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Cass

“ B uddy.”

It rang through the air as Blake made his hasty exit. Cass wasn’t “baby” anymore, then. Back to good ol’ “buddy.” Should he really be surprised? A gay identity crisis was inevitable, wasn’t it? Even without all the vampire stuff added to it.

Vampire.

Cass should be the one freaking out, not Blake.

He’d just found out his entire existence was forever changed.

Except… He’d already gulped down Blake’s blood like jungle juice at a frat party.

It was hard to be in proper denial after that, no matter how much he’d wanted to placate Blake by going to the ER in the first place.

He realized Danny was looking at him with something awfully akin to pity in his eyes. Cass straightened his back, trying to exude less of a pathetic vibe. “I guess the ‘fleeing from my side’ part of that exit was pretty obvious, huh?”

Danny winced in sympathy. “Just a little. This thing between you two is pretty new, huh?”

“As new as being a vampire is,” Cass admitted. “Blake’s straight. He’s not really my boyfriend; he’s my roommate.”

“Oh. Well, damn.” Danny’s eyes widened in understanding. “That’s a lot at once, isn’t it?”

“Tell me about it.”

Danny took a seat on a stool to the right of the gurney. “You’re awfully cool about the supernatural part of this, you know. Have you thought about what it means? Never aging? What you’re going to tell your family?”

“Oh, it’s just me and my grandpa. I’m not sure he’ll be around long enough to notice.” Cass felt a sharp pang at the thought, but it was a reality he’d come to terms with a long time ago. “Anything else I need to know before I head out?”

“I’ll give you my number.” Danny reached out a hand. “I’m sure a lot will come up.”

Cass gave him his phone without a fuss, watching as he punched his phone number in. For the first time since this whole ordeal had started, he was feeling truly…low.

Danny looked up from the phone knowingly. “You miss him already, don’t you?”

Cass held back a sigh. “That’s weird, isn’t it?”

“For normal people, maybe… For mates?” Danny shrugged. “Not weird at all. He’s probably missing you too.”

“I doubt that. Straight, remember?”

Danny bit at his lower lip, seemingly conflicted.

“Not to speak for someone else, especially with something as complicated as sexuality can be, but… I’ve known several fated pairs at this point.

It never seems to be wrong, no matter how unlikely it looks in the beginning.

So…I’m guessing Blake is at least a little… ”

“Curious?” Cass asked, trying not to sound bitter.

“I can also see the way he looks at you. That’s more than just a bromance, I’d say.”

“Good thing. I’m not much of a bro.”

Danny smiled at that. “Me neither. Now let’s get you out of here before a doctor finally comes by to check you out. I’m telling them you left against medical advice, so… Apologies for the stain on your medical reputation.”

Cass left the emergency room with a new paper bag, one containing what felt like a conspicuous blood bag Danny had given him to tide him over in case he got hungry again while Blake was gone, figuring himself out.

Danny had even ordered him a taxi to the hotel, insisting that he not be out walking around on his own after the revelations of the day.

When he made it back to the hotel room, Cass flung the paper bag into the mini fridge, then sat heavily on one of the beds, the neatly made one he hadn’t slept in the night before.

Blake’s bed was still a mess. It always was, back in their dorm room.

Cass never minded; he had kind of always thought it made the place feel cozy.

But then again, that was just Blake. Making Cass feel warm and welcome, no matter how different they could be.

There’d been one day early into fall semester.

Cass had done horribly on a test, for a prerequisite class he needed to graduate but had zero interest in.

He’d been disappointed in himself, plus scared about the risk to his scholarship.

He’d come home, and Blake had been watching a movie on his laptop in bed.

Cass had been…not disappointed to see him, exactly—he never minded having Blake around, looking all gorgeous and smiling nicely at him—but a little nervous.

They’d only been rooming together a few months at that point, and Cass hadn’t been quite ready to have a full-fledged emotional breakdown in front of him.

But Blake had taken one look at his face, patted the bed with one hand, and ordered him to hop on up and watch the movie with him.

Cass had curled up next to him, leaving plenty of space, afraid to accidentally touch, and Blake had immediately put an arm around him, pulling him close enough to see the screen.

After several minutes of holding his breath, afraid to be thought of as enjoying it too much, Cass had finally given in and asked, “You know I’m gay, right?”

He hadn’t exactly been in the closet, but it wasn’t something the two of them had ever talked about either.

“Oh yeah,” Blake had said, not taking his eyes off the movie. “Or at least, I thought. All those rainbow stickers on your laptop.” Then Blake had frowned down at him. “Why, am I making you uncomfortable?”

“No!” Cass had almost laughed out loud at the thought. “Just… You’re not uncomfortable?”

“Nah.” Blake had shrugged, looking back to their movie. “It’s kind of nice. Not a lot of chances to cuddle with dude friends, right?”

Cass had finally relaxed, and they’d both watched the movie in comfortable silence until Blake had broken it. “You okay?” he had asked. “Something happen?”

“Just a bad test.”

“Oh, man, I’ve had lots of those.” Blake had chuckled, rubbing Cass’s arm soothingly. “It’ll be fine; it’s still early in the semester. We could start studying together, if you want. Keep each other on track.”

“Really?

“Sure. I got your back, buddy. What else are roomies for?”

And that had been all it had taken for Cass to fall a little bit in love. He’d known before then that Blake was hot, sure, but that had been the first time he’d realized how fucking sweet he could be.

But there was a big difference between helping someone cheer up after a bad test and being their destined vampire mate, wasn’t there? Like, Jesus.

Cass rubbed at his chest, trying to ease the ache that had formed ever since Blake had fled that ER room.

He needed to let Blake go, didn’t he? He couldn’t ask him to turn, to give up his whole human future.

And maybe—maybe Blake would be willing to stay roommates for the rest of the year, while Cass stabilized, if Cass promised to keep his hands to himself.

Just so he wouldn’t have to run into the woods, protecting society from himself or whatever.

Cass stared over at the mini fridge, the one holding the blood bag he was going to need to drink at some point. The evidence of exactly how not normal he was now.

Was even staying roommates too much to ask?

That new presence inside him shifted uneasily. It didn’t seem to like the thought of Blake leaving their side.

Too bad, vampire brain. We’re going to do the right thing. Which is whatever Blake wants. Got it?

There was no answer, just a strange gnawing in Cass’s gut, one he didn’t think had anything to do with hunger.

Blake

Blake bit into his burger, huddled on the tiny round picnic table outside the fast-food restaurant. It should have been mediocre, but at the moment, it was beyond good. He’d barely eaten today, and he wasn’t usually known for skimping on meals. It made the burger taste like literal heaven.

Was this how Blake’s blood had tasted to Cass? Juicy and delicious and satisfying on some soul-deep level? He’d certainly sounded like it, back at their hotel room—those greedy little gulping noises Cass had made while Blake had been busy coming all over his own fist.

Huh. Blake had never thought of himself as a delicious hamburger. Although, Blake’s burger eating had never exactly been a sensual experience before, and Cass’s feeding from him had felt anything but platonic.

Blake took another bite, nodding a greeting to the couple taking a seat at the table next to him.

They were braving the early spring chill as well, dressed in puffy jackets similar to his own.

Cass hadn’t been dressed for the chill though.

Fuck, Blake should have left him his jacket back at the hospital.

Did vampires feel cold? Was Cass even going to need Blake to look out for him anymore? According to Danny, Cass only had to feed once a week. It wasn’t like he was going to need Blake reminding him to eat breakfast every morning.

And why do you need to be needed by him?

Blake bit another hunk of his burger instead of answering his own question. He didn’t need a reason. He’d just felt…protective of Cass, ever since their first meeting.

Blake had stumbled into his new dorm room, carrying way too many bags at once, and Cass had already been there, perched on the side of his bed, his back ramrod straight with impeccable posture, typing away at his laptop.

He’d gone full deer in headlights at Blake’s entrance, and then when Blake had smiled and introduced himself, a pink flush had stolen over his cheeks, highlighting his freckles.

Blake had immediately clocked the flush, and the number of rainbow pride stickers on the little cutie’s laptop, and had realized his new roommate might be very much into dudes.

Cool enough, considering so was Blake’s little brother, Toby.

Not that Blake could have really imagined Toby at a raging party school like theirs, but maybe this Cassian guy (as he’d been named on the school’s dorm assignment form) had some hidden depths.

When Cass hadn’t spoken right away, Blake had prompted, “Cassian, right? I’m Blake.”

“Oh, just Cass. I’m your new roommate.” Cass had shrugged apologetically. “Sorry.”

Blake had frowned at that, dropping his bags on the other bed. “Sorry?”