vindictive?!" he demands, "I've done nothing to warrant this treatment." "Keep yer voice down, sweetheart," the man scoffs without missing a beat, "My date's sleepin' in our bedroom…oh, I mean my bedroom." "What are you trying to prove with this?" Terry leans against the door frame, stroking his goatee; "Hmm…what ever could I be 'trying to prove'?" He shoots the boy a glare. "Did you already forget our little 'discussion' from earlier? Guess I shouldn't be too surprised. You have already forgotten your place." "That's what this is about?" Edd guffaws, "My 'place'?" The man offers him a shrug in return; "I don't think you understand just how lucky you are. Here I am; bein' generous as fuck. I give you a home and an unlimited supply of the blood you so desperately need to survive. I make your little life nice and comfortable and all I ask in return is to fuck you to feed myself." Edd grits his teeth; "Oh yes! How ungrateful I've been. I — a twelve year old boy who's been stripped of everything I loved and cared about — have been so ungrateful to the 'generous' man who's been taking advantage of that since I met him. You're correct. I should have been so much more grateful to you." "Hey! I didn't have to help you that night, Princess. I coulda just left you to starve until you broke down 'n killed somebody." Terry cocks his brow, a smug grin creeping its way onto his face. "Again…?" Edd feels his chest tighten in anxiety. His shoulders hunch and he bows his head to avoid looking at the man before him. "You need to be reminded of just how fuckin' lucky you are to have made this deal with me. And, as far as I can tell, the best way to do that is to keep you from feeding. No more blood for you till you apologize." Edd grimaces, crossing his arms over his chest; "Apologize for what? Wanting to be with you more? Yes, I definitely regret that." "Careful with that attitude, Princess," the man snarls, "That's exactly what got you into this situation in the first place. You ain't gonna be fed until you stop bitchin'." Edd rolls his eyes; "That doesn't explain why you would bring your…'clients' home like this…you've never brought them home before and there's really no reason for you to. So why do it?" Terry shoots him a grin and steps into the room. He nudges the door closed before pushing Edd onto the bed. The boy opens his mouth to demand an explanation, but is silenced by a possessive kiss. He gasps softly, wriggling slightly as the man's hands slide up his sides. Terry's tongue slips past his lips to trace his teeth and the sensitive gums in the gap in his teeth. He shivers, bringing his arms up to wrap around the man's neck. Terry moves from his lips to his neck, kissing and suckling the marks he's so fond of. As the man's hand moves lower to stroke his small cock, Edd can't fight the soft moans that escape him. Terry nips at the boy's ear. "Ya like that, sweetheart?" he moans softly, nuzzling Edd's temple affectionately, "Ya want more?" "Y…Y-Yes…" the boy moans back. And just like that, the man's hands are yanked away and the demon rises to his feet. Edd blinks his eyes wide open, startled by the sudden loss of stimulation. "Wh…Wh-What are you…" Terry doesn't answer, just smirks down at the boy. Realization settles in slowly as Edd sits up. "Terry?" The man turn's his attention back towards the door at the soft, seductive voice that echoes down the hall. "Well, back to work, I guess," he shrugs, turning to the door completely, "Try to get some sleep, Princess. Maybe we'll talk more in the mornin'." And, without so much as a glance at the boy, he leaves the room and shuts the door behind him. Edd's shoulders fall as he stares down at the floor. He hadn't considered that. Not only is he being denied food — which is bad enough on its own — he's being denied the only affectionate company he's been given since he was chased from home. In hopes of calming his erratic breathing, he tries to rationalize this. I can live without that affection…I don'tneedthat. Although…He wraps an arm around his middle, shivering. What about when he starts to feel his hunger? What about when he begins to starve? The moaning picks up again in the other room, making him shiver even more. It feels incredibly mocking. Like every moan is meant directly for him — to remind him that Terry is receiving his sustenance and he is not. Perhaps worse, though, they're to remind him just how worthless he really is to the man. He covers his mouth, trying to stop the tears as he wonders just how bad this is going to get. =============================================================================== A few days pass. Though Edd misses the constant access to the man's blood, he's able to hold out. He rarely leaves the bedroom. Only to shower and sometimes to watch something on television. Otherwise, there's not much of a reason. He also doesn't want to see the man if he can help it, as he sees no reason to apologize for their argument — for trying to deepen their shallow excuse of a relationship. As far as he's concerned, he can wait this out. After a week and a half, however, he starts to question that. Terry's been bringing his clients home every night. Usually women. He claims that it's easier to trick young women into coming home with him — that they're easier to manipulate than the men. Edd wonders how true that is, but doesn't bother arguing it. Before leaving the apartment at night, he's always sure to lock Edd away into the spare bedroom. It's enough to drive the boy slightly mad from boredom, but he's so determined not to crack. The man's relentless in his teasing too. Cutting his fingers with his sharp nails and dangling the bleeding appendages in his face during the day. Making sure his clients' moaning can be heard loud and clear through the walls while he pleasures them. At the two week mark, it definitely starts to get to Edd. He's starting to feel hungry too, making the scent of blood so much more tantalizing. He tries to ignore it, though. Tries not to succumb to his hunger. Every now and then, the man will try to tempt him sexually. Slipping into bed with him during the day and kissing along his neck and shoulders, trying to persuade the boy to submit to him again. The tenderness and desire are driving him mad. Yet he just manages to resist every time. By the third week, he can barely pull himself out of bed. His hunger is agonizing, leaving him to whine and moan in pain as he holds his middle. He lies awake even during the day, tears falling silently down his cheeks as he writhes. Of course, Terry ignores this. Why should he care, after all? Unless his point is made, it doesn't matter how much the boy is suffering. Finally, after nearly a month passes, the man enters the spare bedroom around midday, a twisted grin on his face. "Hey there, Princess," he coos in a sickly sweet, mocking tone. Edd wearily glances up at him before rolling over onto his other side; showing his back to the man. He hears Terry chuckle. "Aww…So cold." "What do you want, Terry?" Edd grumbles, glaring at him over his shoulder. "Hmm…still got a lot of spunk…" the man muses, "Even though yer layin' there, squirmin' in pain." Edd groans a bit in response, turning away again as another wave of pain radiates through him. He hears Terry hum thoughtfully before the man approaches the bed. He cringes a bit when the mattress dips behind him under the demon's weight. Suddenly, the man's hand is held in front of his face. There's a small gash in his palm which is slowly dripping with blood. Edd's stomach gives a hungry growl and he whines in pain, curling in further on himself. "What's the matter, Princess?" the man teases, "Hungry?" Edd tries so hard to ignore him, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. He feels Terry lean into his ear. "Just tell me what I wanna hear, sweetheart," he purrs, holding his bleeding palm just a little closer, "And I'll give you what you need." The boy's breathing is erratic as he looks down at the blood, the iron scent so tantalizing. He licks his lips. "I…I'm sorry…" he whimpers, his shoulders hunching, "I…I won't do it again…" "Hmm…won't do what?" Edd releases another whimper, but doesn't answer, unsure of what to say. Terry seems to notice this and fills in the blanks for him. "You gonna stop bitching to me about stayin' home? You gonna start actin' like a grateful lil ankle biter?" Edd nods, the tears falling fast down his cheeks. "I-I promise…" he sobs, "I…I'll be g-grateful…I…I won't complain anymore." He's silenced as the man covers his mouth and as the taste hits his tongue. Closing his eyes, he reaches up to hold onto Terry's wrist and the back of his hand, moaning softly as he laps at the blood. He sucks hungrily at the wound, barely cognizant to the man kissing his shoulder and wrapping his free arm around the slim waist. When he's finally satisfied, he releases the man's hand, panting heavily in relief. Shyly, he turns toward the demon and leans into his arms, nuzzling his chest affectionately. Terry rubs his back, kissing his temple. Edd sighs contently as he feels himself drifting to sleep. "Good boy." =============================================================================== When Edd wakes that evening, he finds himself in the master bedroom again. The sun is setting, but it's far from dark out. He sits up and glances around, a bit confused. "Ah, finally awake, huh…?" He glances up to find the man in the doorway, taking sips from a cup of coffee. Furrowing his brow, he shrinks in on himself a little. "I…I'm sorry…" he mumbles softly, "I…I don't remember coming in here…I'll go back to the other room…" "Why?" Edd cocks his head to the side a bit, confused, so the man stands straight to approach him. "All's forgiven, Princess," he states, setting the mug down on the bedside table. "It…I-It is…?" "Guess you were pretty delirious earlier…" the man grumbles as he sits down, "Yes. Provided, of course, you stop that obnoxious whining." Edd's shoulders fall; "I see…I suppose I do remember that…" Terry cups his chin, giving him that cool grin. "Don't look so down, lil darlin'," he chuckles, "You can have my blood again. And I'll give you my attention again." Edd sighs a little; "Will you…" He bites his lip. "Will you still bring your…'customers' home with you at night?" The man shrugs in response; "No need to, so long as you remember your place." With a pout, Edd eyes him carefully before offering a sorrowful nod. "I…I understand…" "Good," Terry purrs, pulling him into his lap, "Now c'mere, sweetheart…" He starts kissing the boy's neck and jaw. "I've got me some time before I gotta leave and I been achin' to have a taste of you again." Edd doesn't fight it as the man eases him back down onto the bed. He leans into the kisses that take his breath away and whines softly against the love bites that once again find their way onto his flesh. Rather than actively engage or try to fight back, he lies beneath the man to let him do as he pleases. This certainly seems to appease the demon, who's thoroughly enjoying the boy's submission. After the weeks without sexual intercourse, it's understandably agonizing at first, but, thankfully, Terry goes slow. His grip is strong, but still relatively gentle against Edd's hips as he rocks into the tight heat. Distracts with warm, tender kisses and encouraging words. It's almost enough to make the boy forget his pain and replace it instead with pleasure. His body is shaken by his climax and rendered limp and quivering. Terry cradles the small body nice and close, his large hands stroking the soft, supple flesh at the boy's waist and hips. Edd's brow is furrowed as he nuzzles the man affectionately, his breath coming out in heavy panting as he debates saying anything to him. Settles finally on yes, but chooses his words very carefully. "I…I…missed you…" He braces himself for whatever is to come, flinching slightly against the fingers stroking the back of his neck and the chuckle that rumbles through the man's chest. "Of course you did." =============================================================================== And it's back to the old routine. Or…as close to the old routine as they can get, what with Terry's new 'demands'. Aside from the increased frequency of which the man orders him to submit to sexual intercourse, he also begins including other sexual acts into their pattern. It begins the following evening. Terry had gone out while Edd slept the day away and hadn't returned until the child had awoken again. Coming home and setting a black, plastic bag on the bed without even so much as a glance towards the boy waiting for him amidst the sheets. With a wicked grin, he explains that Edd will choose something out of the bag and he'll demonstrate 'how it works'. Suffice it to say, after a quick glimpse into the bag, it doesn't go over well. "You want me to what?" Edd stutters, mouth agape as he scoots away from where the bag has been placed. "Pick somethin' outta here and I'll show ya how to use it." "Why would I ever agree to that?" The man shoots him a condescending look; "Cuz I told you to." Edd offers him a weak pout as he avoids glancing in the direction of the bag. "Don't give me that look," Terry growls, jabbing his thumb towards the bedside table, "I coulda had you pick somethin' outta the drawer over there. And I don't think you want that." The boy shudders; "I don't…feel comfortable with this…" "Well, since you kept bitching about how 'lonely' you were, I'm givin' you somethin' to occupy your time with. And, let's be honest, Princess; you could always use a lil…practice." The boy's shoulders fall with a sigh as he slowly moves over to glance into the bag again. His face flushes bright red at the sight of the various objects within. "Wh…Why is there so…much?" he mumbles, peeking shyly through his fingers as he covers his face. "Just givin' you lots of options," the man explains with a grin. "Oh my…" "Alright, enough procrastinatin', sweetheart. G'head and pick one." Edd's fingers inch up to tug on the fabric of his hat. "Oh dear…T-Terry…Do I really have to?" "If you don't, I will," Terry snorts back as he examines his nails in disinterest, "Now pick one so we can get started. I gotta leave for work soon." Nausea washes over the boy as he gazes over the assortment of toys, fidgeting in worry. Packages depicting phallic objects in an array of sizes, shapes, and colors. The long strings of beads of varying sizes illustrated on several of the boxes are probably the most troubling, though he's not sure why. "Five seconds, Princess." He whines softly, his eyes darting over the objects again before shutting tight. "I don't want to!" It's torture to wait the moment that follows for the man to respond. A smack, some hateful insult meant to drag him down? "Alright." That's unexpected…Is he dropping the matter? He glances up, wide-eyed. His previous shock fades in an instant as Terry reaches into the bag himself. The boy's face is burning a bright red as he pulls his hat down over his face. He doesn't dare look at what the man's withdrawn. Can't bear to know. He's shoved onto his back and held down with one large hand. "I want you to look at me." He nearly sobs as he reluctantly obeys, lifting the hat to look up at the man as he sets the bag on the bedside table. He then starts opening one of the boxes. Fidgeting with the yellow jersey, Edd averts his gaze, desperate not to watch as the man removes the product. "Princess…" He whines softly before glancing back to the man and paling at the sight of the hot pink toy in his hand. "Say hello to your new best friend, sweetheart," Terry snickers. Edd can't fight the glare he sends the man's way. "You must be joking…" Terry chuckles a bit, fidgeting with a small, similarly colored remote. The toy starts humming, startling the boy some. As it's held towards him, he finds that it's actually vibrating. He wretches a little at this discovery. "Hold still now, lil darlin'," the man purrs, placing a hand on Edd's thigh, "And let me show you how this baby works." "Oh…Oh my…!" Edd squirms a bit in his gasp as the toy is lowered over him. He whimpers softly when the vibrations graze his hip, moving towards his flaccid cock. "T-Terry!" he whines, "Is this really necessary?!" "Yup." The child starts panting a bit as his body begins to react to the stimulant. He shuts his eyes tight, hoping that may block out the tantalizing touch. He yelps when the skin at his hip is pinched sharply. "Eyes on me, dammit." With a pout, Edd looks back up at the man, his shoulders hunching as Terry turns the toy off again. Satisfied, Terry reaches into the bedside drawer to retrieve a bottle of lubricant. He glances at Edd with a smirk before uncapping the bottle and spreading an even coating of the gel over the toy. The boy shudders again. "I fail to see the purpose behind this…" he groans. "I want you to get used to playing with this," Terry replies with a purr, "Like I said, you need some practice and I really wanna watch you fuck yourself." Edd glares at him; "What if I don't want to use that thing?" Terry sneers at him as he rests one hand on the boy's shoulder. With the other, he positions the toy at Edd's hole. "Oh, you'll use it. Once you've had a taste, you'll want so much more." "Not everyone is as addicted to sexual intercourse as you are, Terry…" "Why d'ya think I'm tryin' to fix that? You know how big my appetite is. So if you wanna have any hope of satisfyin' me 'n makin' sure I don't break this deal off early, you better start enjoying yourself a lot more. Now, hold still." Biting his lip, Edd braces himself as the toy begins to penetrate him. He arches his back, whining softly at the discomfort. The sheets are fisted in the boy's small, shaking hands as Terry pushes the vibrator in about as far as it can go. With another smirk towards the boy, Terry switches it back on. Edd feels as though a jolt of electricity is shooting through him. He starts whining again, moaning as the sudden, startling sensation becomes pure pleasure. "T-Terry!" he cries, gasping and writhing amidst the sheets. "That's it, darlin'…" Terry chuckles, playing with the frequency of the vibrations, "I knew you'd like it…" Edd draws his legs together some, panting softly between his moans. The man slides his free hand down the boy's hip towards his thigh, causing Edd to shiver. The child whines, arching his back. With a grin, Terry slides his hand back up the side of Edd's chest and then down his arm to gently grab the slender wrist. "C'mon, sweetheart." He moves the boy's hand over his crotch. "The best part is helpin' yerself along." Amidst the pleasure, Edd feels his chest tighten in apprehension. "T…Terry!" he whines. Edd's breath catches suddenly when Terry takes his hand and wraps it around the boy's small cock. He tries desperately to writhe away. "Just do what I do, Princess." Shyly, Edd peeks down to watch as Terry moves his hand to stroke the hardened appendage. Weakly, he tries to mimic the action, slowly and shakily stroking himself. Soon enough, Terry releases his hand, leaving Edd to take over the motions. "That's it…Just like that." Edd's mind is growing fuzzier and fuzzier as the pleasure takes him. Terry increases the frequency of the vibrations, sending the tingling sensation more intensely through the boy. Edd cries out, arching his back and moaning as he feels that heat coiling in his abdomen. "T-Terry!" he whines. "Let go, sweetheart," the man chuckles, "I wanna watch you come undone." Bucking his hips, he screws his eyes shut as he climaxes, moaning the man's name. When he calms again, he lies limp amidst the sheets, gasping and panting heavily. He squirms a bit when he feels the toy being removed, but refuses to look at the man. "Good boy." Edd groans softly in response, wishing Terry wouldn't speak to him at the moment. "C'mon, lil darlin'." He hears the demon chuckle, followed by the sound of the bag being moved around. "You know that felt good…" Only now does Edd glance at the man, glaring at him. "I still see no real merit to that…" he grumbles, "I've no interest in…using that thing…or any of those other despicable objects you thought were so necessary to purchase for me." Terry grimaces and glares back at him. "Yes, you will." Edd tenses up a little, shivering at the intense look in those cold eyes. Terry rises from the bed. "I'm gonna grab a shower." Without another glance at the boy, he enters the bathroom. Edd quivers on the bed. For the man to not even invite him to join him into the bathroom is a little disconcerting. So unlike him. Brow furrowed, he brushes his hair behind his ear and bows his head. It would appear that I'm pushing my luck a bit… When Terry leaves the bathroom, he hardly looks at the boy, focusing instead on dressing for his evening. Edd doesn't dare say anything to him, afraid to upset him any further. After he's fully dressed, the man finally turns to look at Edd. With a grimace, he leans over the boy, putting one hand onto the bed. "Be a good boy while I'm gone and maybe I'll give you a lil treat." Hunching his shoulders, Edd bows his head before offering a shy nod. Terry seems to be pleased by this response and rewards the boy with a deep kiss. With a moan, Edd leans in closer. His hands grip the man's sleeves gingerly, hoping meekly that it will keep him there longer. But to no avail; Terry pulls away a moment later and stands straight again to turn to the door. "See you in the morning, Princess," the man says with a nonchalant wave as he exits the room. =============================================================================== Yes. That's how it starts. When Terry comes home from work, he picks a new toy to use on Edd. Then again in the evening before he leaves. It's a cycle repeated every day for about a week. Despite the overwhelming pleasure he receives from the acts, the boy insists that it must be torture of some kind. Because of this — at least at first — he refuses to so much as look at the objects when he's alone. Unfortunately, Terry isn't pleased about that. As such, he refuses to give Edd the affection the boy has grown so desperate for. Their intercourse begins to feel more and more mechanical; restricted to the toys and far less intimacy. A punishment for Edd's 'disobedience'. But that's not all. By night, the man seems to get…meaner. More insulting, more emotionally cruel. A constant reminder of how alone and insignificant he wants Edd to feel. Therefore, regardless of his reservations after the third day, he gives in and obeys Terry's demands. Uses the toys the man had bought for him. Follows every instruction no matter how humiliating it seems to be. It begins to feel more and more painful for the boy. After the several days that pass, Edd finds himself drawn outside of the apartment, but only as far as the fire escape. He doesn't leave the one that's attached to their floor — thereby not technically breaking the man's rules — to just sit and reflect on his lonelier nights. Of course, he doesn't tell Terry about it; it's the one secret he has now. It's comforting, he must admit, to sit out there and allow himself a moment to breath. And that's where he finds himself this night. Clinging to the rails as he sits on the landing; his legs hanging between the bars and over the edge. The air is getting chillier and chillier, but he can't say it bothers him. He's too distracted by his own sadness. Too distracted thinking about the several nights in a row that he's been left crying after Terry would leave. The quiet darkness surrounding him does at least offer him some solace; it's at least peaceful tonight… Glancing up, he stares at the moon peeking through the clouds; full and bright. So much regret fills his heart. The overwhelming sorrow brings forth his tears, which spill down his cheeks. As he stares down at the ground a few stories below, he wonders briefly if he could bring himself to escape — to survive on his own. Curling in on himself, he abolishes that thought. Of course he couldn't. He has no chance. He'd be dead or starving within a month. This is all he has. His only home. "It's not fair…" he sniffles, "I want to go home…I-I don't want to be here anymore…I just want this to be o-over…" A strange sound just barely echoes amidst the familiar noise of the city. Brow furrowed, he looks up and around, sniffling and wiping away his tears. He remembers hearing a sound like that in the woods while he'd been wandering. A wolf howl, I think… Finally, his eyes are drawn up to the roof of the neighboring building. A silhouette stands out starkly against the bright moon. Long, shaggy hair and the shadows obscure its face, but the yellow eyes are bright. It has pointed ears atop its head like a dog, but it stands upright on two legs. Whatever it is, it's clearly feral and growling and looking directly at him. With a soft gasp, Edd scrambles to his feet. The creature moves when he does and he can't make it back to the window before it's upon him. Too scared to scream, he tries to shield his face. "P-Please!" he cries, "D-Don't hurt me!" Instead of claws tearing at his skin, however, the beast envelopes him in a tight embrace, startling him. He can't process what's happening, but he's far too afraid to question it. "Double D!" the creature sobs, hugging him tighter. Edd feels his heart drop. "E…Ed…?" ***** A Sight for Edd Eyes ***** Chapter Summary When his life is uprooted by tragedy, Edd must find a way to survive as a creature of the night. Will a deal with a demon be his saving grace? Supernatural creature AU. Updates every other Friday. Chapter Notes Alright, so this is where things are going to start being answered. Like, it's super exposition-heavy, so…sorry about that if you're into those kinds of chapters. Um…I do have one thing to say for it that I believe is quite important, that being that I'm heavily depending on some feedback this time. I'm very serious. With this chapter, I tried something new to get across a specific idea/scene description, but I don't know if it's super clear. If you find yourself confused at all and feel that this could be improved by modifying the structure, PLEASE don't hesitate to tell me in a comment. I would really, truly appreciate it. With that said, thank you all again for your patience and for sticking with me this long. I hope to continue to please as we proceed further and further. :3 When Edd finally recovers from his shock, he begins wriggling in Ed's painfully strong grip. "E-Ed! Please! You're hurting me." With that, Ed releases him and takes a step back. Edd studies him for a moment, his eyes wide. Furry is an understatement; the taller boy is now completely covered in dense, scraggly hair that nearly obscures his face. The familiar unibrow that had become the largest Ed's defining trait is overgrown and bushy, but still somehow easy to detect amidst the rest of the hair. His unbrushed teeth are now mangled and sharp, and his clothes are somehow even filthier than usual and torn in so many places. He's not even wearing shoes, which allows Edd to see that his feet look more like paws. Overall, he looks a mess. "Ed, what…h-how?" Edd mumbles, breathless, "What…happened to you?" "I'm a werewolf, Double D!" Ed announces excitedly before rearing back to howl at the moon. "I…I can see that, Ed…but…how?" He jumps slightly when a loud, obnoxious ringing fills the air. Ed looks around before trying to reach around to grab something on his back. As he turns like a dog chasing his tail — which, when he does so, Edd can see that the taller boy also has now — Edd spots a familiar golden phone strapped to his back. "Rolf's phone…?" he murmurs, as Ed finally manages to pull the thing off of himself, "Why on earth would you carry that thing around?" Without answering, Ed picks up the receiver to silence the ringing. In doing so, a cloud of smoke begins leaking out of the device to collect in the air around them. Edd covers his mouth, coughing as he breathes in a bit of the smoke. There's a flash of light and a loud bang a moment later before the sound fades into a joyful cry. "'Bout time, Burrhead! I was goin' stir crazy!" Edd tenses again, his eyes opening wide to focus on the new creature that's just appeared before them. "E…Eddy…?" The being turns to him before grinning wide. "There you are, Sockhead!" he cries, lunging at him and throwing his arms around him in a tight hug. Edd's frozen where he stands, unable to process what's happening. It can't be real. It just can't. "I…I don't understand…" "We been lookin' everywhere for you!" Eddy states as he pulls away to smile up at him while gently gripping his friend's arms. Edd pushes him away a little more, his breathing shallow as he tries to comprehend what's happening. "H-How?!" he demands, "How are you two here?! How…" He falters, shivering as tears form in his eyes. "H-How are you…alive…? What's going on?!" With an uncertain glance at Ed, Eddy's shoulders fall. "Oh yeah, I guess this must be pretty weird…" he acknowledges. "Y'think?!" Edd gawks, his eyes locked on his shorter friend as he takes in his appearance. Though Ed's still changed much more drastically, there's definitely a change in Eddy too. His ears are now pointed and his hair has been pulled back into a high, little ponytail. He's only wearing a vest — no shirt underneath — and his jeans, with odd-looking shoes. "What…What are you supposed to be, anyway…?" Eddy glances down at himself before shrugging. "A genie?" Edd covers his face with his hands, sighing. "Am I having some kind of nervous breakdown?" he groans, "Ed's a werewolf and now, not only are you alive, but you're a genie too?" Eddy shrugs; "Pretty much." Leaning against the brick wall behind him, Edd slides down to sit on the landing again as he holds his head and whines pitifully. "This makes no sense…" The other boys share a look before taking a seat across from him. "Alright, alright. Calm down, Double D," Eddy says, "Lemme explain…" Edd sits up a little, resting his hands on his knees as he pulls them to his chest. Eddy averts his gaze from him, looking a bit uncomfortable; "I guess it all started that day in the woods…" Edd bows his head in embarrassment. In an effort to comfort him in some way, Ed lays down between his friends on his back, like a dog wanting a belly rub. Taking the hint, Edd uncomfortably reaches out to pet the top of Ed's head. "I'm still not totally sure what actually happened…" Eddy begins with a shrug, "All I remember is wakin' up in the hospital. Mom and dad wouldn't tell me anything about what happened and, for a while, I didn't even get any visitors. I'm not really sure how long I was stuck there…but it felt like forever." He shifts a little where he's sitting. "After a few weeks, I think, is when the visitors started tricklin' in." He smiles a little. "It was kinda cool, actually. Ed was the first, of course, but Nazz came by and Jonny…even Rolf and Kevin showed up. The Kankers tried to come by too, but I asked my folks to keep 'em out and they did. But…" He frowns, his shoulders slumping as his mood clearly deflates. "No matter how long I was there, you never came by. Ed wouldn't answer my questions either — he'd start crying right away as soon as I mentioned your name — and my folks just looked, well, really pissed off if I ever asked about you. So for, a long time I didn't know what was going on, even after I was released and sent home. "Then," he sighs, "Jonny came by. He'd visited a couple times before back in the hospital, but…the last time is when he brought a gift to my house. I'm sure you remember when we…uh…'gave' him that cursed phone over there?" Edd rolls his eyes; "Eddy, we've been over this; there's no such thing as a 'curse'." Eddy gives him an incredulous look. "You're a vampire who's havin' a conversation with a werewolf and a genie. Are you really gonna start that shit again?" Considering that, Edd shrugs; "Point taken…Please continue." "Thanks…" Eddy grimaces a little before straightening up, "Eh…I guess for what it's worth, you are right. It wasn't a 'curse', but it might as well have been. Anyway, so Jonny decided to 'regift' it for…whatever fuckin' reason and as soon as he left, it started ringing. Well, I sure as hell didn't answer it. I started wrapping it up in pillows and shit to muffle the ringing. That, thankfully, seemed to work, so I left it alone. "I was still pretty…uh…'groggy' for a while after I left the hospital, so my folks kept me home from school. I was so fuckin' bored. But…that's when something…new happened…" =============================================================================== "I was home alone — my folks were at work and big Ed was at school…" Eddy sits on his bed, flipping through one of his magazines with disinterest. It's a dull day outside and Ed won't be home for a while. With a frown, he glances towards the phone that's begun ringing again, creating a muffled vibration. Brow furrowed, he slides off the bed and approaches it. Picking it up, he looks at the gold just peeking through the coverings he'd bundled it up in. "I didn't like that everyone was hiding stuff from me…I didn't like not knowing what happened to my best friend…" Memories fill him of when he and his friends had 'experimented' with the phone and what it did when answered. The fear it had instilled. But, more importantly, he remembers Edd's nagging voice. Granted, it hadn't been that pleasant at the time, but he'd give anything to even hear that right now. At least it'd mean that Edd were here. At least he could see him again. He can almost hear his voice in his own thoughts. Eddy! There's no such things as curses! "I thought…I dunno, maybe you were right, Sockhead…So I decided to try answering the phone…" With a sigh, he starts pulling off the bindings. He hadn't actually answered it before putting them on. Maybe there really isn't a curse? The ringing is louder and more obnoxious than ever as Eddy sets it on the floor. He sits in front of it, staring it down. "Turns out I couldn't do it…I was too scared.I decided I'd get a snack instead…and that's when it happened." He stands to walk away, but stops when the ringing gets even more intense, shaking the phone where it's sitting. He turns back just as the receiver falls off its hold. With a gasp, he crouches down, desperate to protect himself from whatever is about to strike him. "I didn't know what was goin' on. Smoke started filling my room and I panicked. I thought somethin' was on fire. But…when I looked up…it wasn't that." When he looks up again, he finds a man standing before the phone and glaring at him. He's dressed in an ornately decorated vest and puffy pants. Around his waist is a deep red sash and his wrists are adorned with wide, golden bracelets. His skin is a rich olive and his dark hair is tied back in a top knot. The beard along his jaw is gathered into a single, thick curl, completing the odd image. "Wh-Who the heck are you?!" Eddy demands when he finally recovers. "Why wouldn't you answer a ringing phone?" the man asks, evading the boy's question. Eddy falters a bit; "I — b-because — I — cuz I know what happens whenever I pick that thing up! It's cursed or somethin' — I always get hurt a— H-Hey!" he scrambles to his feet, "I asked you a question, buddy! Who are you?!" The man pauses, glancing around the room. "Hey! You gonna answer me or—" "I am a genie." Eddy stares at him in disbelief; "What?" "A genie." "A genie…?" "Yes." "A genie…who lives in a phone…?" "Yes." Eddy sneers, crossing his arms over his chest; "I thought genies lived in lamps." "Usually," the man shrugs, "But not always." "What the heck were you doing in Rolf's phone?" "It was the nearest object I could attach myself to when I became a genie." "How'd that happen?" "Do you want to keep asking me unnecessary questions or do you want to make your first wish?" "Wish?" The man knocks on the top of Eddy's head; "What part of 'genie' are you not comprehending, boy?" "Watch it!" Eddy warns, rubbing his head, "It's not my fault this all sounds like a load of bullshit!" The genie straightens up before crossing his arms over his chest; "Well, I'll put this in terms you can understand. You are the holder of my lamp, so I will grant you three wishes." "Well, obviously, I couldn't believe it. A real genie! It was so cool! I…I'm not gonna lie, the first thing that came to mind was…cash. I couldn't help it — I was just…blown away by the possibilities and…I dunno, it just came to mind that I could have all the money I could ever need. But…I didn't wish for that. I waited a second and, after it all set in, I knew I didn't wanna waste a wish on that. Not yet, at least…There was somethin' a lot more important that I wanted…More than all the money in the world…" He pauses for a moment to think before looking back up at the man. "I…I wish I knew what happened to my friend Edd…" he says, before adding quickly, "N-Not big Ed. I know he's at school right now…I wanna know what happened to Double D…What happened the night I was attacked…" The genie ponders for a moment before snapping his fingers. Eddy hears a sound from his vanity and turns, finding the surface of his mirror rippling. Hesitantly, he approaches the mirror where a scene begins playing out like a movie. =============================================================================== Eddy takes a deep breath, bowing his head; "He…He showed me what happened that night. I hate to admit it, but I…I was pretty freaked out." A quick glance to Edd. "I didn't wanna believe that it was really you. That you, of all people, could…do that…I mean, I've seen you mad before, but never…never like that…You weren't…'you'." With guilt in his eyes, Edd curls up a bit. "But then he showed me why…" Eddy continues, sitting up on his knees, "He showed me what made you…that…How it happened and what you'd become. And he showed me how the adults…" He has a sick look on his face as he slumps down a little more. "How my dad…chased you away from the cul-de-sac…" Ed starts whining, tears soaking into his fur. Edd scratches behind his ears, soothing him for the moment. Taking a deep breath, Eddy continues. "So the next thing I tried to wish for was for you to be home." Edd furrows his brow, confused by his phrasing; "What do you mean 'tried'?" "Well…" =============================================================================== "When I made the wish, he said…" "Hmm…I'm sorry, boy, but I'm afraid I can't do that." "What?!" Eddy snaps, "But aren't you s'posed to grant whatever wish I make?!" "Yes, but there are limitations, and I'm afraid I cannot grant thatwish." "Why not?!" "Genie wishes must be made very…carefully." "Whuzzat mean…?" "Well, let us use this wish as an example," the genie suggests, "I've no connection with this friend you so desperately want to find. I've no interest in searching the globe for this one individual to make sure you are reunited with him. I've no way to know whether or not I'm bringing you the correct person. You must be very precise in how you make your wish or you will not get what you really want." Eddy's shoulders fall in disappointment; "What do I do then? Double D was the smart one…He could make the wish right…not me…How the hell do I find him…?" "Well…if you were in control of the magic…Mm…No. No. That's far too much for you…" "What?!" Eddy steps toward him, "What d'ya mean 'if I was in control'? I thought I was in control? They're my wishes! What do you mean?" "Mm…I don't know…You are just a child, after all…" "C'mon!" Eddy demands, "Help me out here!" "Well, if you had my powers, you could find your friend yourself. You wouldn't have to worry about phrasing a wish in order to get what you really want." "Really?" Eddy asks, "So…what? I should wish to be…like you?" "Something like that…But, just being 'like' a genie isn't enough. You must take the powers of an existing genie and become one." Eddy thinks carefully about that, gnawing on his thumbnail. "In hindsight, I'm pretty sure he was just fucking with me, but I was feeling more desperate than ever…I wanted to find you…So I made my wish." "I wish…I wish for you to give me your powers." =============================================================================== "So…that was prolly a mistake…" Eddy sighs, rubbing the back of his head. "What do you mean?" Edd asks. "Well, remember how I said it wasn't actually a curse? Turns out that genie was the one making all that shit happen whenever someone answered the phone. Apparently he thought it was fun to torment people…'specially kids…but he didn't like being stuck in a lamp all the time, so, after I wouldn't answer the phone to let him torture me, what he was really tryin' to do was escape. And, when I made that wish, I pretty much took his place. I became a genie and got sucked up into the phone. I couldn't get out without someone answering the phone and I never saw that asshole again…" "So…" Edd glances at Ed, "How did…Ed become a werewolf…?" "I wished for it!" Ed answers excitedly. Edd shoots Eddy a suspicious look, making his shorter friend shake his head and roll his eyes. "Burrhead here was the first person to find me," he explains, "And after I explained that I was tricked into becoming a genie, the first thing he did was wish to be a monster. He specifically asked to be a werewolf for…whatever reason…" He shrugs. "It's Ed…What d'ya expect?" Edd giggles a little, scratching a bit more fervently at Ed's ears and making the boy's leg shake. It brings a smile to Eddy's face too before he continues. "So after I calmed him down, I told him that we could try to find you. He was…kind've against it at first. He was still…scared, I think…but when I explained everything, he was just as determined as I was to look for you." "I'm sorry, Double D…" Ed says with a pout, "I didn't know…" Edd offers him a warm smile; "I forgive you, Ed…" The wolf boy breaks out into another bright grin before hugging Edd's middle tightly. "Anyway…" Eddy snickers, "So that was his second wish. As soon as he made it, we were off looking for you." "How long ago did this happen?" Edd asks. "A few weeks ago, I think…" Eddy admits, "That jackass genie was right about one thing, at least; it really was hard trying to find you. I guess you really do need to know exactly where a person is in order to 'magic them to you' or the other way around. But — and I can't believe I'm saying this — Ed was right to use his first wish to become a werewolf." "Oh?" Edd asks, laughing in disbelief. "Yup, it helped us track you down, I guess." "I followed my nose!" Ed interjects, beaming proudly. "My goodness, Ed," Edd giggles, petting him affectionately, "Well done." Ed giggles and rolls around happily, his tail banging against the metal fire escape. Eddy's eyes are locked on Edd, however, as he thinks about how to proceed. "Yeah, so…" he mumbles, "Now that we've found you, we can all go home. Then I can change us back to normal and we can go back to our lives." Edd looks up at him, his smile faltering. He glances back towards the apartment, biting his lip. "I…I can't…" he mumbles. "Sure ya can!" Eddy states, jumping to his feet, "C'mon! I'll poof us home and get us back to normal!" "Eddy…" Edd rubs the back of his neck, "It's not that easy…" "What d'ya mean?" With a sigh, Edd rises to his feet, leaning against the wall behind him; "Things are kind of…'complicated' right now…" "Complicated?" Eddy echoes suspiciously, "How?" "I…" Edd glances up, noticing with a start that the sky is starting to lighten. The inky black is fading as the sun begins to rise. "O-Oh dear!" Edd gasps, panic consuming him, "What time is it?!" He turns away from them. "E-Excuse me, gentlemen! I have to go!" Ignoring the protests from Ed and Eddy, he darts back to the window and climbs through into the apartment. "Hey!" Eddy snaps, slipping inside after him, "Wait for us, Sockhead!" Edd whips around as they stumble onto the living room floor after him. "Eddy, no!" he cries, "You two can't be here!" Eddy rubs his head with a groan before he looks around. "Woah!" he awes, "Nice place ya got for yourself Double D…" He gingerly touches the television. "Damn…big-screen tv…" He plops down on the couch. "Ooh! Comfy couch too! I see why ya don't wanna head home! Looks like ya got it made here!" Ed jumps up to sit beside Eddy and snatches up the remote. "Movie time!" he announces with a giggle. "Eddy please!" Edd begs, "You two have to go!" "How'd you manage to land this sweet pad, Sockhead?" Eddy asks, lounging against the cushions as Ed switches on the television. "It's not mine, Eddy…" Edd mumbles back, grabbing the remote back and turning the tv off, "It…It's Terry's…" He tries to speak more sternly. "Now, please! You two have to leave!" With a pout, Ed slips off the couch and starts investigating the other areas of the living room. "Who the heck is Terry?" Eddy asks. Edd's face burns red in shame and he curls in on himself shyly. "He's my…" Edd gulps down his uneasy, "m-my…Ed, no! Stay out of there!" He races over to the cabinet that Ed's started opening and slams it shut. "What's with you…?" Eddy asks with a grimace. Edd bites his lip, glancing at him; "Eddy, please…" "You didn't answer my question, y'know…" Eddy mumbles, "Who's Terry?" Edd sighs; "Um…I…I guess you could call him my…'partner'…" Eddy furrows his brow in confusion; "Whuzzat mean?" Frustrated, Edd opens his mouth to answer when the door opens. He whips around, wide-eyed. "Oh dear…" "Princess? You awake for once?" Edd tenses up as Terry enters. When the man spots the two boys seated on the couch, the calm expression quickly shifts to rage. "What the fuck is this?!" he demands, slamming the door shut behind him. "O-Oh my…" Edd stutters, shrinking in on himself slightly as the man steps toward him, "T-Terry, I…I'm sorry! I didn't mean—" He feels Ed cowering behind him, startled by the sudden screaming. "What are these little anklebiters doing here?!" "They…Th-They're my friends from back home…" Edd explains meekly as he cowers as well. "And why are they here?!" "I…I hadn't expected to see them…" Edd stutters, "I…I-I thought one of them was dead and…a-and the other h…hated me…" "Yer avoidin' my question, ya little bitch!" Terry snaps, "Why did you let them in my fucking apartment?!" "I d-d-didn't mean to…" Edd replies shakily, wringing his hands together, "Th- They followed me insi—" "Followed you?!" Terry echoes, making the boy cringe, "You were outside?! Who the fuck said you could go outside?! Did you just forget our deal?!" Covering his mouth, Edd bows his head; "I-I didn't leave the fire escape…I was just trying to…t-to get some fresh air…that's all! I-It was such a nice night…I-I just…I needed a moment to breathe…I didn't…It never even occurred to me that…th-that they might be looking for me…" "And you let them inside?!" "N-No…I…I-I…" "Leave Double D alone!" Ed cries suddenly, darting between the two in an attempt to protect his friend. He bares his sharp teeth, glaring up at the man in rage. "Stay outta this, you mangy mutt!" Terry rages, rearing his fist back to strike the boy. Edd pulls Ed back and out of the way. "T-Terry, please!" he begs, shielding his friend with his body instead, "I-I'm sorry! I really didn't mean for this to happen! Really! I-I didn't—" "Bro…?" Edd can only blink, too shocked to react much past that as he glances back at Eddy. The shorter boy is standing on his feet, his shoulders slumped and his eyes wide and locked on the demon. He looks like he's seen a ghost. Terry grimaces, standing straight again; "Great…" Edd looks back and forth between them, his jaw dropping slowly. The man doesn't look as surprised by this development as Edd and Eddy are. Instead, he just looks incredibly irritated. Edd steps towards Terry, shivering a little. He licks his too-dry lips, his breathing uneven. "You…You're his…brother?" ***** A House Divid-Edd ***** Chapter Summary When his life is uprooted by tragedy, Edd must find a way to survive as a creature of the night. Will a deal with a demon be his saving grace? Supernatural creature AU. Updates every other Friday. Chapter Notes Alright, well…I guess that writing method I tried…worked? I got no complaints about it so…Yay! Not a lot to say for this chapter. Um…I hope you enjoy it. Not that I'll ever know. You're probably not even reading this right now…Oh well. Enjoy the chapter, I guess. Please consider leaving a comment. I'd really appreciate it. Edd fights to comprehend this new revelation, his body feeling weak and his mind fuzzy. He looks between Terry and Eddy and, now that the idea has been put in his head, he's beginning to notice the subtle similarities in the two — particularly in the facial structure. Betrayal fills him and his blood begins to boil. How could he not tell me?! Why would he hide this from me?! He feels an anger he can barely control. Breathing deep, Edd takes another step towards the man, glaring up at him. "Is that true?" he demands, "Are you really his brother?!" With a grimace, Terry crosses his arms. "What the hell?!" Eddy interjects, "Mom and dad told me you…" He pauses, clearly upset by something. "…died…?" Edd's anger wanes for a moment as he's taken aback by that. "'D…Died'?" he echoes softly, covering his mouth in shock. Terry heaves an irritated sigh; "This is why I never went back…" "But…Wh-What about all that talk?" Edd stutters, "A-All that 'experience' you have being immortal?! You act like you've been an incubus for centuries and you have all of this prior knowledge, but, if you're his brother, you can't have been this way for more than a decade!" "Incubus?" Eddy questions, shooting Edd a confused look. Edd swiftly points at him, never taking his angry eyes off of the man; "Do not change the subject!" Terry rolls his eyes. "Yes, he's my brother," he says with a sneer, "And yes, I died. It was, like, ten years ago or somethin'. And when that happened, I became an incubus." "Wh…How?!" Edd demands. Terry scoffs; "Does that really matter right now?" "Good point," Edd agrees through his teeth, "That's not what's important here. Why didn't you ever tell me about any of this?!" Terry cocks his brow, looking unfazed; "And when exactly would this have come up?" "I don't know!" Edd snaps, "Maybe if you actually talked to me for once, it might've been discussed!" "Y'know, I thought we were passed this, Princess," Terry growls, "Now you're bringing it up again — d'ya need another lesson?" "No, I don't," Edd counters, "I need you to talk to me like a person and stop hiding things from me!" "I'm gettin' real tired of this 'spurned lover' bullshit you keep trying to pull," the man says with a grimace, "Fuckin' drop it." "I will not!" Edd stomps his foot to further drive home his outrage, "You always do this! You always keep things from me and I don't understand why!" "Why the fuck should I tell you anything?" Terry snaps back, "There ain't shit you need to know!" "Hey!" They turn their attention back to Eddy, who's looking between them with a confused, accusatory expression. "Didja forget we were here?!" he asks. "If fuckin'only…" Terry grumbles, "Speaking of which, you two get the hell out." He prods sharply at Edd's chest, glaring at him. "We had a deal, dammit." "Who cares about yer deal?!" Eddy snaps, "I got questions!" "Shut up!" Terry snarls back, "You ain't even supposed to be here!" His eyes narrow threateningly at Edd. "Now, is he?" Edd glares right back at him before his rage begins to diminish again. He glances towards his friends with a frown. He doesn't want them to leave yet. He knows Eddy can, as he so eloquently put it, 'poof them back home' at any time, but he doesn't want that…Not yet…He can't let them leave without giving them closure. Not without telling them what happened. However, he can't do that with Terry breathing down his neck like this. And he certainly can't risk their safety if they try anything that may upset him. Biting his lip, he takes a breath to calm himself further. "You both…" he mumbles, before sighing in frustration, "You just arrived here tonight, correct? I imagine you don't have a place to stay…?" "Uh…n-no, we don't…" Eddy answers, shifting from one foot to the other. A few more deep breaths before Edd turns back to Terry again. He furrows his brow, hoping to look more pitiful to him. "Terry, can…can't they please just rest here for the day?" he asks hopefully, "Then they can head home tomorrow night after I've filled them in?" Terry looks taken aback, as though insulted by the very idea. "No! I want them out!" Putting on a brave face, Eddy steps in between them. "N-No way!" he counters, "Me and Ed came here to find Double D and we aint leavin' here without 'im!" A manic look passes over the man's face before he roughly grabs Eddy's arm, effortlessly lifting him up in his strong grip. "Oh yes you are!" he growls, his tail flicking back and forth in rage. Eddy struggles, but tries to maintain his bravado. "No we aint!" he cries, his tone wavering, "We're all goin' home!" Ed rushes forward and grabs Terry's jacket, tugging at it. "Put Eddy down!" he demands. Glaring back at the boy, Terry sneers before sharply kicking him away; "Fuck off you lil shit!" "We're goin' home, Terry!" Eddy yells, squirming even more, "And Double D's comin' with us!" "You keep yer fat mouth shut!" Terry snarls, raising his fist again, "And stay the hell away from my property, you little fuc—" "Terry, stop it!" Edd cries, grabbing the arm that the man is raising to strike Eddy, "I'm not leaving with them!" That halts the rage as the brothers turn to him. "What?" Eddy gawks. Edd ignores him, focusing instead on trying to quell Terry's rage. He rests his forehead against the man's arm. "I'm not going anywhere, Terry…" he mumbles, "Please…Put him down." Terry observes him carefully before lowering his brother back to the ground with a grimace. Edd gingerly wraps his small hands around Terry's own, shutting his eyes. "Ed…E-Eddy…" he murmurs, "Please…Now's not a good time. Perhaps…we can talk later tonight?" He glances up at the man. "Please, Terry…? They've come all his way…I don't want them to…to have gone to all that effort for nothing without so much as an explanation. They deserve to go home knowing why I have to stay…" Terry shoots the other boys a hateful look, pondering his options. "Fine," he relents, "But they can wait up on the roof till tonight. They ain't stayin' here." Bowing his head again, Edd weakly nods. "Thank you…" he looks to Eddy, "Ed…Eddy…Y-You heard him; we'll talk more tonight…For now, please…just leave." Eddy's shoulders fall in disappointment. He's clearly confused and hesitant to leave Edd alone with the demon. After a moment, however, he offers a cautious nod. "C'mon, Ed…" he mumbles, gently tugging at the collar of Ed's jacket. Ed pouts, his eyes glued to Edd. "What about Double D, Eddy?" he whines. Eddy pauses, his shoulders hunching; "Don't worry…We'll come back later…We ain't leavin' without him." Without another word, he pulls Ed along back to the window. Edd doesn't dare look at them as they depart, focusing instead on clinging to the man. That ends abruptly, of course, when Terry yanks his arm away and storms over to the window the boys have just crawled out of. With a grimace, he slams it shut and locks it, ensuring the two cannot come back inside. When that's done, and the curtain has been yanked closed to keep out the sunlight, he turns to the boy with murder in his eyes. Edd doesn't move. He knows better than that. Instead, he waits as the man stands straight before approaching him. "You broke our deal." "I didn't mean to…" the child replies softly. "But ya still did it!" Edd looks up at him, raising his voice; "This is the first time I've ever gone against the rules you set! Compare that to how many times you've broken them?!" "I aint the one on trial here, sweetheart!" "You're such a hypocrite!" Edd argues, "You break your precious rules all the time! You've hurt me, you've let me starve—" "That's different." "You're right; it is different. What happened tonight was an accident. All the times you've broken your own rules were on purpose!" "Watch your tone, Princess," Terry warns. "Why can't you ever just admit to your own hypocrisy?!" Edd asks, exasperated, "I won't think less of you — I just want to be treated fairly! Is that so much to ask!" "I could give less of a shit what you think of me," Terry sneers, "That ain't the problem here,Princess." "Then what is the problem?" Rubbing his forehead, Terry takes a seat on the couch. Edd remembers seeing adults back home do this. Terry's feeling just as frustrated as he is. It's likely he doesn't have a good argument to throw back at him, but Edd's not sure he wants to point that out. In fact, as the demon glares at him, he begins to worry about just how far he's pushing this. "Do you really think anyone else would put up with you?" Terry asks suddenly. Edd's taken aback by that. "Wh…M…My friends would…" he stutters, "That's why they've come here…" "And just what do you think those little ankle biters are gonna do for you? You think they can provide for you? Like I do?" "W…Well, no, but…but they want to take me home…Back to my parents…Wh…What does this have to—" Terry heaves a mocking laugh; "You really think they'd take you back after what you did?" The boy falters. I…hadn't considered that… "O…Of course they would…" he mumbles. "Bullshit. They're prolly glad you're gone. They won't want you back after all this time." "But…B-But they…" "Look me in the eye, Princess," Terry commands, leaning a bit closer, "And tell me they'd want you now." Biting his lip, Edd refuses to look at the man. He starts curling in on himself, unable to say anything else to that. "That's what I thought," the man scoffs, reclining against the couch again, "You know no one else would put up with a whiny, obnoxious little brat like you. And if you keep this up, I won't either. You keep breaking my rules and givin' me lip, I won't feel as inclined to bother with you much longer. So, if you know what's good for you, you'll start showin' me yer gratitude." Wringing his hands together, Edd doesn't answer at first. "I don't…want to leave…" He glances at the man shyly. "I…I'd rather stay…" "Oh really? Cuz you seem pretty happy about breakin' my rules. Maybe I should just cut you off for good this time? Let yer little friends take you so you can fend for your own damn self?" That gets the boy to tense up, a panicked look in his eyes. "N-No…" he gulps, gripping the hem of his shirt in white-knuckled hands, "Please…" "Nah, clearly, you think yer mommy and daddy will take care of you better — that they'd want you at all. Why do ya need me? I should just kick you out right now — let you take care of yourself and struggle to survive." Edd cringes. It's not fair…For the man to come up with something so hurtful as to bring up his parents, just to make a point…It's not fair…! Because he's right… "N…No, I…I do need you…" "Prove it." His shoulders hunch as he gazes up at the man with wide eyes. "I want you to cut all ties with those idiot friends. I don't wanna see 'em ever again and from the way they were actin', it sounds like they won't leave till you tell them to. You do that, and I'll forgive you." Edd feels the anxiety grip him and the tears gather in his eyes. He feels helpless, with no earthly idea what to do. If I stay here, I'll never see my friends again…If I leave with them…I may be homeless…He does consider that his parents may forgive him as well if he's human again…But what if they don't…?The uncertainty is terrifying and squeezes his chest tight. He slowly falls to his knees, not bothering to try stopping his tears. Everything Terry's saying is to hurt him — that much he knows without a doubt — but he can't deny that it really is working. His heart aches for him to find a solution that seems so out of reach. For now, at least, it's best to appease the beast before him. Resting his hand on the man's knee, he bites his lip. "Okay…" he mumbles,"I…I'll tell them to leave…I won't see them again and neither will you." He looks back up at the man in desperation. "Just…p- please…please don't leave me…" Terry's grimace morphs into a smug grin. He takes a gentle grip on the boy's wrist and pulls him up into his lap. "Oh, I won't, my little Princess," he purrs, his hands resting on either side of Edd's hips, "I intend to keep you for a good, long time." The child worries his lower lip between his teeth and shyly toys with the man's open shirt. Terry's running his hands along the boy's thighs to make him squirm. While there is lust in his eyes, Edd notices that the man looks more like he's admiring the softness of the flesh beneath his fingers. Even if that's the case, however, he finds himself troubled by this sudden display of intense desire after their heated discussion. It would seem that the man's anger has waned some. Perhaps now would be the most opportune time to discuss a few things…? "I…I still wish you would talk to me more…" he admits softly, hoping to get through to the man, "I want to know more about you…Really I do. Especially if I'm supposed to be with you for a long time. Can't…" He swallows thickly. "Can't you just start…talking to me? Even if it's to tell me about your night…It's something,right? Would that be so bad?" Terry rolls his eyes; "Fine, fine…If yer just gonna keep houndin' me about it…" "R-Really?" Edd asks hopefully. "Yeah, yeah, but not right away, lil darlin'," the man sneers, "You been actin' up lately and you did break my rules. As long as yer good for me from now on, maybe I'll start 'talking' to you about shit…" Edd's shoulders slump a little, but he nods in understanding. It's a losing battle, after all — arguing with the man. Terry gives him a warmer grin, dragging his hands up the boy's sides. "Now," he licks his lips, "C'mere, Princess. I'm real hungry." With a quick glance to the windows to ensure they're indeed hidden by the curtains, Edd allows himself to be pulled closer so Terry can pepper his skin with kisses. The man's lips travel up the slender neck, along his jaw and to the boy's lips. With a soft moan, Edd leans into the tender embrace, wrapping his own arms around the man's neck. As the kisses deepen, Terry's grip on Edd's hips tighten. He pulls the boy closer, eager to create that beloved friction. Edd squeaks a bit when he feels the man's growing erection against his groin. He squeezes his eyes shut as the man starts sucking on his lower lip. Terry suddenly pulls away from the boy's lips to nip at the lobe of Edd's ear. "I don't wanna walk all the way back to the bedroom," he growls, grinding his hips against Edd's own, "I want you here. Now." Edd gasps a little, writhing in an attempt to escape those sinful lips and tongue. "T-Terry, no! N-Not here! Th-This is so inappropriate!" Terry scoffs; "Like I've ever given a shit about that…" He maneuvers them so that Edd's on his back on the couch. "Terry!" "Just let me play with you, Princess," the demon purrs, gently running his hands along Edd's hips. The boy pouts up at him, but ultimately relents as the man leans in to place a deep kiss to his lips, tongue slipping in to trace the gap in his teeth. He moans softly, his hands slipping around the man's shoulders. Terry grinds himself down against the narrow hips, groaning heavily. Before he knows it, Edd's shorts and underwear are yanked down to gather at his ankles. He squirms beneath the man's mouth sucking his neck and the hand that's petting the softness of his inner thigh. The coldness of the lubricant on the man's fingers makes him shiver. Does he really just keep that on his person at all times?! In some respect, it's a relief that he's intending to use it, but he finds himself more disturbed by it than anything. It feels so much faster than usual. He can only hope Ed and Eddy aren't hanging around the fire escape — that they can't hear the little screams and moans that Edd releases as the man takes him on the couch. He doesn't remain on his back the entire time, he regrets to admit. Somewhere in the middle of their affair, Terry moves him so that Edd straddles him. It's much more uncomfortable for the child, who's legs cannot reach around the man's waist comfortably, but clearly Terry enjoys it a lot more. His moans get louder and his grip on Edd's hips gets so much harder. The boy hasn't been able to articulate any coherent speech since that initial penetration, but, as he nears his release, the man's name tumbles clumsily from his lips. Breathless and exhausted, he weakly clings to the broad shoulders in a pitiful attempt to ground himself. Relief finally comes as the man reaches his climax and coaxes Edd to his own. He's rewarded for his obedience with tender kisses to his lips and jaw, mingled with a gentle nuzzling near his ear. "Mm…now, ain't this better than all that jabberin' ya want so bad?" the man chuckles. Edd chooses to ignore that, opting instead to rest his head against the crook of Terry's neck. He's too tired to argue with him anymore. Sleep is calling his name and he's more than happy to answer. He whines a little as he feels the man moving. Terry rises to his feet, pulling his cock out of the boy and earning another little whimper in response. He cradles Edd to himself and carries him back to the bedroom. As they pass through the doorway, Edd makes a mental note to gather up his clothing and scrub those cushions vigorously before he talks to Ed and Eddy. The sheets beneath him are heavenly as he's laid upon the bed. He's only barely conscious to the kisses and nibbling along his ear. "Don't fall asleep on me yet, sweetheart…" Terry coos, "I want more." Edd groans, trying to turn away; "You're such a glutton! Haven't you had enough for now?" "No. Now wake yerself up n' feed me some more." Edd sighs, leering up at him sleepily. "Quit givin' me that look, Princess. I could ask you to do a lot worse, y'know." With a shiver, Edd sighs, his angry look relaxing. He has a point… The second round feels even more mechanical than the first, though Edd wonders if that's due to his own exhaustion or not. In an effort to arouse the boy again, Terry utilizes a few of the toys. It does the trick, but only in stimulating Edd's body. His mind is far far gone at this point. Edd's not even sure it ends. His mind shuts down long before his body reaches its climax. He vaguely remembers the man's hands gripping his hips and Terry's own rocking motions, but it doesn't register any longer. He's out. =============================================================================== When he wakes up again, he knows it's gotten late. The room is much darker, and a golden glow is peeking in through the curtains. He groans softly, nuzzling the pillow beneath his head. At least it's warm beneath the sheets. With that in mind, he pulls them tighter over him, tucking them more under his chin as he curls up a little more. He vaguely notices a more intense heat behind him, but is much more interested in getting back to sleep. Those hopes are dashed, of course, when he feels a hand rubbing his chest and pulling him back into that warmth. He whimpers a little, trying to squirm away as his bare back meets the heat of the man's naked chest. "Ah-ah-ah…" Terry coos into his ear, "C'mere sweetheart…" With a soft sigh, Edd relents, allowing the man to pull him into his arms. Terry kisses and nibbles along his neck to his ear, nuzzling him as well. "You fell asleep on me…" Edd glances at him blearily. "M'sorry…" he mumbles, "I was physically and…emotionally quite exhausted…" "Then how 'boutcha make it up to me right now?" Whatever calm the boy was feeling fades away almost instantly in that moment. He groans in disappointment as the man turns him around so he's on his back. This is getting tiresome… He tries to put himself anywhere else as the man proceeds and finds himself paying less and less attention. All he can focus on is getting it over with. He just needs the man to leave. Once he's gone, he can go to Ed and Eddy. Then…maybe…Maybe I can go home…? A particularly sharp movement of the man's hips draws him out of his daze and he gives a loud yelp in protest. "N…Not so hard!" he whines. "Then pay attention," Terry growls, his grip on the boy's slender hips tight and almost bruising. Edd sighs a little, his shoulders hunching and his brow furrowing. Per the demand, he tries to focus on the man's touch and his own breathing. It helps some, he's relieved to say, but he doesn't feel very stimulated. Terry seems to notice this and decides to help him along. Stroking the boy's small cock, he finally elicits the tiny whimpers and moans he's looking for. Edd writhes beneath him, whining in want. When climax finally comes, it's far more of a relief than usual. It's with the implication that the man will be leaving soon. As he lays panting on the bed, Terry cuddles and nuzzles him affectionately. "That's my good little Princess…" he purrs. He sits up to rise from the bed as Edd curls up, pulling the sheets back over him. Terry doesn't waste his breath inviting Edd to join him this time as he slips into the bathroom to shower. With a shudder, Edd tries to calm his erratic breathing. Not just from the exertion. He's beginning to feel nervous about meeting with Ed and Eddy. He'll have to be sure to scrub even harder than usual tonight. That heightened sense of smell that Ed had surely inherited will not be in his favor. But that can wait until Terry leaves. For now, he just needs to plan out his approach to this. He'd come here with nothing, so there's really nothing he intends to pack before leaving. Despite that enraged display earlier, Edd doubts highly that the man will care much for him leaving. Terry will move on to his next deal while Edd returns to his life before this nightmare began. About twenty minutes later, the man exits the bathroom with a cloud of steam following him. As he looks through his clothes, Edd watches him carefully from where he's lying on the bed. He can only hope he doesn't look too conspicuous in doing so, but the suspense is killing him. When the man is dressed, he turns back to Edd, shooting the boy a grin before approaching him. Crawling onto the bed, he pulls the small form against him again. "I'm gonna miss you tonight…" he coos teasingly as he nuzzles the boy's neck. Edd's face burns as he squirms a little. "Somehow I doubt that…" he grumbles. "Aww, but I will," Terry purrs, nipping at Edd's jaw, "I almost hate that I gotta go out tonight…" "You never want to be with me at night…" "Mm, I do tonight…especially since I'll have to miss you telling those little friends of yours to fuck off…" Edd sighs a little, toying shyly with the sheets. The moment of silence that follows makes him grow more and more tense. Then the man speaks again, his voice low and borderline menacing. "And you will tell them that, won't you, Princess?" he hisses, "Because let me tell ya, sweetheart; if you try to leave me…" Edd feels his breath catch in his throat when he feels the man's sharp nails poking at his arms, "Our deal will be void." He leans into the boy's ear. "And I will find you." His grip tightens. "And I will hurt you…and those little ankle biters if I gotta…" Edd gulps down his fear, his eyes wide. "I…I understand…" he mumbles, "I…I promise…" The man is silent for a moment. "Promise what?" Edd winces at that before licking his lips a bit; "I…I promise I'll stay…for as long…as long as you want me…" He can feel the grin tugging at the man's lips as Terry places a kiss to his cheek. "Good boy." After a quick kiss to the boy's lips, he stands from the bed. "Well, better get going," he says with a shrug. A quick glance back at the boy from the door. "Have a good night, Princess." ***** Cry Edd’s Eyes Out ***** Chapter Summary When his life is uprooted by tragedy, Edd must find a way to survive as a creature of the night. Will a deal with a demon be his saving grace? Supernatural creature AU. Updates every other Friday. Chapter Notes I’d like to issue a big thank you to those who are following this and who’ve commented so far. I really do appreciate it. Please, don’t forget to leave a comment after you’ve finished reading this chapter. Other than that, I don’t have much else to say. I hope you enjoy. First order of business for Edd as he rises from the bed is a shower. Scrubbing until his skin is red and raw and scrubbing some more just to be sure. He has no idea whether or not it's doing much good, so he scrubs even harder. When he's relatively confident that he's clean, he steps out of the shower and dresses himself. He opts against wearing the man's jersey. This will be awkward enough as it is…So he picks out some of the clothing the man had bought for him. After he's dressed, he goes out to the living room to collect his discarded clothes from last night, before settling down to scrub the couch cushions. Even if they're not going to be coming inside, he doesn't want to risk them slipping past him and noticing any…'stains'. Finally, he's ready, though only on the surface. Inside, he's fighting back an intense nausea as he approaches the window. Pulling the curtain aside, he finds the two loitering on the landing. Ed's chasing his own tail to amuse himself, but Eddy's looking impatient. His foot is tapping anxiously against the grate and he's got a scowl on his face. Taking a deep breath, Edd unlocks the window and slides it open, alerting the boys to his presence as he slips outside. Before they can get any bright ideas, Edd shuts the window behind him and turns to them fully. "Boy do you have some explainin' to do!" Eddy snarls, "What the hell is going on, Double D?!" Edd pauses, averting his gaze shyly as he tries to think about where to begin. "It's…complicated…" he mumbles. "Yeah, ya mentioned that," Eddy scoffs, "How the fuck did you end up here with my brother?! How…How is my brother even here?!" The hatted boy sighs a little, "To be honest, Eddy…I don't know the answer to that. Terry hasn't shared anything about his past with me. I don't know what brought him here or how my wretched circumstance brought me to him. I didn't even know he was your brother until this morning…" Eddy groans: "Alright, what the fuck do you know?!" "Let me start at the beginning…" he suggests. He glances between them, brow furrowed. "You two might want to sit down." Ed does so, sitting up and beaming as though he's about to hear a riveting story. Eddy, however, remains on his feet and leaning against the railing. Edd takes that as incentive to begin. "So, you know already that I'm a…vampire," he begins slowly, "I still don't…really know how that happened either. I'm not sure I really want to, but, that's beside the point. After I…" He trails off, feeling suddenly breathless. He swallows thickly. "A-After I attacked you, I was chased away from home. Since it seemed like most of the adults in the cul-de-sac wanted to…well…kill me, I refused to go back. So I wandered in the woods alone for days." He leans back against the wall behind him, his shoulders falling in disappointment; "It felt like ages, but I finally came across this city. It was even longer after that before I found this stability. I was living in the subway systems underground for weeks, but I never tried to feed myself. People were…very unpleasant. I was beaten up a lot — worse than back home when one of your scams would inevitably go awry and evoke rage within our neighbors. More hurtful too, since I'd never done anything to provoke the people in this city…I was just an easy target…" Pausing for a moment, he rubs the back of his neck shyly; "Then I met Terry…I'd decided I'd try to feed and, in doing so, I ran into him. The person I'd intended to feed on was one of his…'dates' and he was none too happy that I'd snuck into her room. But when he found out that I was a vampire — an immortal, like him — he proposed a deal." "Yeah, I heard you two talkin' a lot about some kinda deal," Eddy notes, "What does that mean?" Biting his lip, Edd bows his head; "Terry informed me that he's an…an incubus and…that he too feeds on other people. So he proposed that I forge a contract with him that would allow him to feed on…me and vice versa." "I don't get it…" Eddy pouts, "How would he 'feed on you'? What even is an incubus, exactly?" Ed starts laughing uncontrollably, covering his mouth as he blushes. Eddy cocks his brow, shooting him a confused look. "What're you gigglin' about?" Blushing, Edd swallows thickly. "An…An incubus, Eddy, is a…a demon," he stutters, "Who…u-um…Wh-Who feeds via…" His voice fades out as he mumbles the rest. That makes Eddy cock his head to the side in confusion; "Say again?" Edd whimpers a little; "Who feeds via se…" Again, he murmurs the rest, this time into his hand. "Out with it, Sockhead!" Eddy groans. Edd sighs; "Via…s-sexual…intercourse." Eddy regards him with a mortified look. "Are you sayin' you n' my brother've been—" "Eddy please!" Edd whines, covering his ears, "D-Don't say it out loud!" He starts pulling at his hat. "I'm already ashamed enough as it is…" "Why the heck would you agree to that, then?!" Eddy demands. Edd hunches his shoulders; "I was desperate…starving…He said I wouldn't be affected the same way…'humans' would be and that he wouldn't either. We could both feed without hurting each other. As…unpleasant as it is, I've not had to feed on another person since I met him." Eddy's shoulders fall. Clearly, he's disgusted, but he doesn't know how else to approach this. It's likely too much for him to process the news that his best friend has been sleeping with his brother, whom he'd previously thought to have been deceased. Therefore, rather than let the silence settle or let his friend come up with another question that would humiliate him, Edd decides to continue. "Anyway," he shrugs, "the point is, I agreed to his terms and entered into a contract with him." He pauses, taking a deep breath, "And…it's because of that contract that…I cannot return home to the cul-de-sac with you and Ed." The boys are taken aback by that. Ed is at Edd's side in seconds, his eyes wide. "B-But Double D!" he gasps, "W-We came to find you! We want you to come home!" "What the fuck, Sockhead?!" Eddy demands, "You really wanna stay here?!" "I'm sorry, Ed, Eddy," Edd pouts back, "I don't have a choice…" "What does that mean?" Eddy asks with a sneer. "I can't break our contract like that…" Edd shrugs, refusing to make eye contact, "S-Something…bad might happen if I do…" "Bullshit!" Eddy counters, "Full disclosure, Double D: I made up most of the stories I told you and Ed about him. So, whatever my brother may have told you is a fuckin' lie." "I realize that those stories were false, Eddy…" Edd mumbles, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt, "He's certainly nothing like I would have expected from your stories. But I fear that this warning about our contract is…true…And, even if I could leave, I…I don't know if I…want to." "I don't get it…" Eddy grumbles, "He treats you like shit. Why would you ever want to stay?" Edd shrugs a little. "He's not…always like that…" he mumbles, "Sometimes he's…kind of pleasant." Eddy doesn't look convinced, drawing Edd to sigh. "I mean, during the day, he's usually quite… 'affectionate'. When I…um 'cooperate' with what he wants of me, he's very gentle. For the most part, he makes me feel wanted." He bows his head a little. "It's just at night, usually, that he becomes…cruel. That's when the…demon comes out…" Ed gasps; "Like Dr. Jekyll!" That makes Edd grimace, but he can't disagree. It does sometimes feel that way… "Look, Double D," Eddy interjects, "I don't care what my brother's told you, you need to come home! Your folks are worried sick about you!" A small gasp tears itself from Edd's chest. "D-Do you really mean that?" he asks, eyes wide as he steps toward Eddy, "They've really expressed a desire for me to be home?!" "Well, um…" Eddy falters, "I mean…they haven't exactly said it outloud, but, I mean, I know they do. Mine and Ed's folks are probably losing their minds right now, so your parents are probably just as worried, right?" Edd deflates a bit, pouting. "I'm not so sure," he murmurs, "They're probably angry or…embarrassed by what I did…I bet they don't want to see me again…" "What?" Eddy gawks, "No way! I know they—" Ed tugs at Eddy's vest to get his attention. "You should show 'im, Eddy!" he hisses excitedly. Eddy seems pleased by this sentiment; "Good idea, burrhead!" Grabbing the golden phone from Ed's back, he shoves it into Edd's hands. "What…?" Edd stutters. "Lumpy over here wasted his last wish on a sandwich earlier," Eddy explains with a grimace. "It was so worth it!" Ed coos, pulling half of a submarine sandwich from his jacket to nuzzle it. Eddy chooses to ignore this display; "Yeah, so anyway, you gotta make the wish instead." "Um…okay…?" Edd mumbles. "Good," Eddy beams, before faltering again, "Oh, uh…rub the lamp a lil…" With a shrug, Edd shyly rubs the golden surface. "Oh! Lookit that!" Eddy cries lackadaisically, "Looks like you're the new holder of the lamp! Yay! You now have three wishes! Yadda, yadda, yadda. Okay, g'head and make your first wish." Edd doesn't respond at first, letting that odd display sink in. After a moment to process, however, he looks down at the phone. "Okay…" He ponders for a moment how to phrase it. He can't just leave and go home — despite how badly he would like to. He cant risk being trapped back home, thereby luring Terry there as well. What he needs is a way to see his parents without physically being there. "I wish…" he bites his lip, "I wish I had a window…some way to view Mother and Father from right here." Eddy thinks about that for a second and snaps his fingers; conjuring up a hand mirror before their eyes. Beaming with pride at his own proficiency with his powers, he hands it to Edd. Hesitantly, Edd holds the phone out for Ed to take before reaching forward to receive the freshly conjured object from his shorter friend's hand. He looks into the reflective surface, his breathing shallow as apprehension grips him. All he can see is himself. He glances back at Eddy questioningly. "Oh, uh…" Eddy thinks for a second, "Just ask it to show you what you wanna see." With that in mind, Edd takes a deep breath before looking back into the mirror. "I…I'd like to see my parents…" The reflective surface slowly becomes cloudy, the image within obscured more and more. Finally, the smoke within settles, and a new image can be seen. As he wished; it's like looking into a window, specifically, he realizes, a window into his own home back in the cul-de-sac. He sees his parents in their study. They're engrossed in paperwork and look terribly haggard. Lips closed tight in thin lines and tired eyes gazing intensely down at their work. However, Edd's regretful to note, he can't tell if they look to be in mourning of any kind. It would seem they're working harder than ever — Maybe they're so distraught, that they're burying themselves in their work? It's hard to say… "Sh…Show me more of the house?" The image starts to move and shift. He's looking into the living room now and still moving. Up the stairs. Through the hall. Past an unlabeled door. His eyes widen and he instinctively releases a sharp, "S-Stop!" It works, so he adds "Go back to the door." He looks at the plain door carefully, squinting a little. There are two small, rectangular shapes on the wood. As he studies them closer, he recognizes them as leftover adhesive resin. Something had once been adhered to this door. He feels a sickening weight in his belly. Every door in his home was labeled — particularly on the top floor. The bathroom, his parents' room, and his own bedroom. For this door to have had its labels removed… His lip quivers a little; "Through the door…" He vaguely notices Eddy furrowing his brow in confusion, but ignores it in favor of watching the scene play out. As though he were passing through the wood, he enters the room without the door opening. His heart sinks a little more. He recognizes the lime green room within. Barren of any decor and most furniture. Boxes piled up and full of various belongings. He starts shaking. His belongings are no longer his. Mother and Father had packed them all up and hidden them away. As though they want to pretend I never existed… He starts to curl in on himself, clutching the mirror against his chest. Terry's words buzz in his head like an angry swarm. They won't want you back after all this time…no one else would put up with a whiny, obnoxious little brat like you… "I'm sorry…" he mumbles tearfully, "I…I can't go back with you…" "What's wrong, Double D?" Ed asks worriedly. Eddy's eyes flit between Edd's face and the mirror before he reaches for the object. "What'd you see?" Edd turns away from him, his back hunching to protect the mirror from his friend. "Please, Eddy…" he whimpers, "I…I can't leave." "What're ya talkin' about?" Eddy asks, trying to sound as reassuring as possible, "Don'tcha wanna go home?" "Of course I do…" Edd answers, glancing at him, "But…I don't have a home to go back to…" "Sure ya do…" Eddy shrugs, "Your folks are still in the cul-de-sac, ain't they?" Edd's overcome with grief, tears and sobs shaking him. "P-Please," he cries, "J-Just go home…Y-Your families are surely worrying themselves to death." "But Double D…" Ed mumbles, reaching towards him. "Leave me alone!" With that last, blubbering cry, he clambers back through the window. Before they can follow this time, he quickly slams the opening shut and locks it back. As he reaches up to shut the curtains, he catches a glimpse of the two through the glass. Ed looks panicked and worried as he tries to open the window again. Eddy, however, looks dumbfounded. Jaw dropped as he stares incredulously at Edd. There's something in his eyes that Edd can't identify. Horror? Betrayal? Sorrow? Confusion? It's all really muddled and mixed together. With a weak, pained grimace, he pulls the curtain closed. He tries to calm his breathing as he skulks through the living room. Through the hallway. Back to the bedroom. The mirror is still clutched tightly to his chest as he crawls beneath the covers. The surface is slick beneath his fingers as he clings to it. He collapses onto his side and curls up. His lip quivers as he raises the mirror up to look into it again. He murmurs soft commands to tour back through the house. Back to his parents in their study, looking more and more tired. He can't hear what they're saying, of course, but he sees their lips moving. They're definitely talking to each other. His mother nods wearily and rises from her seat. Father follows suit and they gather their papers into neat stacks. When that's done, they take their leave and exit the room. Edd chooses not to follow them through the mirror. Instead… "Can…Can I see Ed and Eddy's families? Beginning with Eddy's?" The image within shifts and blurs until Edd can just make out the sight of Eddy's kitchen. There are two figures — a man and woman — sitting at the table. Both very large, the woman is hunched over. Tissues surround her on the tabletop and her body is shaking with her sobs. A man is beside her, trying to console her. Edd hopes Eddy will return home like he told him to; his parents really are wracked with grief and losing their minds with worry. In an attempt to sway his guilt, he shifts a little where he lays. "N-Now Ed's family…?" Again, the image in the mirror changes, melting away the mourning forms of Eddy's parents. Replacing them is the interior of Ed's home. His prim, proper mother is bustling about, cleaning the dishes in the kitchen. A drastic difference from Eddy's mother, she's much more composed. However, her eyes are glazed and red, suggesting she's likely been crying, but is trying to remain calm. Ed's father and Sarah are nowhere to be found, leading Edd to request seeing more of the house. Through the halls and up the stairs. The two are in Sarah's bedroom, he finds, with the tired-looking father tucking his daughter into her bed. To Edd's surprise, Sarah has a worried look on her face. She's talking, but he can't quite make out the words. Ed's father appears to sigh and pats her head to try to comfort her. He says something more — something soothing to ease her worries, before tucking the covers up under her chin and kissing her forehead. Then, he leaves the room, flicking the light off behind him. When he's gone, Edd notices the sheets over Sarah's little form moving up and down. She's started shaking as she curls up onto her side. He's too shocked to respond to this image. I never thought I'd see Sarah cry like that…So even Ed's family — who, he regrets to admit, were often very negligent — miss their son and brother. He feels more discouraged as he murmurs his request to see his parents again. They're in their bedroom, beneath the sheets in their separate beds. Edd can't tell if they're sleeping, but, with the exception of their slow breathing, they're not moving. Brow furrowed, he rests the mirror on the pillow beside him, gazing in longing at the mock-screen. Almost like they're here…He wonders what they'd say if he could see them again. Would they deny his worries? Deny the evidence that they've hidden away his existence? He curls up beneath the sheets, tears trickling silently down his cheeks. "It's not fair…" he sniffles, "Of all the things he could have been right about…wh-why did it have to be this?" Sobbing more and more and shaking in his misery, he tries desperately to hug his arms and calm himself down. It feels so overwhelming. He's not sure he can really take all this…And, as his body tenses in a feeble attempt to stop himself from crying anymore, he feels himself growing more and more hopeless. =============================================================================== He almost doesn't hear Terry return as the sun begins to rise with the morning. He's not moved from his spot on the bed in hours. Still curled up and trying to add pressure to alleviate the pain in his heart (to no avail). Sobbing fits come and go and he's had no energy to do much else. He jumps only a little when the bed dips beneath the man's weight and as Terry's hands take a gentle grip on his hips. He feels the demon lean over him and kiss his cheek, making him flinch a little. "Aww…why are you crying, Princess?" Terry breathes into his ear. There's a mocking tone to his voice. Clearly he's pleased that Edd's upheld their deal and he's delighted to see what he assumes is Edd grieving over the loss of his friends. The child remains silent, as he can't bear to answer. Instead, he reaches out to grab the mirror from where it's still laying on the pillow. Refusing to look at the man, he holds the object towards him. It's lifted from his fingers moments later. "Where'd ya get this?" Terry asks with a sneer. "Eddy…" Edd mumbles back, his voice hoarse from crying. "And…where did he get it?" Edd shrugs: "Eddy's a genie now…I wished for it…" Terry doesn't say anything to that for a moment. That makes the boy want to look at him, but he chooses against it. "So, what is it I'm lookin' at?" That makes Edd tense again. A part of him doesn't want to tell him. He doesn't want to admit that he's right — he can only imagine how much more smug and insufferable the man will become after this — but he knows he has to at this point. He brought it up; he has to explain. "Those people in the mirror are m…" Edd bites his lip, "my parents…" When he receives no response, the boy continues. "I've…seen what they've done with my belongings…" he mumbles, pausing to swallow his sorrow, "Everything is…boxed up and hidden away in my old bedroom…They've even removed the label I'd put in place on my bedroom door…Like they want to pretend I never…never existed…" He curls in on himself a little further, the flood of emotion overwhelming him once again. "Y…You were right…" he whimpers, "Th-They really don't want me anymore…N…No one would…" He grits his teeth against the influx of hurt that courses through him. "I…I have nothing left…No home…no family…and n…no friends…" At this point, he stops fighting the tears that have welled up within him yet again. He stops caring that he's letting Terry see him cry. Stops caring that he'll be mocked for this. It's just too much to hold in. He only stops when, moments later, the man's hands return to his hips. His breathing is still uneven and shaking as he glances toward the demon, who leans in to kiss and nuzzle his neck. "No more tears, little angel…at least ya still have me…" Haven't heard that name in a while… Edd grimaces a little, turning away again; "You don't…even like me…Y-You never want to be around me and…and you clearly only want to keep me around as a…food source…What possible comfort could that bring?" Terry chortles; "So much sass for a kid who just found out he's an orphan." Edd deflates again, whimpering a little. He hears the man sigh softly before tugging him close. "C'mon now, lil darlin'…" Terry tuts, "I mean it; ya still have me. And I aint about to leave you like those shitty parents of yours…" Edd pouts, his brow furrowing in uncertainty. Sniffling a little, he turns himself around to face the man completely. "Y…You really promise…?" he whimpers. The sinister grin he receives does little to quell his nerves as Terry gently strokes his jaw. "Sure I do, angel. Provided, of course, you keep my satisfied…" Edd cringes a little before leaning against the man's chest; "Y-Yes…Anything. Wh-Whatever you want…" He feebly grasps the man's jacket in a desperate attempt to pull himself closer. "Just…p-please…please don't leave me…" Terry wraps his arms around the small, quivering body. Edd nuzzles him, slipping his arms around the man's torso. He feels the man's warm hand rubbing his back in an attempt to sooth his aching heart. "Deep breaths, sweetheart," Terry grumbles, his tone sounding a little more rushed. He pushes the boy off of him so Edd's on his back again. "That's enough cryin' for now, little angel…" the man murmurs, "Let me take yer mind off it." Unfortunately for the man above him, Edd doesn't look very interested in what he's implying. He averts his gaze as Terry returns to his earlier efforts of kissing and suckling on the boy's neck. Terry's hands drag up his sides, pushing up his shirt to graze his skin. He tries to focus on the man's touch, but he feels drained — weak. Aside from the compounding sadness, he can't say he feels much of anything. To that end, he squirms against the man's groping hands and edges himself away. Terry roughly holds him down. "What do you think yer doin'?" he growls. Edd glances up at him, his brow furrowed. Terry sneers down at him. "What happened to givin' me anything I want?" With a sigh, Edd reluctantly relents, allowing the man to continue his ministrations. It does no good, though. As the demon takes him, the boy doesn't respond much. He can't muster any desire to actively engage in their intercourse. Even as Terry gazes into his eyes, using whatever charm he tends to implement to arouse the boy, Edd doesn't feel much of anything. He can't explain why. All he knows is that he feels…empty. Hollow. After Terry reaches his climax, the man tries to coax the boy to his own. But to no avail. Nothing works. Edd vaguely notices the man's grimace, but can't even bring himself to care about that. Instead, when the man pulls out of him, he curls up on his side again. The tears fall fast and hard until he slips into a fitful sleep, plagued by nightmares of his parents and the way they've abandoned him. =============================================================================== The following evening, Edd wakes to the soothing sound of water running. He blinks his eyes open, moaning a little as he rouses himself. As he looks around, he finds himself alone. He pouts a little; he hasn't woken to an empty bedroom in a while…The sound of rushing water is coming from the bathroom, indicating that the shower is in use. Edd glances to the clock. It's quite late — much later than he usually wakes up. It would seem that the man is getting ready to leave. His shoulders fall in disappointment and he returns to laying down on his back. He feels no better than when he fell asleep. It's like an empty void in his abdomen, occupied only by static. Like he's hungry, but not really. He can't place what it is — just that it feels awful. Turning onto his side, he stares down at the sheets, his brow furrowed. He feels like crying, but nothing will come. It's like his entire being is made of stone, but he still feels so vulnerable. Weak. The bathroom door opens and Terry steps out. He grimaces in Edd's direction. "Oh, finally awake, huh?" he scoffs, striding over to the closet to find something to wear, "Are you at least out of whatever funk you were in last night?" Edd shrugs; "Not really…?" Terry growls a little, looking downright offended by that answer. "Care to explain why that is?" he snarls. Edd doesn't answer and instead curls further in on himself. The angry look doesn't dissipate as the man dresses himself. "Alright, Princess," he grumbles, "Yer the one who was harping so damn much about talking, so come on out with it!" "With what…?" "What the fuck's wrong with you?" With a soft sigh, Edd looks away from him, choosing not to answer. Terry groans a little, rolling his eyes; "Jesus, are you still depressed about your folks?" Edd responds with no more than a shrug, feeling too upset to talk. "Why?" the man scoffs, pulling on a pair of jeans, "You've known you couldn't go home for months and you've known your folks wouldn't take you back even if you did. Why is that news so upsetting to you all of the sudden?" A valid point…Edd sits up, thinking carefully about his answer. It's difficult to pin down how to make Terry understand why he's hurting. The man rarely relates to anything that doesn't involve his greed or gluttony. He takes a breath and starts fiddling with the sheets. "H…How old were you when you…" he begins carefully, licking his lips a little, "became an incubus…?" Terry shoots him a suspicious look; "Why?" "How old were you? The man rolls his eyes irritably; "I was eighteen." Edd cocks his brow, returning the man's suspicious look; "You don't look eighteen…Since you're immortal, wouldn't you look the same as you did when you were human?" "Perks of bein' an incubus. I can change the way I look at will." The boy is taken aback by that answer. He bows his head as he considers that. Thatdoesexplain a few things…How he didn't notice the man's tail or horns when they met…How his human lovers wouldn't notice them as well…How the man's long, sharp nails would sometimes appear on his fingers, but other times they'd be absent…Makes sense…Though that's hardly the point right now. He sighs a little. "So, you were legally an adult by the time you…died…?" "Yeah…?" "And you were an adult when you realized that you couldn't go home…?" The man is getting visibly annoyed with this line of questioning; "Pretty much…why? "And…by the time you died…" Edd mumbles, looking up at him with a furrowed brow, "You probably didn't care anyway about never seeing your family again…right?" "Well, yeah," Terry scoffs, shrugging that off, "I hated those fuckers…" Edd sighs; "As I suspected…You can't possibly understand how I feel right now…" "What's that supposed to mean?" "I'm a child, Terry…" Edd states firmly as he hugs his arms, "And yes, I…I've been…painfully aware that I could never return home, but…I've always held a…a small sliver of hope that maybe they still…missed me…that maybe they might still wish I could come home, but…now I know they really don't…" "So?" Terry asks, pulling on a loose-fitting shirt, "You got it fuckin' made here, y'know? You don't have to do shit for yourself and you never have to lift a finger ever again. I'm makin' your little life nice and comfortable. So who cares if those assholes don't want you anymore?" Edd heaves a frustrated groan, sitting up a little; "Listen, I know you can't feel anything above the waist, but I'm a twelve year old child. I've been chased away from home and forbidden from seeing my best friends. I can no longer go to school and improve my education — I can't even go outside! I have nothing left to find real solace in because everything's been taken from me. It may not mean a lot to you — since you don't care about anything more than sex — but it means everything to me. And now that it's been confirmed that my own parents don't want me and that I'm essentially trapped here without a home to return to, it feels so much worse!" He takes a moment after that tirade to try to catch his breath. He's sure that will only result in something much worse from the man before him, but he doesn't care. There's surely nothing worse that Terry can do to him at this point. Nothing that can make him feel worse than he already does. To his surprise, the man is silent. He grits his teeth. He won't even talk to me now…Without looking at the demon, he lays back down and hugs his knees to his chest. "Forget it…" he mumbles, "I don't expect you to comprehend how I feel…Nor do I expect you to even care. Why don't you just leave for 'work' and leave me alone as usual? That's what you're wont to do after all, isn't it?" He refuses to look up after that, aware that his tone will likely result in another cruel, medieval punishment. That should make him worry, but it doesn't. At least then he might feel something more than the pain in his heart and the emptiness that's filling him up and pushing out the anger. Footsteps walk out the door and down the hall. With the sounds of the front door opening and closing, Edd realizes that the man has left. Another surprise, certainly, but he's not sure if it's a good sign. Surely he's in for something much worse when the man returns in the morning. A twinge of dread resonates within him and he nearly smiles. It's something, at least… ***** Haven’t Got an Edd ***** Chapter Summary When his life is uprooted by tragedy, Edd must find a way to survive as a creature of the night. Will a deal with a demon be his saving grace? Supernatural creature AU. Updates every other Friday. Chapter Notes So first thing’s first, I’d like to apologize again for the hiatus last time. Even now, I’m not totally sure this works, but things have been super hectic and, honestly I’m lucky at this point to have even gotten this out on time. Either way, I hope it’s still satisfactory for you all. Thank you so much for your patience and continued support. Enjoy the fic, and also, please don’t forget to leave a comment. After spending nearly the whole night unsuccessfully sleeping off his heartache, Edd finally stirs the next morning from the bedroom door opening; marking Terry's return. He doesn't move from where he's curled up under the covers. He's not sure he wants to face him just yet. The empty feeling has waned for the time being, he's grateful to note, but it's making his freshly- spawned worry all the more intense. He hadn't seen what effect his words had had on the man, so he has no way of knowing just how furious he must have been when he left. And though Terry can't hurt him physically, he has a feeling he won't be getting out of this unscathed. As expected, he can't ignore him for long as Terry crawls onto the bed with him. Squeezing his eyes shut, he braces himself. Terry's hands find his hips and slide up his sides. The covers are pulled up, but not away as the man joins him under the sheets. Tension builds within him as those grabbing hands latch onto him again. Hot breath on his ear as he's pulled back into the man's chest. Th-This is it… "Princess…" Swallowing thickly, he opens his eyes, locking them forward to avoid looking back at him. "W…Welcome home…" he mumbles softly in a vain attempt to soften whatever emotional blow is to come. "Have you been sleeping all night?" So far, so…good? Furrowing his brow, Edd nods. He hears Terry hum pleasantly. "Good." The hands move back down to his hips, massaging and molding the soft flesh there. Little nibbles and kisses are peppered all over the boy's shoulder made bare by the jersey far too large. Edd's too shocked to squirm away as a dark mark is sucked into the juncture of his neck and shoulder. That's unexpected… "Y…You're not…angry…?" he stutters, shivering a little. His question is ignored in favor of adding in a sharp bite to his neck. It would seem he is… He's shoved onto his back suddenly, leaving him quivering. Terry's on his knees above him and pulling off his shirt. "Slow night…" he snarls, shooting the boy a half-glare, "No more talkin', Angel. I'm fuckin' starvin'." Edd's shoulders fall a little. He'd hoped they could talk a little before they got down to that. Even if it meant Terry would yell at me… His clothes are rid of him and, as the man leans in to take his breath with every deep, hungry kiss, Edd finds himself tuning things out. He's grown so tired of this routine. Not that he necessarily wants the man to 'experiment' with anything — the toys were a bad enough addition — but he wishes it could be less mechanical, less repetitive. Less void of emotion. It would seem that Terry shares that sentiment, though. About midway through, he decides to change things up, startling the boy as he pulls out of him and grabs his arm to roll him onto his stomach. Edd gasps breathlessly; "Wh-What…" "If you aint gonna pay attention," the man snarls, "ya might as well be facin' the damn wall." The boy's moved onto his knees, but Terry refuses to let him up or move away. Edd releases a high-pitched whine as the man instead takes him from behind, his pace rough and fast. Tears burn in the child's eyes against the new, uncomfortable position. The pillow beneath his face offers little solace as he clings to it to brace himself. "T-Terry!" he whines, "P-Please!" The hearty laugh the man releases makes him cringe. "That's more like it!" Terry sneers, "'Bout damn time I got a real fuckin' reaction outta you!" "P-Please! N-Not so hard!" "What'suh matter, sweetheart? Does it hurt?" Edd hesitates for a moment. He's not sure he should be speaking against him right now, given how irritable the man seems to be. He bites his lip anxiously. "P-Please…Go slower…?" He feels Terry lean forward before the man gently kisses along his jaw near his ear. "Don't you worry, Angel…I'll make it feel good again…" Supporting himself with one hand, Terry uses the other to trail down Edd's side, then inward to wrap his hand around the small, half-hard cock. Edd whines again, burying his face further into the fabric of the pillow. He hears the man chuckle softly into his ear. "C'mon, Princess…Lemme hear all those sweet lil noises you make. I wanna hear you wantin' me." The boy whimpers in response, cringing a little. All coherent thought is slipping quickly from his mind, rendering him defenseless to the words murmured to him. The boy's whimpers become grunts as the man's rocking motion gets faster and harder. Edd's fingers bump against the wooden headboard, moving closer and closer with each of the man's thrusts. He groans in shame as he realizes that he's being inched forward by Terry's movements. He opens his mouth to pant, a string of drool connecting to the fabric of the pillow. "T…Terry!" "Mm…I hope yer close, Princess," the man grunts in his ear, "You fuckin' better be…" Squeezing his eyes shut, he waits in agony for it to be over and grasps the sheets in white-knuckled fists. Terry's grip upon his hips gets tighter and his movements more powerful and fast. Followed finally by the sweet release. Edd's fists go lax, letting go of the fabric beneath them. Swallowing down gulps of air, he nuzzles the pillow in a vain attempt to catch his breath. He cringes when the man pulls his softening cock out of him before his body relaxes again. Whimpering, he curls up a little onto his side. At least that should satisfy him for a little while… He feels himself enveloped in the man's arms and pulled back against the broad frame. Terry's nose is buried into his neck, breathing deep. Edd squirms a little. "…B-Better…?" Terry nuzzles his cheek; "Mm…much…" Silence settles after that, disturbed only by the soft breathing of the two weary figures. Licking his lips, Edd fidgets with the sheets. "Ehm…" he mumbles, "I-I apologize for…m-my behavior earlier…" There's no response behind him, leading him to suck in a nervous breath. "I-I was just upset and…a-and I let myself get carried away with my emotions." He curls in further on himself. "P-Please don't be mad…" Another long silence stretches between them. Biting his lip, Edd considers chancing a glance back to try to discern what may be on the man's mind. To his surprise, the covers are lifted up and over him before the man's arm pulls him back again. "Go to sleep, Princess," the man grumbles into his neck. Edd winces a little; "I…I was hoping we could…talk…?" A puff of air against his neck as the man heaves an irritated sigh. "Not now. Sleep." Another sigh, this time from Edd as his hope deflates. He pulls the covers a little tighter under his chin before letting his eyes drift shut. =============================================================================== "Will you talk to me now…?" Terry glances back at him from where he's standing at the closet, his brow cocked. Edd shyly pulls the shirt up to cover his shoulder as he sits up on the bed. When he receives no answer, he presses the matter. "Please. Talk to me, Terry." He shifts on the bed and swings his legs over the side. "Aren't you mad at me? Aren't you going to yell at me for what I said? Anything?" The man rolls his eyes before turning back to the closet. He removes a hanger with a nice-looking shirt and throws it onto the bed. "Don't feel like it." Edd's speechless for a moment. "Wh…What do you mean, you don't 'feel like it'?!" he gawks, stumbling to his feet, "After every other little thing you've blown up about, you're going to let that go?!" Terry's eyes narrow a bit as he shoots the boy a look; "Yes. I am." The boy's shoulders fall in disbelief; "Wh…Why…?" A pair of pants join the shirt on the bed and the man starts dressing. "Don't worry about it, Princess," he sneers. A long silence stretches between them as the man finishes pulling his clothes on. Bowing his head, Edd wrings his hands together. "Are…A-Are you going to abandon me too…?" He hears the demon stop in the door and shyly glances up. Terry's not responded, but he looks to be thinking. Edd swallows thickly in anticipation fidgeting a little in uncertainty. "We got a deal, remember?" the man says finally, "As long as you let me fuck you, you aint goin' nowhere." Edd takes a deep breath and offers him a shy nod. Terry's eyes skim over him briefly before he turns back to the door. "I'll be home at five," he mumbles. As the man leaves, Edd's shoulders fall again. He's never been able to accurately read the man since they'd met and this new behavior is very troubling. With a sigh, he sits back down, thinking about what to do now. It does no good to dwell on him…The shower's free. That sounds heavenly…perhaps a bath instead, though? To treat myself to something more soothing.After that…? He smiles a little as he ponders. He's been neglecting his cleaning lately. That sounds perfect! And maybe a little television after I've finished. With a newfound spring in his step, he hops off the bed before walking to the bathroom. Straight to the taps; first the hot water, then a touch of cold. He watches the water rise with a smile, sitting on the edge of the tub. Little bubbles skim the top and his smile fades ever so slightly as he remembers the lazy summer days back home. Playing in the creek with Ed and Eddy. The smile falls more as he comes to a worrisome realization. The static is creeping in again. Panicked, he holds his head, trying to think of good, comforting things. The bath he's about to take. School work that he could waste the hours away on. The first lick of a fresh jawbreaker. Warm sun on his skin. The sounds of Ed and Eddy's laughter. Before he can stop them, the tears are already falling, mingling with the water below. No good. It's back. Turning the water off, he turns away from the tub to cover his face with his hands. Not again… Bath abandoned, he drags himself back to the bedroom to crawl beneath the sheets. His body feels so heavy — he's sure he wouldn't be able to sit up even to bathe at this point. Curling up, he tries to suppress the sadness again. He almost doesn't hear the tapping. He'd have missed it entirely had it not gotten louder. Brow furrowed, he sits up and looks around. Not from the bedroom…The tapping continues and he starts to follow the sound. As he enters the hallway, it gets louder. Louder still as he nears the living room until— CRASH! With a gasp, he rushes out to see what's happened, but stops dead upon entering the living room. Ed's on the floor beside the shattered table lamp while Eddy's hovering above him. "Jeez, Ed, make a bigger mess, why don'tcha?" "I can fix it!" Ed announces, delicately placing the lamp shade over the broken bulb. "Wh-What are you doing here?!" Edd demands. They look up before smiling. "Great! Yer already out here!" Eddy cries, clapping his hands together, "We just saw my bro leave, but let's not waste any time!" He holds the golden phone towards Edd. "G'head and make the wish to take us home!" "Are you mad?!" Edd gawks, snatching the phone from him, "I wish for that lamp you broke to be repaired!" When Eddy hesitates, Edd chooses to add in a sharp, "Now!" With a pout, Eddy snaps his fingers. The shattered pieces gather together like a video playing in reverse before floating to sit back on the table where it belongs. Beaming, Ed adds the finishing touch by once again placing the lamp's shade. "La-la!" he cries victoriously. "It's pronounced, 'voila', Ed…" Edd mumbles before shoving the phone back to Eddy, "Now, get out!" "What?!" Eddy cries, "C'mon, Sockhead, me 'n Ed ain't leavin' here without you. You know that." Edd shoots him a hard look; "I asked you to leave. Your families are worrying themselves sick over you two." "So what?" Eddy guffaws, "We came here to find you and bring you home. That's all that matters." "I'm not returning to the cul-de-sac with you, Eddy," Edd states with more force, "And if Terry were to find out you two were here—" Eddy scoffs; "Please. He ain't gonna find out." "Yes, he will," Edd sighs, "And when he does, he's not going to be happy. He's been acting odd enough — I don't want to think about what he'd do to you and Ed if he found you here." "I don't get this, Double D," Eddy groans, "Why do you wanna stay here so bad? You look like shit. Yer eyes are all red and puffy — don't think I didn't notice you been cryin'." Startled, Edd rubs his sore eyes, blushing indignantly. "And you got a lotta bruises on ya — has my brother been hittin' you or somethin'?" Edd's blush deepens as he pulls the shirt over his shoulder to better hide the bites and hickeys. "That's from…something else…" he mumbles shyly, refusing to make eye contact. Eddy wretches in disgust; "And then there's that! You can't seriously tell me you 'like' gettin' fucked by him." Eyes wide, Edd covers his mouth; "E-Eddy, don't say it like that." "C'mon, Sockhead!" Eddy zips over and grabs Edd's wrist, "Let's just go home! That way you don't have to think about that anymore." Pulling his hand away, Edd takes a step back. "I said no, Eddy. I told you; I don't have a home to go back to. My parents have packed away all of my belongings. They're acting like I never existed. They don't want me to come home!" "That's crazy talk!" Eddy dismisses. "I saw it with my own eyes!" Edd snaps back, startling them. He calms himself a bit before continuing. "Both of your parents were grieving so terribly. My own parents are just going about their lives…Even Sarah misses you, Ed." Ed's brow furrows, "Sarah does?" Eddy shakes his head; "I don't care! We don't wanna leave you here, Double D. If you're parents really are gonna be asses about this, then you can just live with one of us. You can live with me! Wouldn't you like that?" "Eddy, the last time I saw your father, he tried to kill me. I doubt the man would allow me to be within five hundred feet of you," Edd growls back, "And I doubt Ed's family would take me in either…" That's enough to render Eddy silent for a moment, at a loss for words. He bites his lip, thinking carefully about his next move. Edd sighs. "I'm sorry," he says slowly, "Really, I am. I appreciate the lengths at which you've gone to come find me, but I can't go with you." His shoulders fall. "This is my home now. You two have to leave. Please." As he looks back to them, Eddy searches his eyes. He's unwilling, but may be relenting. After a moment, he takes a deep breath. "We'll leave," he mumbles, "But we ain't goin' home without you. I don't want Terry to hurt you, so…we won't stay in here or get you in trouble…But we ain't leavin' you here forever. When we figure out what to do, you're comin' home!" His eyes narrow. "Got it?" Edd sighs; "I'd rather you just go home. I've already caused your parents so much grief…" He bows his head. "But I can see that nothing I say will sway you. So fine. Do what you want. Just…please get out." He hears Eddy heave an irritated sigh and glances up to see him grabbing Ed's arm. "But Eddy!" Ed whines, "Aren't we going home?!" "Not yet, Ed," Eddy grumbles, "Not till 'ol Sockhead comes with us. For now, it's time for brainstorming." "Oh! Oh! I love that movie!" Ed gasps, "Zombies falling from the sky! Aaaaahhh!" "Shut up, Ed," Eddy groans, dragging the taller boy back out the window. Shaking his head, Edd follows them to shut the window behind them and lock it again. I suppose locks just aren't capable of standing up to a genie's magic…With that, he turns back to the empty apartment and trudges back to the bedroom. That conversation was exhausting. Crawling back onto the bed, he doesn't even bother with covers as he makes himself comfortable again. =============================================================================== "…hey…Wake up." Edd nuzzles the pillow, furrowing his brow as he tries to go back to sleep. "Hey!" With a gasp, Edd's eyes snap open. He looks up to find Terry above him, half- glaring down at him. "Were you sleeping all night again?" he asks in a suspicious tone. Edd shrugs; "I…I guess I was…" He rubs his eyes. "Did you just get home?" The man hums in response, leaning down to kiss the boy's cheek. Edd flinches a little. He feels Terry's hands on his hips. "You hungry, sweetheart?" the man purrs, kissing down a long Edd's neck. Biting his lip, Edd looks away; "Um…N-Not really…" Terry glances at him, his brow cocked. "You sick 'r somethin', Princess?" he mumbles, resting the palm of his hand across the boy's forehead. Shaking his head, the boy pushes the man's hand away. "I just don't have an appetite at the moment…" The man regards him suspiciously before shrugging. "Alright," he says, sitting up to take his shirt off, "well, I do. So you can feed me instead." Of course… =============================================================================== The days drag on. Ed and Eddy haven't returned since their last intrusion, but that's about all that Edd can feel thankful for. The boy's emotional state hasn't stopped fluctuating. One minute, he'll feel okay. Not necessarily 'happy', but not miserable by any means. But that will all change in an instant and seemingly out of nowhere. His mood dropping like a stone until he can do no more than lie in bed and sleep. He can't even bring himself to feed again. And Terry has certainly taken notice. He doesn't seem to be very interested in talking to Edd to figure out what's wrong, but there have been small efforts that have been made. One morning, the boy recalls waking up to a rose held to his face. Nothing extravagant. Just a simple, single rose. No explanation either. Just straight into the typical sex after the gift was set aside. Edd still considers that part to be very tedious. The same thing over and over. So much so that he can't bring himself to react much to it or feel anything. And his current mood isn't helping either. The numbness spreads throughout his body, nullifying any stimuli the man attempts to use. For whatever reason, when it's over, Terry tends to get more upset than when they began. But, of course, he won't say why. The trend of small, nice gifts continues. A few more roses, a new hat, a box of cookies he claimed to have purchased more for himself, but which he insisted Edd share in. He even decides to stay with the boy for an entire night. It makes the boy panic when Terry informs him. "Wh…Why do you want to stay home all of the sudden…?" he asks. Does he know Ed and Eddy had been here?! Oh dear… The man pauses, thinking carefully about his answer. His focus isn't entirely on Edd. His gaze is locked on the wall to his right. Not looking directly at the window above the bed, but in that general direction. "Just wanna stay in tonight…" he replies, his tone distracted, "Keep an eye on the place…" Edd's heart sinks a little. Perhaps he does know they were here… Terry rises from the bed before reaching for the boy's arm. "C'mon, let's go see what's on…" Weakened to this odd situation, Edd allows himself to be pulled up from the bed and escorted into the living room. To the couch to sit in the man's lap while he switches on the television. He flips through the channels in disinterest. His other hand rests on the boy's hip, his thumb rubbing up and down where Edd's hip meets his waist. Edd rests his head on the man's shoulder, nuzzling him affectionately every now and then. "You see anything you wanna watch?" Blinking a couple of times in surprise, Edd sits up a little to glance at him. "Y-You'd let me choose?" Terry shrugs, his eyes locked on the screen. Biting his lip, Edd turns his attention to the screen to see what's being passed over. Another documentary is on the nature channel and he shyly speaks up. "Th…that might be interesting…?" With a shrug, the man leaves the channel there and rests his hand and the remote on the couch. Edd observes him for a little longer before laying his head on the broad shoulder again. They sit for a while, just watching the documentary. Edd wonders why Terry's putting up with this. Why he's even stillhere? Taking a breath, he sits up a little to ask that, when he spots the man's eyes locked instead on the window beside him. Panicked, Edd follows his gaze. Are they back again?! When he looks… Nothing. Just the dark of night. Edd pouts and turns back to him. "What's wrong…?" he asks softly. Finally, the man's eyes return to him. He throws on a smug grin. "Don't worry about it, Angel," he purrs, reaching up to stroke Edd's cheek, "You hungry?" Shaking his head, Edd rests his cheek against the man's arm. He knows this calm won't last. He wants to enjoy it. And, of course, it really doesn't. It's not much longer after that before the typical foreplay begins. Kisses dotted along his shoulder and neck. Clothes abandoned in the man's desire to reach the boy's bare skin. It feels a little better now, but still tedious. When it's done, they retire back to the bedroom. And Terry's own mood takes a nosedive as well. So much so that it doesn't surprise Edd that the man doesn't stay in the following night. He goes back out, grumbling and irritable and without a shred of explanation. When he returns, it feels like the biggest shock of all. On this night, Edd is roused to a book being held in his line of sight. "Wakey Wakey, Sleepin' Beauty." Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Edd struggles to sit up. With the man behind him, holding the book in front of his face, that proves to be a bit difficult. "Wh…What's this…?" he mumbles. "A lil somethin' to keep you occupied when I aint here." Sitting up fully, Edd takes the book in hand. It's a very worn encyclopedia, with a faded cover that's torn at its corners. As he opens it, however, he finds the inner pages to be in much better condition. He's not sure what to say. Another gift? Like the others, it's nothing extravagant, by any means, though that's not much of a surprise given how few places must be open at night. "I…Wh…Why did…" he stutters breathlessly before pausing to turn to the man completely, "Y-You really purchased this…for me?" Terry shrugs; "There was a bookstore I was passin' on my way home this mornin'. Turns out they open pretty damn early so I stopped in for a sec." Edd lowers his gaze, looking down at the cover affectionately. He traces his fingers over the faded letters, swallowing thickly. "This is…This is so unlike you…" he breathes, glancing up at him, "I…I don't know what to say…" "Yeah yeah, well, you don't have to say shit, sweetheart," the man sneers. He leans over the boy, resting on the bed beside Edd's hip. "Just take your fuckin' clothes off n' spread yer legs for me." Edd sighs a little. That makes sense…Terry hadn't purchased these things in kindness, but is instead treating Edd like one of his clients; going to great lengths just to be fed. It's a bit disheartening…But it is still thoughtful. Therefore, as things get more and more heated, Edd forces himself to lie back and try to put a little more effort into the act. It helps a bit, but not quite enough. Though Terry reaches his orgasm, Edd does not have his own. And, as he looks back up at the man, he finds him to be glaring down at him. He leaves quick after that. Stomping around as he showers before dressing and slamming doors. It's startling, of course. It's rare for the man to go out during the day. He vaguely wonders where he's going, but, more importantly, he wonders what's got him so upset. Whatever it is, it's enough to make the sexual intercourse stop altogether for a couple of days. It's enough to make the boy worry. Is he trying to cut me off like before? No. In fact, he tries forcing the boy to feed. To no avail, of course. Edd's appetite is almost nonexistent at this point…Is he preparing to abandon me soon? Does he know Ed and Eddy are near? Why won't hetalk to me?! He makes another weary effort as Terry dresses to leave for work. "Terry, please," he begs softly, "You've been acting so strange lately…Is something wrong? H-Have I done something wrong? Are you mad at me?" "Not mad," the man replies without looking at him, "Everything's fine." "You're not looking at me," Edd notes, "You don't talk to me at all. I just want to know why you've been acting so odd…" "Don't worry about it, Princess." "You keep saying that…But I can't help it when you keep me in the dark the way you have been…" "If there's anything you need to know, I'll tell you. Till then, don't worry about it." "You really aren't going to tell me anything, are you?" Terry ponders his response. After a moment, he turns to the boy and approaches him. "Rest up, Princess," he orders softly, "Be good for me…and we'll talk when I get home." Furrowing his brow and giving him a hopeful gaze, Edd nods. Terry leans down to steal a quick kiss before standing straight again. With that, the man takes his leave. Bowing his head, Edd curls up on the bed, taking a deep breath to settle in for the long night. =============================================================================== "Double D! Double D!" He gasps as he's jolted awake by the figure jumping suddenly on his bed and screaming. Sitting up, his heart pounding in his chest, he finds Ed sitting upright, his tail wagging wildly. "E-Ed?!" he breathes groggily, "Wh-What are you…" He then notices Eddy beside him looking just as pleased. "I thought vampires stayed up all night?" the shorter boy noted. "Ed! Eddy! Y-You can't be here!" Edd stutters, struggling to sit up, "Y-You have to leave!" "No way!" Eddy scoffs back, "We were invited." With a smug grin, Eddy glances back to the door. Edd follows suit and finds the demon leaning against the door frame, looking quite irritable. "I…I don't understand…" Edd mumbles, slumping down in disbelief, "Y…Y-You…?" Terry sneers at him; "There's been a change…" ***** The Edd In The Room ***** Chapter Summary When his life is uprooted by tragedy, Edd must find a way to survive as a creature of the night. Will a deal with a demon be his saving grace? Supernatural creature AU. Updates every other Friday. Chapter Notes Once again, I’m so sorry for the mini hiatus. It was a very difficult end to the semester that resulted in a lot of difficulties in doing anything but school work. I hated not being able to update, but circumstances made it completely impossible. I hope this new chapter makes up for it. Updates should remain consistent from here on out, though. So, without further ado, enjoy the new chapter and please don’t forget to leave a comment. I’ll never know what you think unless you do. "Wh…What do you mean?" Edd stutters, "What exactly has changed?" "Me and Eddy get to live here now, Double D!" Ed explains excitedly. Edd stares up at the man in shock; "What?!" Terry sends Ed and Eddy a glare; "You two, get out." "What?!" Eddy guffaws, "But you said—" "Out of the room, Pipsqueak," the man growls, glancing at Edd, "Me 'n the little Princess need to have a chat…" "What, ya gonna fight?" Eddy asks excitedly. Edd searches the man's eyes for answer. When he doesn't find it, he turns back to Eddy. "Please, Eddy…" he mumbles, "Terry and I need to talk…You and Ed wait in the living room. Perhaps you'd like to enjoy a little television?" "TV Time!" Ed hollers. Grabbing Eddy's arm, he hops off the bed. "Alright, Ed!" Eddy snaps, "Geez!" "I'm gonna be the best guard dog, Eddy!" Ed cries giddily as he skips from the room. "Yeah yeah…" Eddy grumbles back, glancing back at his brother with a sneer. Brow furrowed, Edd returns his focus to Terry as the door is shut behind the exiting boys. "Guard dog?" he echoes softly, "Terry, what's going on?" The man sighs as he locks the door before approaching the bed. "I've made a new deal with your little friends…" he explains, "And I'm givin' them the spare bedroom. So you can spend your time with them when I ain't home…Provided you don't leave." "I…I wouldn't dream of it…But I still don't understand. Why have you let them in?" "I have my reasons, Princess." "No!" Edd sits up on his knees, "I'm sick of these vague responses! Give me a real answer!" "What's the big damn deal?" Terry scoffs, "Shouldn't you be grateful I'm lettin' you hang out with those obnoxious little fuckers at all?" "W—Yes…" Edd shakes his head, "I mean! No…I mean!…I-I don't know!" He holds his head in his hands, "You've been acting so strange…This doesn't make sense." "What exactly are you havin' so much trouble wrappin' your little head around?" "All of it!" Edd snaps back, whipping his head back up to stare at him, "I don't understand this. You were so mean and cruel to me and for no other reason than to make me feel bad. You forbade me from seeing my only friends in the world and even threatened me! Now all of the sudden, you buy me things I really like and even welcome those friends you seem to hate so much into your home just…just for me?" Terry doesn't respond, drawing Edd to slump down a little. "I don't get it…" he mumbles, "Why this sudden change…?" The man refuses to answer right away as he thinks carefully over his words. After a long pause, however, he speaks again. "Because I need this depressed bullshit to fuckin' stop." Edd scoffs, shooting him a scowl; "Why would you care about that? I had just assumed you could care less about my emotional state…" Terry grimaces; "Not exactly…You can be sad all you damn well please, but when it interferes in our sex — and by extension my meals — it's a fuckin' problem." "Interferes? But I'm doing exactly what you told me to; 'lying back and letting you do what you want'. How is that a problem?" "Because I still need you to be willing and offer me consent." Edd pouts in confusion; "But…I do…? I don't deny you whenever you demand to be fed…" The man growls low. He's losing patience… "Alright, look," he sneers, "I can't just 'fuck someone' in order to feed. Okay? It aint exactly 'required', but it works out best if it's consensual, cuz most importantly — god dammit — my partner has to orgasm. Otherwise, it's just an empty meal — like when you try to eat food and not blood." He pauses to calm himself. "Get it? As good as it can be, it won't satisfy my hunger. That means that anytime I fuck someone, they have to cum or it won't actually feed me." Edd blushes a little; "S-Since when?!" "Since always, Princess," Terry grumbles, rubbing the bridge of his nose, "Didn'tcha ever wonder why I don't fuck you without tryin' to get you to cum?" Shyly, Edd bows his head; "I suppose I hadn't considered that…Though, it's not like I'm an expert when it comes to sexual intercourse. And, to be fair, it might've helped if you'd informed me of all this from the start…Otherwise, how am I to know any of this? I'm not a mind reader you know…" He pauses for a moment to let that sink in before something else occurs to him. Startled, he looks back up at the man. "Wait…" he mutters, his brow furrowed, "If that's the only way you can properly feed, then…A-Are you saying I've been 'starving' you?" "In a way, yes; you have," Terry grumbles. That would explain why he's been so moody… "And that brings me to the fuckin' point," the man continues with a sigh. "I need you to be…" He pauses, frustrated. "how should I put this…'invested' in having sex with me or feeding on you won't do anything. So, yes. I do need you to just lie back and let me do what I want with you, but I also need you to participate at least a little." "Why not just tell me that, then?" Edd asks, pouting, "Like I said, I've no way of knowing this otherwise." "With the bullshit mood you been in, do you really think you'd have been able to give me what I need?" Edd bows his head again in shame; "I suppose not…I'm sorry, Terry…I've just…not felt much of anything lately…I don't know how to fix it…" "Yeah, well, I've been tryin' and nothin' seems to work…" "You have…?" Edd thinks about that for a moment as well, "Is…Is that why you've been giving me things lately? You're trying to make me feel better?" "Yes." "Well…Wouldn't it make more sense in that case for you to treat me like that…all the time? Or at the very least treat this like an actual 'relationship'?" "You're the first person I've been with since I became an incubus who's given two shits about that…Everyone else is usually content to just enjoy some free sex." Edd pouts at him; "Sorry to be so 'high-maintenance…Though, to be fair, 'everyone else' you've been involved with sexually have been legal adults…I assume. I'm sure that's a factor." "Watch the attitude, Princess," Terry grumbles, "I'm bendin' the rules we agreed on now so you'll stop actin' like a sad sack. I expect some fuckin' appreciation." Glancing at the door, Edd's shoulders fall; "If it's such of a hassle for you…then why go to all this trouble? Why not just…end the contract and ge…get rid of me? You don't seem to like me anyway. I'm sure it'd be easier for you to just send me away. Let me struggle on my own again…So why keep me around?" Terry heaves another sigh to exhale his irritation; "Because we have a deal and I do want to keep you. As much as you piss me off, you're still the perfect meal." Edd pauses, shifting uncomfortably; "Wh…What do you mean?" "You got no home, no family, and…" Terry grits his teeth and grimaces at the door, "almost no friends. You aint got nowhere else to go and no one else but me. Not to mention; you don't croak after a few rounds of sex like my human partners would. But, more to the point; I've left my mark on you and that makes you mine to do with as I please." "O…Oh…" Edd mumbles, bowing his head shyly. "So since I'm so willing to overlook how annoying you are and continue to give you a roof over your head and the blood you need," Terry continues, "I suggest you show me some gratitude." Edd sighs softly; "You're right…Thank you, Terry. I…I really do appreciate everything you've done for me…I do appreciate that you're letting me live here." "Good," the man grumbles, sitting down on the edge of the bed, "And I expect you to cooperate more when I fuck you. Putting up with those two is gonna be fuckin' hell." With a sigh, Edd bows his head. "I'm sorry…" he murmurs, "I didn't know that's what was upsetting you. I- I really did ask Ed and Eddy to leave…They just…refused and I suppose they decided to stay close. If you really don't want them here, you can tell them to leave." "No." Terry takes a deep breath; "This depression of yours is way worse than dealing with those two. As annoying as it is, I can deal with it as long as you give me what I want." Edd picks at the sheets shyly, letting that settle for a moment. Closing his eyes, he leans against the man's back. "I'm sorry for being so difficult…" He must sit up again as the man rises to his feet and turns to the boy fully. Grimacing, he grabs Edd's chin to hold him still. "If you're sorry," he growls, "fuckin' prove it." Edd's eyes flit over the man's face before he nods, gently touching the man's wrist. His chin is released as Terry leans in to kiss him, pushing him back onto the mattress. Eyes shutting slowly, the boy allows himself to relax into the man's embrace. The warm tongue slips into his mouth, pausing to grope and massage the sensitive gums in the gap in his teeth. Shivering, Edd slides his arms up to wrap them over the broad shoulders and around Terry's neck. Kisses deepen more and more, moving from the boy's lips to his jaw and to his ear. Sinful promises are whispered to him, making him wriggle in desire. Moaning the man's name under his breath before it's stolen from him by more hungry kisses. The jersey is pushed off of him, leaving the boy bare upon the sheets before Terry starts pulling off his shirt. He pauses his efforts in removing his pants to caress the boy's hips. Cocking his brow, he uses one hand to unbutton his pants and— They're startled by a loud ringing in the far corner of the room. Terry whips around, looking more than a little irritated by the interruption. On the dresser is the familiar golden phone. With a grimace, Terry moves toward the dresser to investigate. Edd blushes a little, pulling the sheets over his naked body. Amidst wondering when Eddy placed the phone there, he debates whether or not he should warn the man against touching it. "What the fuck…?" Too late. Terry picks up the receiver and smoke pours out. Immediately after, Eddy pops into view with a loud crack, hovering over the bed. "Surprise!" Terry's grip on the receiver tightens as he grits his teeth at the boy. Eddy pouts as he looks Edd over. "Aw sick!" he cries, "You guys were bein' gross again, weren't you?!" With a loud growl, Terry grabs the back of Eddy's vest and yanks him back. "Little shit!" he roars, dragging him to the door, "Thought I told you to get outta here?!" "Aww, but me and Ed are gettin' bored!" Eddy whines back. "Ask me if I care, Pipsqueak!" Terry sneers back, tearing the door open and throwing him out, "And if you try that shit again, I'll break yer lamp and yer fat neck!" With that, he slams the door shut and locks it for good measure, before turning his accusatory eyes to Edd. The boy offers a shrug and a sheepish giggle. When that doesn't work, he shyly moves the sheets away, beckoning the man with his eyes. That, thankfully, does the trick, and Terry's back on the bed and crawling over him. Yes, an effective distraction to soothe the savage beast… =============================================================================== The next few days feel like a paradox. Ed and Eddy introduce a great deal of chaos into the normal routine, doing everything in their power to get under Terry's skin during the day. However, in spite of this, the man's more calm and doting on Edd. Going slow, his touch gentle as he whispers tender words into the boy's ear. Presenting him with more small tokens of affections like novellas and sweets. It all results in much more pleasant intercourse that Edd feels more comfortable reciprocating, which the man claims is payment enough to put up with the two obnoxious pests. Edd's mood has improved considerably as well. Spending his nights with Eddy and sometimes Ed has made all the difference. They make him smile and laugh and often forget the frustrations on his mind. Every now and then, Eddy pesters him to leave — forget the deals that are in place and go home — but Edd does not concede, so the nagging slows more and more. All in all, it's back to a much more comfortable and pleasant routine. Which is part of the reason Edd's grown so suspicious. Terry's mood has been…pleasant? No more yelling. No more hateful words. Even the more spiteful names he favors so much sound more affectionate. Yet, anytime he's home, he looks distracted. Always staring out the window when his focus isn't on his meal. Lingering longer than he probably should before work. Coming home early and looking stressed. Looking tired. Ed and Eddy are no help either. There are times when Edd doesn't even get to see Ed at night. Terry will drag him to the roof for whatever reason and forbid him from coming down. No reason given. No questions permitted. When the man leaves, Edd tries to get answers from Eddy, but it's no use. Reluctantly, Eddy refuses to tell him any of the details of the deal he and Ed made with Terry or what he may know about the current state of things. He claims that was technically a part of the deal too — to keep it a secret. It's been enough to make Edd consider forcing a confession through a wish, but Eddy insists that probably wouldn't work either… "Bro snatched my lamp from Ed…" he reveals, "And he used his first wish to keep us from talkin'." "Why would he do that…?" Edd asks, his brow furrowed. "Search me," Eddy shrugs, "Sorry, Sockhead, but me and Ed can't explain it anymore than you can." Edd shifts uncomfortably; "He hasn't…wished for anything else, has he…?" Eddy shakes his head; "He said he's thought about it, but no." That much offers minimal relief, but the secrecy is enough to drive the boy mad with worry that only continues to persist. =============================================================================== Tonight, he doesn't wake to the usual kisses and nibbles to his shoulders. Rather, to his own circadian rhythm rousing him. He feels the man's arms slack around him and a gentle breathing against his neck. With a furrowed brow, he glances back to find the man slumbering. A rare sight indeed; he tries not to move around much as he turns to the demon fully, hoping to avoid waking him up. He rests his head on the pillow, gazing at the calm, sleeping face. It's nice, he admits, to see the man in such a relaxed state. I wish I could see it more… Terry stirs moments later of his own accord. Blushing a little, Edd shuts his eyes to pretend he's asleep. He feels the man's thumb on his cheek, gently stroking the soft flesh there. "Open your eyes…" With a soft sigh, Edd obliges; opening his eyes to look at him. "S'not like you to play possum like that…" Edd licks his lips shyly; "It…It's not like…l-like you…t-to sleep like this…" "Mm…Just felt like it…" Averting his eyes, Edd nods; "Did you sleep well, then?" "Well enough." The boy fidgets a bit; "Terry, please…Can't you please be honest with me?" "About what?" "Terry!" Edd whines as he sits up, his brow furrowed, "You know very well what! The same issue you've been tiptoeing around for the past week!" The man rolls his eyes, drawing the boy to pout. "Stop that! I'm really concerned. You come home so tired every day, you're always distracted, and you even keep me from seeing Ed half the time!" "So what?" "So what?!" Edd groans in frustration and holds his head to calm himself down, "What's wrong, Terry? I'm worried about you." "There's nothin' to worry about, Princess," the man scoffs back. "Clearly, there is! Please, just tell me." "No," the man snaps back, "I told you; don't worry about it." "You're frightening me, Terry…" Edd pouts, "I don't like it when you hide things from me." "It's nothing." Edd releases a frustrated sigh, burying his face in his hands and rubbing his eyes. "Come here." He glances up at the man, pouting at the arms that are beckoning him back into that warm embrace. With a weak whimper, he obliges, laying back down beside the him. Listening to the sound of the man's heartbeat and breathing, he almost drifts back to sleep. Then he finally gets something akin to an answer. "I'm taking care of it," Terry mumbles, one hand rubbing the boy's back distractedly, "It's nothin' to worry about because I'm gettin' rid of the problem." Edd swallows down his nervousness; "W-What is the problem…?" Another long pause. Terry doesn't want to answer… "Just a persistent pest…" he answers finally. Brow furrowed, Edd sits up to look at him. "Is that all…?" he nearly scoffs. He thinks for a moment; "You're not talking about Ed and Eddy, are you…?" "No." "So…just some vermin…?" Terry shrugs; "Somethin' like that." "But then…why are you suddenly so much more accommodating?" "Cuz it gets me the meals I want, that's why." Edd sighs rubbing his temple. Terry's hands find his hips. "Speakin' of which…" he turns to find the man licking his lips, "Dinner time." With a sigh, Edd allows himself to be tugged forward. And we begin again… Or so it would seem…Midway through the affair, the kisses slow, the grip on his hips goes slack, and the desire that's driving the man's actions ebbs. Before he knows it, the man's body goes lax. Startled, Edd nudges him, carefully moving from where he'd been half trapped beneath him. "Terry?" he mutters breathlessly as he nudges the man's shoulder, "A-Are you alright?" No response save for a calm, even breathing. Edd's shoulders fall in disbelief. He fell asleep?! He pouts a little. Now I understand why that would irritate him…Sitting up a little, he nudges the man again. "Terry!" No response. Edd sighs, glancing at the clock. "Terry, it's getting late…" The man shifts a little, but doesn't wake. Edd sits back, thinking about what to do. He spies the man's horns and bites his lip. A quick glance around (though he's not sure why) and he leans forward to rub against the sensitive base of the beige growths. More squirming until the man finally blinks his eyes open and rolls onto his back to face the boy with a growl. "Stop that." "Finally…" Edd sighs back, "You fell asleep on me…literally…" Terry grimaces, covering his eyes with one hand and rubbing the sleep away. He mutters a curse under his breath and sits up. Sitting on his knees, Edd places his hands on the man's arm. "You've never fallen asleep during one of your…'feedings'," Edd mumbles, "Are you sick?" "No. M'just tired…" "What could possibly have you so tired? You told me you don't 'need' to sleep?" "Not usually…" "So…you do need sleep?" "Only if I've…overexerted myself." "Since when do you 'overexert yourself'?" Terry groans a bit, rubbing more forcefully at his tired eyes; "Stop talking." Edd releases the man's arm and turns away from him. "Why do I keep trying?!" he scoffs, "Why do I keep expecting you to answer me?" "That's a good question. Why is that?" The boy sighs softly. "Because you promised you'd talk to me more…" Without acknowledging him, Terry slides off the bed. "Going to work…?" Edd asks, refusing to glance up at him. "Yes." "Are you really in any state to go out tonight?" "Probably not." The boy bows his head a little; "Why don't you stay in, then…?" "This again?" "No." Edd sits up and turns to face the man. "I'm not saying this because I'm lonely or anything of the sort. I'm just…worried about you and I believe it would be in your best interest. If you've overexerted yourself, you should stay in and rest. Don't you think?" Terry pauses, one hand resting on the bathroom door's frame. The hand that had been rubbing his eyes drags down his face, following each contour and ending in one slow stroke of his goatee. He glances back at the boy with a sour look. "Yeah…" he grumbles, "Maybe I should…" Without further comment, he stumbles into the bathroom and shuts the door behind him. Edd remains on the bed, his jaw hanging open in awe. He recovers moments later, but is no less confused. Why would… A sharp knock on the bedroom door startles him from the beginnings of his thoughts. With shaking hands, he scrambles to pull on the jersey before shuffling over to the dresser to find a pair of underwear and shorts. The knocking gets louder, more impatient. "Be patient, please!" he snaps, "I'll be right there!" Once he's mostly dressed, he approaches the door to unlock it. When it opens, Ed and Eddy are revealed to be waiting. "Finally!" the shorter boy groans, "Geez, Sockhead! Were ya gonna just sleep all night too?!" "Good evening, Ed, Eddy…" Edd sighs, "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting…" The three are alerted to the sound of water suddenly running in the master bathroom. Eddy gives Edd an odd look. "Is my brother still here?" Edd nods, sighing a little. Eddy makes a face. "Were you guys being gross again…?" Ed covers his mouth, giggling sheepishly. Edd's eyes find the floor. "Not exactly…" he mumbles, shifting uncomfortably. The other boys share a look before Eddy shrugs. "Well, whatever," he grumbles, "C'mon, Sockhead! Let's go out to the living room and hang out with Ed before Bro kicks him out again." With an uneasy glance to the bathroom door, Edd offers a shy nod. "V-Very well…" With that, he exits the bedroom and shuts the door behind him. The three boys find a comfortable spot on the couch to catch the end of one of Ed's favorite monster movies. The tallest Ed pulls a big, warm blanket up over his fluffy head as he burrows into a miniature nest for himself. The movie is reaching its climax; the sound rising into a mighty crescendo. And, of course, Ed's got the volume up way too loud. As such, Ed and Eddy start a fight over the remote that results in them falling onto the floor. Rolling about into furniture does little to quell the quarrel; Ed's not willing to let it go. Not willing to let this moment in the movie fall flat because of inadequate sound. The resolution is robbed from them, of course, by Terry. The demon stops the two with one foot on the shorter boy's back before he snatches the remote from the werewolf. With a sneer, he turns the television off and tosses the remote in Edd's direction, where it hits the back of the couch to the boy's left with a loud whap and then settles on the cushions. Returning his attention to the squabbling boys, he takes his foot off of Eddy before kicking him aside. "Terry!" Edd whines, "Don't be so rough with them!" Such a request goes ignored, of course, as he yanks Ed up by the scruff of his neck. "You know the routine, Fleabag," he grumbles, half-dragging the boy to the fire escape. "Aw c'mon, Bro!" Eddy whines, latching onto the hem of the man's over shirt, "Ed's our friend too! Just once can't he hang out in here?!" Without even glancing at him, Terry swats him away like a fly; "Shut up." Eddy pouts as Ed's placed outside on the landing. Edd observes them for a moment with a frown. He can see Ed's breath as he pants from his little scuffle with Eddy and he's sure it's quite chilly out there. However, Ed doesn't seem to be bothered. His new fur must be quite warm…Terry leans forward to speak to the werewolf and Edd listens close, hoping to catch some of the man's instructions hissed urgently to the simple boy. "…the roof, mutt…dare come…til sun-up. Got it?…don't want…500 feet…" Ed sits up straight, like a dog at attention and gives a sharp nod of understanding. Satisfied, Terry straightens up. "Get goin'." With that, the boy bounds away, giggling a little as he scrambles up the fire escape. When he's out of sight, the man shuts and locks the window behind him before turning to the remaining Eds. Eddy stands up, crossing his arms. "Do ya really have to do that every night?!" he snaps. Terry shoots him a glare; "Shut up." He turns to Edd, nodding towards the hallway. "C'mon." Edd sighs, slipping off the couch. Eddy glances between them before turning to the man with an accusatory look. "What the heck, Bro?!" he scoffs, "Shouldn't you be leaving?!" "Change of plans, Pipsqueak," Terry retorts, resting his hand on Edd's back, "Takin' the night off." "Then tell Ed to come back down!" Eddy demands, "Why's he gotta stay on the roof if yer here?!" Terry grits his teeth; "Cuz I said so." He starts pushing Edd toward the hallway. "C'mon, Princess." Edd glances at Eddy before biting his lip and looking up at the man. "Can't…Can't we stay out here? Maybe watch a movie or…something…?" Cocking his brow, Terry looks him over before shrugging. "Fine," he looks to Eddy and jabs his thumb in the direction of the hallway, "Then you fuck off." "Terry," Edd scolds softly, turning to gently touching the man's arm, "Would it be so bad for Eddy to stay out here too?" "Do you want him to watch me fuck you?" the man scoffs, "Wouldn't have guessed you'd be into that kinda thing, but who am I to judge?" Edd's face burns in embarrassment. "Th-That's not the case at all!" he stutters, "I was just…thinking we could sit here and watch something…without doing anything sexual…" "What's the point of that?" Terry sneers. Edd huffs a bit; "Would it kill you to just spend a few hours just enjoying some television?" "Maybe," the man shrugs, "I am feelin' pretty weak from hunger." "I think you're using that as an excuse…" Edd notes in disbelief. "Doesn't matter," Terry grumbles, "What matters is if I'm stayin' in tonight, yer gonna be keepin' me fed." Edd sighs, bowing his head. "Too bad!" Eddy snaps, "I aint hidin' out in my room while you do weird shit with Double D!" "Oh yeah?" Terry asks, cocking his brow. He walks over to the side table and grabs the golden phone that's sitting there. With a sneer at Eddy, he holds up the phone. "Alright, genie," he spits, "I wish for you to stay in your little lamp — nice and quite — till one of us gives you permission to come back out." Eddy glares daggers at the man, his fingers curling into fists. "You're a jerk, Bro…" he growls before snapping his fingers. In a flash, he disappears, presumably into his lamp. Edd shakes his head, watching the man place the phone on the kitchen table. "There," he states firmly. He turns back to Edd with a smug grin. "And now we're alone again." Edd gives him a disapproving look; "Was that really necessary?" "If that's what it takes to get you to cooperate, then yes," Terry retorts, returning to the couch to sit down, "Now c'mere. I'll even let you pick what to watch." Edd takes a calming breath before joining the man on the couch. Picking up the remote, he starts flipping through channels in search of a suitable program. "Doesn't have to be interesting, Princess," the man sighs impatiently, "It's just gonna be background noise while I get a meal in." Rolling his eyes, Edd drops the remote, leaning dejectedly against the back of the couch. Terry glances at him. "What's with the attitude?" Edd looks back at him; "Just…Just once…can you at least pretend this is anything more than just a…'meal'? Just once, can't you at least pretend I mean something to you?" "Are you gonna start cryin' if I don't?" "No…" The boy pauses, thinking of how best to approach this. He bites his lip. "I just thought…" He shrugs a little, rubbing his wrist shyly. "maybe it'd be nice to be…" He can feels his face heating up. "…'romanced'…for once…?" "Ah…" He cringes a little at the pleased tone in the man's voice and jumps when the large hand rests upon his thigh. "Alright, Princess," Terry chuckles, "In that case, why don'tcha sit in my lap instead? And I'll 'romance you' real nice." The boy pouts in response, sitting up a little straighter and turning to the man fully. "That's not exactly what I had in mind…" "Oh?" the man turns to him, pulling his leg up and leaning on his knee. Using one hand next to the boy's hip to support himself, he leans over Edd with a predatory grin, "So…what did you have in mind, my little Angel?" Edd hunches his shoulders, shrinking in on himself shyly. "I-I'm not…" He shivers as Terry leans a little closer, burying his nose in the crook of Edd's neck. His lips graze the shell of the boy's ear. "You want me to whisper sweet nothings into your ear?" he breathes, dragging his free hand up the boy's thigh, "Little things you wanna hear? Somethin' like…you're my perfect, pretty little Princess? My favorite snack. Or maybe you want a candlelit dinner? Dunno if I have the patience for candles right now, but if yer hungry, y'know all ya gotta do is ask." Biting his lip, Edd shakes his head. "You still haven't been drinking blood lately…" the man notes, resting his forehead against Edd's, "I think it's about time you had a bite." "I…I don't really…" "What's wrong? Need a taste first?" He cringes as Terry bites into his own tongue. Blood wells up from the self- inflicted wound, collecting in the man's mouth. A cheeky grin is his only warning before the man leans in to kiss him. The blood trickles into his opened mouth, sending a shiver down his spine. His stomach growls, signaling his renewed hunger and urging him to cling to the man. With a moan, his eyes drift closed and he allows Terry to lay him on his back on the couch. Allows himself to be swept up by the man's desires. As the large, warm hands push his shirt up to reach more of the sensitive skin beneath, Edd finds himself grateful that Terry had sequestered Eddy away into his lamp.Heaven forbid he or Ed see me like this… The reverie is broken in an instant as the man suddenly pulls away. Blinking his eyes open, Edd looks up at him in confusion. Terry's expression reads of high-alert and his eyes are locked on the window. Brow furrowed, Edd reaches up to touch the man's jaw. Terry whips his attention back to him with a glare, making the boy flinch. "Wh-What's wrong?" Edd stutters softly. Terry's eyes dart over the boy's face before he turns back to the window. "Terry…?" A look of rage shadows the man's face before he rises to his feet. Edd sits up, reaching out to grab Terry's wrist. "Wh-Where are you going?" he asks, shivering, "I-I thought this is what you wanted?" With a grimace, Terry shoves him back down. "Stay here," he snarls. "But I—" Terry leans in, jabbing at the boy's chest sharply as he speaks through his teeth; "Stay. Here. Stay inside and out of sight." "O-Out of sight?!" Edd gasps, "Of what?!" "Just stay here." Without waiting another moment, Terry unlocks and opens the window before slipping outside and shutting it again. As Edd watches him disappear out of sight, panic starts to set in. What on earth could have him so on edge?! Shaking, he stumbles to his feet and rushes to the kitchen table where Eddy's phone is still sitting. "E-Eddy!" he pants, "P-Please come back out!" He jumps at the cracking sound that echoes in the air as Eddy reappears beside him. "Finally!" the shorter boy groans, "You and my bro finally done with all yer…" He pauses when he notices Edd's shivering form. "Uh…you okay…?" He looks around, confused. "Where's my brother?" Edd shakes his head, "I-I…" He jumps again when he hears the window opening. Another figure stumbles inside; a mass of fur and limbs. Ed sits up, looking confused for a second before smiling at his friends. "Alright!" Eddy cheers, popping over to the werewolf, "Big Ed's back!" "Wh-What's going on, Ed?!" Edd asks, brow furrowed. "Eddy's brother sent me back inside," Ed explains, "I'm a good guard dog!" "E-Ed…What's out there?!" Edd pleads. Ed shrugs; "I dunno." "You didn't see anything?!" Edd presses, his shoulders slumping. Ed shakes his head, looking confused. Eddy glances at Edd; "What happened while I was stuck in my lamp?" "I don't know…" Edd mumbles, holding his head, "Everything was…calm. It was just the two of us and…then he got really tense and then he just…left." "That's weird…" Eddy mumbles, briefly glancing at window. He spots Edd biting his nails, his breathing uneven. "Relax, Sockhead," Eddy offers with a shrug, "I'm sure it'll be fine." "I don't even know what's going on, Eddy," Edd replies, sinking back down onto the couch, "He's been acting so secretive and it sounds like something treacherous is happening!" "Seriously, Sockhead," Eddy dismisses, "I'm sure my brother will take care of it." This does little to soothe the boy's nerves, unfortunately, and Edd only continues to quiver in worry. Eddy sighs; "Alright, Double D. Get up." Edd looks up at him, surprised and receives a mischievous grin. "Let's go see for ourselves!" ***** Let the Edd Out of the Bag ***** Chapter Summary When his life is uprooted by tragedy, Edd must find a way to survive as a creature of the night. Will a deal with a demon be his saving grace? Supernatural creature AU. Updates every other Friday. Chapter Notes I honestly don’t have much else to say here. I guess only a handful of people are even halfway interested in this at this point, so to those few who’ve let me know that they like where this is going, I intend to finish this for you. Thank you so much for actually leaving a comment. I really do appreciate it. Edd follows Ed and Eddy to the door, but hesitates to step out after them. Months have passed since he crossed this threshold. Since he and Terry made their deal and the rule was set that he would never leave. He bites his lip, fidgeting a little. Eddy starts tapping his foot impatiently. "C'mon, Double D!" he hisses, "I thought you wanted to find out what's goin' on with my brother?" Edd glances around, brow furrowed; "I-I do, I just…" He starts tugging at his hat, unsure of just what's keeping him in place. Eddy sighs in frustration; "Look, you can either stay here and keep worryin' yourself sick, or you can come with us and see what's happening. Your choice, Sockhead." Edd sighs, his hands falling to his sides. "You're right…" "Of course I'm right!" Eddy spouts proudly as he turns to Ed, "Let's go, Monobrow!" With that, Ed leads the way. Taking a deep breath, Edd exits the apartment, following the two as they skulk through the halls. Ed leads the way, escorting them to the end of the hall where they find a stairway. As they ascend the stairs, Edd feels his stomach tighten in anxious knots. Higher and higher. They reach the door to the roof, by which point Edd's breathless. Rather than step outside, the boys spy the narrow, rectangular window on the metal door. Eddy floats up to look outside. "Yup, he's out there, alright…" he mumbles. "Let me see!" Ed cries, pressing his face to the glass. His tail wags back and forth as he peers out the window, wide-eyed. "What's happening?!" Edd pleads. Ed turns to him with a grin, beckoning him forward. "See for yourself, Double D!" he suggests. Edd takes a moment to calm himself before stepping forward to look outside. The window is cold, which he can feel without even touching the glass, but it's what's past the window that has his attention. He's shocked to find the demon looking haggard. Cuts and bruises mar his features and his clothes are tarnished with dirt, water, and blood. More shocking than that, however, is the figure standing opposite him. He's dressed far more elegantly, in exquisite Victorian Era garb, complete with a lavish maroon cape. His dark hair is oiled and at one point was likely slicked back neatly. Now, however, strands of hair have fallen loose into his ashen face. He looks to be in far better condition than Terry, and appears to be exerting less effort in fending the demon off. Edd starts shivering; "Wh…Who is that…?" The stranger pauses and begins speaking, but, of course, the boy's can't hear. Terry yells back at him, but his words are still very muffled. Eddy shakes his head; "I don't…" He suddenly goes silent. Brow furrowed, Edd glances at him to find that a shocked, horrified look has come over his friend's face. "E-Eddy…?" "We gotta go," Eddy states urgently. "What?" Edd hisses back, "But this was your idea to come up here and find out what's going on!" "Yeah, well now I'm sayin' we need to go!" "I will not!" Edd argues, holding onto the door handle, "I want to see what's going to come from this!" "Too bad!" Eddy snaps, grabbing his free wrist, "We're going back!" "Eddy!" Edd whines, struggling against Eddy's grip as the smaller boy tugs him back. "Ed! Help me out, will ya?!" Eddy commands, pulling harder. Ed joins in, wrapping his arms around Eddy's middle and pulling back. They yank each other back and forth, whispering their arguments as they bump into the walls and door. With a small whine, Edd gives a particularly sharp tug back. He feels the push handle of the door give as his back presses against it, causing the door to swing open. They fall unceremoniously and with a loud grunt each onto the rooftop. Edd hears his friends scramble to their feet, but he's slower to recover. He sits up slowly, holding the back of his head. He hadn't hit the concrete too hard, but it was certainly enough to hurt. "What thefuckdo you think you're doing?!" He shakes his head a little before turning his head to look at Terry, who's glaring in their direction. "Get your ass back inside!" he shouts, his eyes darting to Ed, "Mangy mutt! You were supposed to keep him inside!" "B-But, Terry—" "Shut up and do what I say!" the man snaps. Too late does he notice that the figure has abandoned him and has made a beeline for the boys. Gritting his teeth, Terry grabs the figure's cape and throws him back before racing to stand between the boy's and the stranger. "T-Terry!" Edd stutters, "Wh-What's going on? Who is that?!" "Get back inside!" the man snarls back, glaring down at him, "I told you to stay put!" "I-I said we should go back!" Eddy attempts with a weary shrugs. Edd whips his attention back to Eddy indignantly; "What?! Y-You're the one who said we should come up here?!" "Yeah, but then I said we should go back!" Eddy argues. "I don't care!" Terry roars, "Just go back to the apartment!" Edd struggles to stand again; "But Terry!" "Eddward?" Edd's startled by the sound of his own name and turns to the stranger standing several feet away. His eyes are cold and black as they focus on him, causing the boy to shiver. "I am not here to fight," the man says calmly, "I just want to talk." Quivering, Edd begins curling in on himself; "H-How do you know my name…?" The man pauses, looking slightly uncomfortable. His licks his lips. His eyes dart about as though he's searching for an answer. "I have come…" he says slowly, "to make amends." "I don't understand…" Edd mumbles, "amends for what?" Another pause. "I would like to help you…" he explains, "To teach you to survive as a vampire." A weight settles in Edd's stomach as a realization creeps upon him. "Wh…Why would you do that…?" The man takes a deep, careful breath; "Because…it is my responsibility." He stands a little straighter. "I am the one who made you what you are, after all." The weight that had settled gets heavier. The cold around them feels like it sinks into the boy's flesh, though he wonders if that's more from his own dread. The man continues; "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Victor Marlowe and I am a vampire." Edd feels breathless, his body heavy and numb. He doesn't respond. He couldn't even if he wanted to. As he bows his head, he hardly notices that he's shivering again. "Go back inside," he hears Terry order again, "I told you; I'm takin' care of it." Edd looks up at him. "I'll get rid of this fucker. Just go back inside." Biting his lip, Edd turns to follow the order. "You do not have to do what that brute tells you," Victor scoffs, stopping the boy from leaving, "I have come here to take you away from this depravity." "That's a lot of preachy bullshit from someone who tried to kill a kid," Terry sneers, "At least all I do is fuck 'im." Victor's face contorts in an ugly sneer. "It was never my intent to kill an innocent child," he says through his teeth. "Then why?" Edd asks suddenly, drawing the older vampire's attention back to him, "Why make me a vampire? Why would you do this to me?!" Victor rolls his eyes; "That too was not my intention." He begins pacing, stroking his jaw. "It had been weeks since I last fed, which left me rather…'desperate' for a meal. Therefore, it was simply poor luck that I happened upon you that night. I needed to feed and you were a quick, easy meal." The boy grimaces; "So why are you here? What do you want?" "I told you; I have come to help you," Victor replies, "I…regret not teaching you how to survive. I believe I should fix that." "Then why now?!" Edd demands, "It's been months! Why would you wait this long to come for me?!" Victor sneers; "Because I had no interest to aid you before. No interest in dragging a weepy child along in my travels." He sighs. "However, I have recently come to the realization that I must take responsibility for my actions." "Ya really took yer sweet time coming to that 'realization', now, didn'tcha?" Terry notes smugly. "I will hear no more of your vulgarities, demon," Victor spits, shooting Terry a cold look, "This does not concern you." "Sure it does," Terry retorts, placing one hand on the boy's shoulder, "You are tryin' to steal my things." "Take your filthy hands off of my ward," Victor snarls, baring his teeth. "I am not your 'ward'," Edd counters, stepping a little closer to the demon and gripping the fabric of the plaid shirt in his shaking hand. The man opposite them sighs in frustration; "Child, surely you understand that staying here will only result in more unnecessary pain for you? This demon will not house you forever. You will eventually be on your own and you will need to know how to survive. I am giving you the opportunity to learn and I suggest you take it and forget whatever sordid arrangement you have with this beast." "Oh yeah, some teacher you'd be," Terry grumbles, "Didn't even have the balls to stick around and tell him what you did to 'im. Somethin' tells me he wouldn't learn much from you." This sparks another argument between them, of course, but Edd's stopped listening. Thoughts are building and buzzing and making his head and heart hurt. Terry steps away from him and the boy's hand falls before he brings it to his head. He feels Ed and Eddy swarm to his sides, whispering pleas to go back inside away from all of this. The tears falling down his face burn hot for a moment before the cold air quickly cools them. He glances up, finding the two men locked in a fist fight. "Can't you tell yer 'services' aint wanted?!" Terry growls, shoving the vampire away, "Now fuck off!" Victor heaves a mocking laugh; "And what will you do if I do not? You have treated me like a nasty thorn in your side for days, and yet you can do nothing to rid yourself of me, now can you?" Terry doesn't respond, the hateful look speaking louder than words ever could. "Could it be that you are too weak to dispatch with me?" Victor chuckles, "Does raping a child not satisfy you the way you imagined it would?" Terry snarls, his knuckles cracking as he clenches his fists. "Y'know," he says, his voice low, "I was gonna kill you quick, but now I think I'll make it slow and painful." Victor scoffs; "Oh yes, I am quite sure you will manage to accomplish such a feat." He brushes the dirt from his sleeves. "Save yourself the humiliation, demon, and stand down. I'll take care of the boy from here." Edd glares at him as he whips away his tears. "H-Have you stopped at all to consider what I want?!" he demands. Victor replies with a mocking laugh; "You are just a child. How could you possibly know what you want?" "I clearly know more than you!" Edd snaps back breathlessly, "How dare you come back after all this time?! After you ruined my life!" The elder vampire rolls his eyes; "You are exaggerating." "I most certainly am not!" Edd cries back, "You took everything from me! I can never go home because of you! I can never see my family again and because of you—" He's choked by his tears, and is stumbling over his words. "because of you,I thought I'd killed my best friend!" He rubs furiously at his eyes to wipe away the tears. "All the more reason for you to learn how to take care of yourself," Victor sneers. "Not from you!" Edd retorts, "I refuse to go with you! You abandoned me without a second thought and didn't care about how horribly you've destroyed my life! But…B-But Terry gave all those things back to me! I have a safe place to call home and I can even be with the friends I thought I lost. You've done nothing for me and I know you never will! I don't ever want to see you again!" Terry shoots the man a smug grin; "Sounds pretty final, Dracula. Now, fuck off." Victor's face contorts again in a more hateful glare. "I have had quite enough of this pathetic discussion. I am not leaving this place without that child. Now, come here, Eddward!" Terry scoffs as he steps forward; "Coulda swore I just told you to fuck off." The vampire opposite them sneers in his direction before turning his eyes back to Edd. Edd shakes his head, taking a step backward; "I don't want to go!" "What makes you think staying here is any better?" Victor demands, "What makes you think this wretch will not cast you out the moment he's grown tired of your meager presence in his bed?" The boy shudders, his fingers curling to grasp the fabric of his shirt. "Th-That won't…" "I know well how these perverse creatures operate," Victor continues through his teeth, "and I know well that this one will not tolerate you forever. And what will you do then, when you are still incapable of surviving on your own?" Edd hesitates, biting his lip. After a deep breath, though, he still shakes his head. "I-I don't care," he mumbles, "I'm not leaving." "Alright, alright, time for you to go," Terry grumbles, reaching into his pocket. "Are you still here?" Victor scoffs, "What are you going to do? A few weak punches and feeble attempts to break my neck?" The demon retrieves a small whistle; "Nope." Edd's brow furrows as Terry brings the whistle to his lips before blowing sharply. No sound comes from the instrument itself, but Edd and Eddy are startled as loud, deep growling emanates behind them. Ed's dropped to his hands and knees. His eyes are locked on Victor, looking manic, and he's baring his teeth threateningly. "E-Ed…?" Edd mumbles, reaching out to touch his friend's shoulder. Eddy grabs his hand and pulls him back, shaking his head in warning. They turn back to Terry, who's twiddling the whistle between his fingers as he casts the vampire a smug look. "I'm gonna sick the dog on ya." Victor's eyes flit between the demon and the werewolf. Ed's releasing sharp barks between his growling, which the opposing vampire is not taking lightly. "Fine," he hisses, pointing an accusing finger at Edd. "If you want to stubbornly remain this incubi's whore, I will intervene no longer. The effort I put in to help you was clearly in vain." Edd quivers in response, unable to answer as the man turns to walk away. He gracefully steps up onto the ledge before glancing back at them one last time. "Enjoy the comfortable lie you have set for yourself," he adds, "while it lasts." With that, he steps off the ledge, and out of sight. There is no resulting crash. In fact, there's no sound that follows at all save for the low growling from Ed. Terry rolls his eyes. "Fuckin' show off…" he grumbles, turning around to walk over to the boys. "Is he gonna come back?" Eddy asks, rubbing Edd's cold arms in a feeble effort to comfort his friend. "Fuck if I know," Terry scoffs back, inspecting the whistle, "But if he does, I guess we know how to chase him off." He pats Ed's head, calming him down. "Good dog." Ed beams proudly; "I'm a good boy!" "Yeah yeah," Terry sneers, "Don't get too excited, mutt. Ya still came out here when I told ya to stay inside." The happy smile fades again before Ed trudges back inside, tail between his legs. Eddy looks to Edd and tries pulling him back. "C'mon, Sockhead," he whispers, "Yer freezin'. I can tell." Edd doesn't say anything in return, a sudden sickness rendering him mute. He allows Eddy to tug him along. He hardly notices when they reenter the apartment. Eddy ushers him over to the couch, where he curls up in an anxious ball. After Terry shuts the door and locks it behind him, he turns to the boys with a grimace. "So who wants to explain why the three of you were outside when I strictly forbade it?" Eddy glances at Edd; "Uh…D-Double D was just…worried about what was goin' on and…I dunno, I thought it'd be okay." "What about the phrase 'stay inside' would ever make you think going outside would be 'okay'?" Eddy rubs the back of his head, shrugging uneasily. "Never mind," the man grumbles, waving him away, "C'mon, Princess. Time for bed." "C'mon Bro!" Eddy whines, "Can'tcha see he's still freaked out over what happened?!" "Ask me if I care," Terry grumbles back. In an effort to avoid the inevitable argument, Edd reluctantly slides off of the couch. He doesn't look at any of them as he shuffles his way back to the bedroom. Crawling up on the bed, he pulls his legs back to his chest. Terry joins him soon enough. "It's a little hard to fuck you when you're curled up like that," the man notes irritably. The boy doesn't respond. No words, no movement. He can still feel himself crying, but he doesn't want to talk just yet. "Really?" Terry scoffs, "After all that badgerin' to make me talk and now all of a sudden yer gonna be quiet?" Edd bows his head, hugging his arms tighter. "You really gonna let that chicken shit get to you?" Terry presses, "Ya gotta let that go, sweetheart." "Is what he said true…?" Edd asks finally. The man cocks his brow. "About what?" Edd licks his lips; "A-Are you…Are you really going to…grow tired of me? …And abandon me?" Terry sighs, rubbing his temple. "I've put a helluva lot of work into you," he answers, "I aint interested in gettin' rid of you right now." "But sometime soon…I bet…" Edd mumbles, "You're already aggravated with me. You told me so yourself. You don't like being around me." "True…" the man sneers, "But I'm still gonna keep you." The boy finally looks up at him. He uncurls himself a little to sit up on his knees. "Why…Why did you go to all those lengths for me…?" he asks, brow furrowed, "After all you said about how much I annoy you and how much you dislike me…" He bows his head. "Why not let him just…take me away? Wouldn't that be easier for you?" "Maybe…" the man scoffs, "But you seem to be forgetting our deal." Shaking his head, Edd frowns; thinking carefully about what he might mean. "I promised to protect you from anyone who's come after you," the man explains, "No matter who it is." Edd shifts a bit on his knees; "Do you believe he was going to hurt me?" "I've seen what he did to you in that mirror you got from Pipsqueak," Terry informs him, "Saw that he left ya behind without any explanation. When he showed up here lookin' for you, I had a feelin' he wasn't gonna be takin' care of you like he was sayin' he would." "No…" Edd mumbles, bowing his head, "I don't imagine he would…" The tears are falling again, burning hot down his cheeks. "He let me starve…" he whimpers, "I was so hungry for so long…All because of him.All because I had no idea what he'd done to me." Sniffling, he uncurls his legs out from under him. He feels Terry moving beside him, then the warm arms slipping around his waist. Terry's lips press against his temple. "Shh…" the man coos, "deep breaths." Letting his sobs take him, the boy leans into the embrace, desperately seeking comfort. "Alright, alright," Terry sighs, "Let it out, Princess." Let it out, he does. Edd curls up beside the man, his sobs savagely shaking his body. It feels like ages before he calms again, nuzzling the man's chest. Terry rubs his back, sighing a bit. "Better?" he mumbles. Edd nods, still sniffling. "I realize this ain't the best time," the man says softly, "but we were interrupted earlier. And I'm fuckin' starving." Glancing up at him, Edd nods, leaning up to meet the man's lips for a kiss. Putting his sorrow aside, he tries his hardest to participate fully. Returning the deep kisses that leave him breathless. Arms wrapped around the man's broad shoulders to keep him close. Rocking his hips in time with Terry's powerful thrusting. He almost regrets when it ends. Terry's nose is buried in his neck, breathing deep as he rides out his orgasm. Nipping at the soft flesh and peppering the boy's jaw with kisses. The soothing ministrations soon lull him to sleep. =============================================================================== When he wakes the following evening, Terry's getting dressed. He rubs the sleep out of his eyes as he sits up. "A-Are you leaving…?" he asks. "Gotta make up for lost time," Terry grumbles back, pulling his shirt on, "Can't miss another night of work." Edd glances around uneasily; "Wh…What if…What if he comes back?" "I don't think you need to worry about that," the man scoffs back, "That chicken shit turned tail and ran. I haven't sensed him since last night." "You can sense him?" "Could," Terry clarifies, "Like I said, he's gone now. S'just you, me, and those idiot friends of yours." The boy fidgets nervously; "Maybe he's just waiting for you to leave…?" "Doubt it. He seemed pretty fed up with all this." This does nothing to quell the boy's unease, of course, and he gnaws on his lower lip in worry. He hears Terry sigh softly. "Look, I don't think you need to worry," the man assures him, "That fucker aint coming back. But, if it'll make you feel better, then take this." The whistle is held in his line of sight, which Edd shyly takes. "Just blow on that and yer werewolf friend will go feral." "Feral?!" Edd echoes. "Pretty much. He'll scare off that asshole." "He won't…attack Eddy or I, will he?" "Just don't touch 'im right after you blow the whistle. He'll start to calm down after about a minute and you can get him back to normal." "Did you know that would work?" "Not really. But I've heard rumors that most vampires and werewolves don't 'get along'." "What does that mean?" "It means they don't fuck with each other if they can help it. That asshole aint gonna bother with a pissed off werewolf." Edd studies the whistle, letting that sink in. "Where did you get this?" "It was part of the first wish I made," Terry explains as he affixes a watch to his wrist, "After I agreed to let them in the house, I wished for a whistle that'd make the dog more ferocious and that they'd keep it under wraps." "Why is that?" Edd asks, "Why didn't you want them to tell me any of this?" "When I found out who that guy was," the man sighs, "I figured it'd upset you too much. You've already been in a shit mood lately and I couldn't risk you falling into a worse depression." Blushing, Edd bows his head; "Oh…" "I gotta go." Glancing up, Edd sees the man lean down to leave a gentle peck to his lips. "Be back later." Edd nods, though the man doesn't notice as he leaves the room, shutting the door behind him. 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