The everyday monsters in our lives

He had noticed how she was clutching onto the necklace and it worried him but in the midst of all that he was feeling, he couldnt pay attention to every feeling the same. "He's not here. He's not with us." he reminded her, trying to stay calm. Cesare's question seemed genuine but as she began clutching the necklace, it seemed that it was hurting Cesare as well. Joe turned his head to the vampyre on his knees before he felt that rush of panic inside of him. "Sadie no! You're hurting Cesare!" he yelled, reaching out to grab the pendant she was slowly breaking, no matter what might happen, he didnt even think about consequences at this point. He just couldnt have her kill the vampyre, not like this.

As the pendant was forced from Sadie's hands there was a tiny blip of bright light before everything seemed to stop. "Enough of this!" a dark and deep voice filled the room that seemed to grow darker. Appearing as if out of nowhere, there he was, the King of Dreams and the Ruler of Nightmares himself. His cloak heavy, hitting the ground as he moved closer. Cesare was laying on the floor, gasping for air as what the human was now holding was the broken pendant. Sadie started screaming, falling to her knees, apologizing and crying at her sire's side. Here in the midst of it all, she had found herself without the pendant, though it seemed as if her body was aging.
The man turned his face to Joe, reaching his hand out to the human, "hand it over this instance," he said in a foreboding tone, not taking no for an answer. Once he had the pendant pieces he pressed his palms together, forming it once more, however the color was dull, blinking as if it was fighting to stay alive. Cesare was shivering, his seafoam green eyes just as dull as the pendant as he looked to Benjamin.
"It was about time immortality caught up to you," he said to the vampyre on the floor. Sadie was shaking her head, "help him!" She pleaded with him, but the man barely moved a muscle before looking to Joe. Cesare couldn't even speak, he just looked at the man he loved. If this was the last he would see, then he knew he could greet death with a raised chin. A shadow appeared by Cesare's side, "my sibling is here to retrieve the vampyre's soul - or rather what is left of it," he said with a nod towards the shadow, "I will grant you a goodbye."

Joe looked at the broken pendant, his shoulders trembling as he couldnt believe it. She had actually broken it! What would that mean? The dark deep voice didnt take his attention from the pendant, his hands shaking with anger. He looked to Cesare, his eyes filled with disbelief. This couldnt really be happening? He wasnt ready to lose him. He probably never would be. But as a human was it never a thing he would have had to consider till now. He gave the stranger the pendant back before he went to Cesare, pulling him in to hold him in his arms. He could see how Sadie was changing too. Both of the people who he loved were suffering it seemed.
The stranger, this Lord of Dreams as Cesare had called him had been so helpful before, but now he wouldnt? Joe's anger got the best of him, but it always did. "You did this to him!" Joe just accused him straight up, looking up at the man with almost hateful eyes. "I saw you take the pendant when he was laying in his slumber. You let Sadie take it from you. And now he'll die, and it's all because of you." he said, pulling the vampyre closer. No, he wouldnt have this. It wasnt fair. "What will it take to stop it?"

His sibling was just about to take the vampyre to eternal rest as the human started yelling and accusing him. Lifting his hand, he signaled his sibling to stop what they were doing before walking closer to the human. Moving down to one knee he sat beside the human, looking at the vampyre with a puzzled look on his face. "You wish to save his life? You, Benjamin Joe Harris, wish to save a vampyre?" He was quite surprised, perhaps because he knew of his worst nightmares. Knew how much creatures who feasted on others scared him deep down. Perhaps that was why he was intrigued. "In exchange for the restoration of Cesare, are you willing to live your worst nightmare to have your dreams come true?" He asked, but Sadie shook her head no, "don't do this, Benny, he's going to trick you," she pleaded with her brother, grasping onto his shirt. She couldn't lose both of them. She just couldn't. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she cried.
Cesare couldn't even lift his hands anymore, only a finger twitching softly. "L..oo..k..a..a..t..me..e," his voice hoarse and broken. He just wanted the last moments with Benjamin to be where he wasn't afraid. With him he could always be safe.

Aiastes nodded slowly, just agreeing to what the human demanded. Digging into his coat he took out his bag of sand, blowing it at those around him, Sadie being the first to fall into a slumber, then Cesare and lastly Benjamin. Where they would awaken was a large meadow. Cesare was standing, looking to Benjamin, reaching his hands out with a warm smile. "My otter, come to me," he pleaded, wrapping his arms around the human as he got close. He buried his face in his hair, breathing him in. Everything felt so normal, just as if they had taken a trip together. "You need to focus, Benjamin Joe Harris, this is a dream," his voice echoed through the small valley.
Aiastes appeared as the scenery changed. Him and Joe were on a beach. Outstretched he handed him the pendant, seafoam green as ever, brightly colored and symbolizing that Cesare would live. His other hand was empty, palm turned to the grey sky above them as the wind blew around them. "Hand over what is most important to you." It was not a trick question, it was a trade within the Formless Lands. A trade that could not be reversed or changed.

Joe had almost expected the sand but he didnt say anything, just kept his eyes on the man as he held the vampyre close to him. He fell asleep and Joe was a little confused as he sat up. He saw Cesare, getting up and hurrying to him, wrapping his arms tight around him as he sighed in relief. It worked? He hadnt really grasped yet that this was just a dream and once the man pointed it out and appeared, Joe turned with a frown. The scenery changed and the human looked around for a second before he drew in a deep breath. The pendant was revealed and he took it as the man handed it to him. Seeing the colour within it, he knew that the man had kept his deal of the bargain. At least if this wasnt a trick. The notion of handing over what was most important to him made him look down at the pendant, clutching it in his hand before he looked at him. "I dont know how to do that." he said, looking around as if it was supposed to appear somewhere. He was just a regular human! Like he even knew how this worked.

The human had the pendant but seemed confused about what to do now. The man tilted his head to one side as he looked at him, still one hand reaching out for his offering in return. "This is a dream .. anything is possible .. reach within yourself and retrieve what you are most terrified of losing," he said. He spoke the truth, anything was truly possible to imagine, but perhaps he needed some options. The man moved a hand, and three items appeared; A crystal heart; a replica of the pendant he was currently holding; and lastly a doll reminiscent of one Sadie had had as a child. The three items floating gave off a shine to it.
"You have three that I have seen in your nightmares," his deep voice speaking as if it was all around the human, no need to strain his hearing. The doll moved closer to the human, now within reach if he wished to touch it. "Losing the sister you've already lost once would be an option in return for a life," he spoke before the replica pendant moved closer and now within reach. "Losing the love you feel for the vampyre, the memories you shared and the feelings you felt also a worthy offer," he said. Then the crystal heart moved closer, it almost vibrating. "Lastly there is your humanity .. everything that makes you human you could trade away for him to be able to be with you, and live the life together you've sought."
He took a step away, gesturing with his free hand, "the choice is yours, but be warned," he spoke calmly, almost soothingly to an extent. "The choice you make is final."

Anything was possible. He reminded himself that even if it didnt seem plausible. Was it weird that the human really needed to see everything before he believed it? It seemed that the man was aware and the three items werent really needing of explanation. Except the crystal heart of course. The man spoke in his head and he looked at the doll, picking it up, looking at it, touching it with a gentle touch. He listened as the man spoke of each item. His eyes softened up quite a lot as he was presented with the pendant. It could save the vampyre but would it doom them both to a life of misery? The crystal heart was the last and he looked at it with a frown. His humanity. It was what made him him. It was all the memories from his hometown, it was his parents, his friends and everything else. But it was also a life without Cesare. He looked at the doll. Never in his life would he ever sacrifice his sister. Not to save Cesare. He couldnt make that choice between them. He took the crystal heart before he placed it in the Lord of Dream's hand, stepping away with the doll and pendant, looking at both. "I'd do anything for them. Both of them." he muttered, looking between the representations.

Being greeted by the crystal heart he didn't show his surprise, but it was for certain that he wanted to know more now. He nodded, "as you so have declared it, I take your humanity, your mortality, in exchange for the pendant and the life of the vampyre." He took the heart, snapping it in half as the clouds above darkened and reached down for the human. Shadow like hands and arms wrapped around him, swallowing him in darkness as it stripped him of what he had been, replacing it by the thing that frightened him the most growing up; a daemon. The man disappeared and so did the symbols of his loved ones.

Holding the man he loved so dearly in his arms he pleaded with him softly to return to him. He couldn't bear a life without him. He couldn't imagine what might happen to either him or Sadie if Benjamin was no longer. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. It was too early for them to say goodbye. Sadie sat in the corner, cradling herself as she was dealing with the withdrawals from the pendant that now sat safely around the vampyre's neck. "I love you .. please .. please wake up .. Benjamin please hear me." It was that of genuine pleas, echoing through the slowly changing human.

Joe heard him but didnt really want to look as he could almost feel the heart be snapped, mostly because it felt like he couldnt move out of place. He looked up at the sky with a frown before he saw the shadow-like hands reach down and grab him. It felt like his insides began burning but not in the way that it was hurting, at least not for the first while. That only came once he felt something slowly separate from him, something deep inside that couldnt be touched by hand. The man's words echoed around him, over and over until the words fell over each other and it just became noise. He tried to keep his screams in but eventually he gave in and everything went black.

The human's body changed quite rapidly once the change was set in motion. His body tensed up as his muscles adjusted to the new strength. The darkness slowly began emitting from him as his humanity died out, and immortality set in, removing most human blemishes and textures, his hair even getting firmer and seemingly stronger along with everything else. His breath hitched and he struggled to breathe, his body convulsing rather violently before he puked out all that had been in his stomach as he wouldnt really be needing food anymore. No that had been a luxury as a human. He laid still once the change was complete and the human wasnt to be a human ever again. When he finally came to, he felt so different. Like something wasnt like it was supposed to. He gasped and sat up, clutching at his heart before he realized that it was still beating. "What... am I?" he muttered, looking around before he began feeling the hunger from expelling all that had once been sustenance to keep him alive.

The change happening made Cesare frown before his features softened up as he realized what was happening. He let the human puke, but realized he was human no more. The eyes opened, but it was the same warm brown eyes he had fallen in love with. Only was it the same man? The fist thing he asked for was what he was, and Cesare hesitated a little, reaching over to carefully touch his hand, "you're still Benjamin," he assured him. But he knew that hadn't been what he had asked to know. Sadie had gotten up, shaking and shivering she came closer. Only with one inhale of his scent she knew what had happened. "Daemon," one word that might make our break the former human. She sat down in front of him, reaching out to take his hands, tears still streaming down her face because of what she had done. What that now meant for her brother. "I'm so sorry," she apologized, her body shaking and skin itching. Cesare sighed before getting up. He pressed a button on a phone and spoke softly into it, ordering some vials for all of them.
The vials soon arrived, Sadie moving away to consume her own in peace as she didn't really like eating like this in front of others. Cesare held his hand placing a vial with a different substance than blood in the former human's hand. "Drink, my dearest, please," he beckoned his love. He just needed to consume it, regain his strength. The smell of the puke wasn't pleasant, but as soon as he had gotten to eat, Cesare would start cleaning up.

The vampyre spoke and Joe lifted his hands to his ears, feeling rather sensitive about sound. It was like he could hear things that he couldnt before and now he couldnt just zone them out. It was lucky for him that Cesare didnt have a heartbeat or a bloodstream that he would hear when he was sitting this close to him. Sadie's answer made him frown, shaking his head as it couldnt be possible. No, it didnt make sense at all. She touched his hands and the texture on her hand felt so different. It was still vampyric perfection but his touch felt sensitive. He had to pull his hands away, to look at the inside of his palms. Everything looked normal to him but it felt so different.
He just sat there, looking around, getting used to this newfound change, and when the vials arrived, Joe looked at the one that Cesare was handing him. He looked up at the vampyre with a frown. "No. I dont need this." he said, refusing to have it. He needed normal food, he was sure of it.

Cesare knew it was a lot to take in, but he of course couldn't know all of it. He had been born a vampyre. He hadn't been forced to change. "Yes you do, my love," he whispered gently, opening the vial because surely the nature of him would kick in. He hated doing this, but if he kept being in denial, then how were they ever going to talk about what had happened. Cesare let him sit for a while as he cleaned up, being mindful of the noise he made. Mostly because noise and sight was what was noticeable first, at least in his sires. After cleaning up, he sighed softly as he looked around at the messy room before sitting down with Benjamin. He didn't really know what to say, but did he really need to say anything? Instead of speaking, he moved his hand down beside him, touching the former human's hand with his pinky finger, letting him get used to the sensation. He didn't want to scare him, least of all with his touch.

The whisper made him frown, looking up at the vampyre with almost pleading eyes. This couldnt be possible. The vial was opened and Joe tensed his jaw as he instinctively reached out to grab it. He could sense what it was and it scared him. Gritting his teeth he sniffled. He had no control of how his body moved on it's own, forcing the vial to his lips. He felt like he was fighting an inner battle and yet he had no control. He downed the liquid and the taste felt like relief and yet he felt the nausea spread as he knew it wasnt right. That was a person! That was someone!
He looked at the vial while Cesare cleaned up, feeling disgusted and angry at himself. He felt the vampyre's pinky slowly brush over his hand and it drew his attention to the sensation rather than how much he was starting to hate himself as he was realizing that he wasnt a human anymore. Or deep down he did know, but he maybe wanted to live in denial for a bit longer. "I dont feel right." he muttered, looking back at the vial, clutching it tight before it crushed under his newfound strength. It didnt even cut him like it would have had he been a human.

Cesare felt bad. This was his fault, wasn't it? He just sat there, caressing his hand carefully, not going further, just letting him get used to his surroundings. "I know," he whispered, closing his eyes as his shoulders trembled lightly. He felt selfish for even reacting this way, "do I look different to you?" He asked, opening his eyes to turn and look at the daemon by his side. Now that was something he had to get used to thinking. Daemon. "Like .. like someone you aren't attracted to?" A lot of things could happen with change. He had seen a person change race many times in his life and he had seen couples break apart because suddenly one of them weren't attracted anymore. "Because I still feel the same about you." And that would never change.
He sighed softly, "tell me what you're feeling with your body .. put some words to it and get it out," he encouraged him. He wanted him to describe things around him, give the vampyre a better understanding of what was going on. Maybe even be able to help him somehow. He loved him so much, and nothing could ever be done to sway the vampyre's mind. "You saved me .. please let me help you too now."

Joe probably did seem just as out of it as he felt. Everything just looked different, sounds were different, he was seeing things he didnt even see before. Just looking at the broken vial in his palm, the glass had different nuances to it that he hadnt seen before. And the fact that it wasnt cutting him at all was also not helping. He noticed the vampyre tremble and quickly turned his head to look at him. He wouldnt have noticed that as a human, that was for sure. Did he look different? Joe frowned as he seemed to think about it, looking around the vampyre's face before he looked down again, at the floor this time that he inspected. He could see so many details without even having to lean down.
He was listening to the vampyre speak. "Disgusting." he muttered to the vampyre's encouragement. He felt disgusting to say the least. And yet he felt so full of life, even more after devouring the content of the vial. "You're the same." he whispered, as he realized he hadnt even answered. He moved, wanting to stand up, not even feeling the exhaustion or tiredness his human body had had when they got here. He felt renewed and somehow it wasnt consoling. "I dont want to be this way." he said, shaking his head. He hadnt truly known the details of the deal he had agreed to, so the change was so sudden and so unexpected, he was frankly still in shock over seeing the pendant cracked before he in a panic offered his own life for the vampyre's.

Disgusting. Cesare didn't know how to comfort something like that. Not when he only viewed Benjamin as someone he cared about. Someone he loved dearly. He felt uncertain of where and how they stood now, so as he was finally told that he was the same he felt some relief. It was selfish, but he felt it. The daemon got up and Cesare remained seated on the floor. What could he say? What could he possibly do to soothe the man that he loved, who had taken such a deal and had his life turned upside down. "You should've let me die, my love," he said softly, finally getting up from the floor, walking over to down a vial of blood, just placing the empty vial where he had picked it up.
He turned to look at the man he loved, a pained expression on his face. "But now we will have to figure this out together .. I'm sorry that this had to happen to you, but my feelings towards you have not changed either," he was still speaking at a low volume as Sadie returned from having taken her vial. She looked a mess, her arms pretty scratched up. "I think I want to go home," she pleaded, looking from Cesare to her brother before she turned to leave. She had too much in her head, too many things that had been spoken and she wasn't ready to talk about all of it yet.

He looked around, feeling like everything was off and yet it was just about adjusting. But not adjusting like had he broken a leg and now needed to figure out how to move with a stiff leg in a cast. Like his whole life had been turned around and there was no manual to this new one. Then Cesare said something that made him look a little angry. How dare the vampyre say that when there was no way to change this now. Not that Joe would have changed it. That was the downside of him being him. He would have sacrificed himself in whichever way he could just to have the vampyre.
He was looking at the bed as he stood up, noticing all the texture and what that he just carelessly had laid on before. It wasnt that he was ignoring the vampyre because he heard every word. He just didnt know what to say. Though it was good that Cesare's feelings hadnt changed. It would have been a pretty hard blow if they had and he then had changed to be met by that. Sadie's plea made him turn his head. "I want to go home too." he said, a little monotone. As if he was even in a condition to go home, but it wouldnt stop him from trying.

Sadie stopped as Benjamin said he wanted to go too. She hesitated before opening her mouth, "would it be alright if I .. had the apartment for myself for a little while?" She knew it was a big ask, but she needed some time alone. And right now she wanted to be there for her brother, but she couldn't when she herself had her own demons - no pun intended - to deal with. "I'm sorry .. I just need some time alone," she hoped her brother would understand, but then again she wasn't sure if he had changed. Either way she had much bigger things within her that she needed to sort out.
"I don't think it would be wise to go outside before you can handle being in a room," Cesare advised the former human. He didn't want to keep him captive, in fact Benjamin had the same freedom that he had always had. However Cesare worried for him much more now. "I know you," he spoke softly, walking closer to the man he loved so dearly, "and I know you wouldn't risk accidentally hurting someone on your way home." Could he not see that it was a safe bet to stay here for a little while. "I can even let you have this floor to yourself .. I wouldn't even have to be here if this is about solitude," The vampyre was clearly serious about all of the suggestions.

Sadie stopped and he frowned as she asked to have the apartment for herself. He drew in a deep breath, unsure of what to do. He could understand that she needed time but he didnt really know what he would do then. Cesare spoke to him and he looked at the vampyre, biting the inside of his cheek. "Go ahead Sadie." he said before Cesare approached him. He looked at the vampyre, looking rather saddened and pained by the fact that he was not a human anymore. "I wanted you to come with me." he said, reaching out to grab his arm by his sleeve, looking at his own hand getting familiar with the texture. If Sadie had left then it was just them after all. He let go and moved over to sit on the bed, looking a bit defeated. And he wasnt even fully realizing just how miserable he would get with his change. "I dont feel like myself. I feel so.... weird.. And strong and aware of all and everything. I dont like it." he said, looking at his hands, clenching them tight.

Sadie left at that and Cesare looked to the pained former human. His sleeve was reached and it was clear that Benjamin struggled a lot. Who wouldn't be struggling right now if their entire world had been turned upside down? The vampyre wished he could take that burden from him. Or at least lighten the load a little. He followed him to the bed, sitting down beside him as the man he loved started to speak of how he felt. Cesare reached over, placing a gentle hand on top of the daemon's fist, looking at them for a while. "Well to me you are still warm," he said, his hand moving up to the daemon's chest, pressing his palm to it, "and your heart beats ever so wonderfully." Looking up further he named all of the things that were still the same; his eyes and his face, his hair and his body. Sure, it might've gotten stronger and improved in some way, but he still looked like the man he fell in love with.
"Is there anything I can do for you right now?" He asked, because that was better than assuming. He genuinely couldn't imagine what his love was going through right now. So it was best to just remain supportive. "I'm willing to do anything for you," he whispered gently, lifting his hand to cup the daemon's face. "You're not alone."

The vampyre joined him and he felt the cold hand touch him. Was it odd that the cold didnt make him shiver anymore? He somehow felt cheated of that feeling now. He would have loved to feel that again. He was quiet too, so when Cesare finally spoke, it was welcomed. He looked at their hands, turning his eyes to the vampyre as the hand moved to touch his chest. It was quite nice to be reminded of the things that the vampyre found to be the same. It at least soothed his hurt.
The question made him look down with a frown. He didnt know what he wanted. To feel normal? To not feel so aware of everything and just be a dumb and unaware human? He heard the whisper before the cold hand touched his face. "I want to feel like I'm not a freak. I want to feel like myself again. I dont right now." he said in a shaky tone, his emotions starting to get to him as his eyes welled up.

"You are not a freak," Cesare had to insist on that. It wasn't true. The man he loved was not a freak or strange, he was wonderful and beautiful. He could see how he was welling up, and it hurt him to see. Not even hesitating he leaned in, pressing his lips lovingly against the daemon's. He prayed that it would send as many shivers down his spine as it did to himself. He just couldn't ignore the fact that he loved him so much. Releasing his lips gently, he panted softly. "It's alright if you don't feel like yourself right now .. but I promise you will at some point," he said, knowing it might've not been a sentence that gave him a lot of comfort, but he certainly wasn't lying. "I was so afraid that we were going to lose each other, and we didn't .. we still have each other; does that not count for something?" He knew it wasn't just about them being a couple, but that had been very important to them before all of this. And it was still important to Cesare.
"You are still my boyfriend, my love, my little otter," he spoke ever so gently, caressing his cheek with his thumb, letting him get used to that sensation. "I love you .. I love you and I wish I could change this so you could feel at ease right away, but there are things that even the pendant can't change." Oh how easy it would've been. But no, things were not as they had originally envisioned it. He sighed softly, closing his eyes. He was hurting too from seeing his loved one so distressed.

The vampyre insisted but Joe wasnt convinced. He felt like a freak, so how could he not be? He was a little surprised to feel the vampyre's lips and the sensation felt rather strong. It was so different. He definitely felt strong shivers down his spine. He was confused by the feeling going through his body, but at least he wasnt on the verge of crying anymore as the vampyre released his lips to speak. He looked at him, listening. Cesare was right, they still had each other. It had been what he had given up his humanity for.
The reminder was nice and the way that Cesare spoke so gently to him was calming him down. He felt the thumb on his skin, needing to close his eyes to not get overwhelmed. How did every touch feel that much stronger? "Touch me. Slowly." he muttered, leaning into the vampyre's hand as he kept his eyes closed. Was it odd that it was grounding him? Sure, it was new. But it was also familiar.  So familiar.