Anatoly remembered the night his parents had caught him and Milana. She'd gotten off pretty easy. Anatoly, though, had spent hours locked in the living room with his parents. Dad kept yelling at him in Russian, telling him how stupid and irresponsible he was, circling the same points over and over. Sometimes Anatoly would respond to weakly apologize or agree, replying in English because it was easier to him. That would usually annoy his father, but that night it seemed irrelevant. Mom just stared intently at him from the sofa, barely a peep coming from her. Anatoly was never the type to argue back when his parents were scolding him, especially not when he knew he deserved it, but Dad just kept going on and on and on. A flicker of rage built as Anatoly endured the lengthy reprimands, until it burned so hot he just couldn't hold back anymore.
"Milana is okay with it? Why should I have to suffer? You'll never understand!" He'd shouted something along those lines. Maybe he'd said it ruder than he'd remembered. He remembered the feeling behind clearly, though. His father's Gift let him extend the length of his fingers. It was a useful trick for retrieving the remote when it fell under the sofa. He couldn't possibly judge Anatoly, or his sister for helping him.
Dad slapped him right there. Just a quick blow that knocked Anatoly's head to the side. He'd heard Mom let out a shriek. He'd barely registered the pain, his mind was too focused on the utter shock of it. Anatoly's father had never struck him before. Disbelief and confusion quickly turned to anger. When he turned his face back to his parents, it must have been contorted in rage. That was until he noticed their faces. Dad and Mom both were looking at him with abject terror in their expressions. Dad had his hand cradled against his chest, like he was trying to hide it.
They feared retaliation, he realized. They were afraid that his father had gone too far, and that he'd make them suffer for it. Him, a spindly fourteen year old. Their own son.
He went along with their wishes without any more complaints. He took his pills, drank his disgusting pig blood, and obediently went through his life with his mind and body in a haze. They never talked about that night again. No apologies or reflections. Anatoly didn't ask either of his sisters for blood again. He didn't want to see those faces ever again.
---
((Anatoly Orlovsky continued from My Life is Going On))
Anatoly sat beside the mount of dirt. He hadn't moved from that spot for hours. Where else was he supposed to go?
As ashamed as he was to admit it, Anatoly fed from Selene a few more times after death. But soon coagulation set in, and from then on she was just a corpse. He'd found a nice, secluded spot to bury her. Digging with only his hands hadn't been too difficult during his blood rush, though now his fingernails were chipped and filthy and throbbed with dull pain. He covered her, considered saying a few words or making a prayer but decided to do neither, and then just sat down.
Anatoly had no idea what he was supposed to do from now on. He was a murderer. Everyone else knew it. The stupid goddamn Owl had even revealed his power in the announcement, more or less. Everyone knew he was a killer who drank blood. A real-life vampire. A monster from an old horror movie. He probably even looked the part; his t-shirt was coated in blood stains from carrying Selene's body.
So now what? His life was basically over, right? And he deserved it. But he was still alive and kicking. So... what now?
He flopped onto his back and groaned.
And When You Go, Don't Return to Me, My Love
Cw: Abuse, Enter if you dare
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((Nora Moriarty continued from Spit Take))
She took a few steps forward.
Paused some feet away.
Clenched her fists.
Breathed. Closed her eyes.
Opened them.
“Anatoly?” she asked.
Nora heard the announcement. She knew he was ‘sick’ before, kinda like her. She heard the whispers, what people said. But apparently, his was different. She was ‘sick’ because of her poison. And, if what the announcement said was true, he was a vampire in some way. Drank Selene dry, even.
Nora knew vampires. She’d read books about them. She remembered Dracula, for one. Did he just… bite down?
She took a step back. Nora had another poison bottle in her bag. But maybe making something clear…
“I-if.. if you bite me, I’ll bite back!” she said.
She… wasn’t used to giving out threats like this. Nor her not wearing a mask. It felt weird not having a face mask on like she was fully nude. But she knew it made her teeth more visible.
He was laying down, so he would have to get back up. She had no idea how his Gift worked, was he affected by sunlight?
She took a few steps forward.
Paused some feet away.
Clenched her fists.
Breathed. Closed her eyes.
Opened them.
“Anatoly?” she asked.
Nora heard the announcement. She knew he was ‘sick’ before, kinda like her. She heard the whispers, what people said. But apparently, his was different. She was ‘sick’ because of her poison. And, if what the announcement said was true, he was a vampire in some way. Drank Selene dry, even.
Nora knew vampires. She’d read books about them. She remembered Dracula, for one. Did he just… bite down?
She took a step back. Nora had another poison bottle in her bag. But maybe making something clear…
“I-if.. if you bite me, I’ll bite back!” she said.
She… wasn’t used to giving out threats like this. Nor her not wearing a mask. It felt weird not having a face mask on like she was fully nude. But she knew it made her teeth more visible.
He was laying down, so he would have to get back up. She had no idea how his Gift worked, was he affected by sunlight?
Anatoly swung himself back to an upright position. He started to smooth out his hair, then stopped as he remembered he was probably past the point of appearances mattering. He sat cross-legged, examining the girl. He didn't recognize her at first. Then he put together the body and the hair and the voice and realized it was Nora. Anatoly had never seen her without her mask before. Nora had called out to him, then threatened him. She was scared of the big bad vampire. It was exactly what Anatoly knew would happen after hearing the announcement, but it still stung.
"I'm not interested in biting you, Nora." he said bitterly. It was the truth. At the moment, the idea of sucking blood from another person filled him with dread. He knew his feelings would change as he went longer and longer without drinking. He was scared of what would happen, then. But for the moment, Anatoly was in control of himself.
Despite her obvious fear, Nora didn't try to run. She probably thought he'd chase after her. Anatoly was able to get a good look at her, and he noticed the pointy teeth protruding from her mouth.
"You have fangs?" he asked incredulously "Good for you. I don't have fangs. How dumb is that?"
He would have been able to get at Selene's blood with tearing her whole throat open.
"I'm not interested in biting you, Nora." he said bitterly. It was the truth. At the moment, the idea of sucking blood from another person filled him with dread. He knew his feelings would change as he went longer and longer without drinking. He was scared of what would happen, then. But for the moment, Anatoly was in control of himself.
Despite her obvious fear, Nora didn't try to run. She probably thought he'd chase after her. Anatoly was able to get a good look at her, and he noticed the pointy teeth protruding from her mouth.
"You have fangs?" he asked incredulously "Good for you. I don't have fangs. How dumb is that?"
He would have been able to get at Selene's blood with tearing her whole throat open.
Nora breathed with her mouth open, showing her teeth a bit more.
"Yeah... it's uh, part of my w-whole lizard thing..."
Of course, people didn't usually see her sharp teeth often, what with the mask and all. But it was why Kennedy kept comparing her to a video game character, one reason why dentist visits were so tricky for her, why she had to be careful when she ate.
It was kinda funny how that worked out. Anatoly was a vampire, she was a venomous lizard, and yet, she was the one who got fangs. God was funny like that. But that honestly made things worse, because his teeth were blunt like a normal human's. Which was better to rip apart flesh: blunt or sharp? Which was more painful?
Just... a question she had, now that they know they both have dangerous bites.
He was still covered in blood.
Nora's heart was still beating.
In Dracula, he was merely weakened by the light, not killed by it. And in Twilight, they only gave themselves away by sparkling. He wasn't sparkling, so it had to be closer to Dracula. Or maybe she was barking up the wrong tree. He didn't seem to be affected by sunlight at home, after all. Garlic, then? Where would she find garlic here?
"Uh... I... maybe..."
She had another bottle ready, in case she needed it.
"I'll just..."
She took a few steps away, and turned.
"Yeah... it's uh, part of my w-whole lizard thing..."
Of course, people didn't usually see her sharp teeth often, what with the mask and all. But it was why Kennedy kept comparing her to a video game character, one reason why dentist visits were so tricky for her, why she had to be careful when she ate.
It was kinda funny how that worked out. Anatoly was a vampire, she was a venomous lizard, and yet, she was the one who got fangs. God was funny like that. But that honestly made things worse, because his teeth were blunt like a normal human's. Which was better to rip apart flesh: blunt or sharp? Which was more painful?
Just... a question she had, now that they know they both have dangerous bites.
He was still covered in blood.
Nora's heart was still beating.
In Dracula, he was merely weakened by the light, not killed by it. And in Twilight, they only gave themselves away by sparkling. He wasn't sparkling, so it had to be closer to Dracula. Or maybe she was barking up the wrong tree. He didn't seem to be affected by sunlight at home, after all. Garlic, then? Where would she find garlic here?
"Uh... I... maybe..."
She had another bottle ready, in case she needed it.
"I'll just..."
She took a few steps away, and turned.
Anatoly stared, then he laughed. The venomous lizard with fangs was running away from him. Him? He mentally prepared himself for years for how he might be treated if the truth came out. He'd always known it was a very real possibility, that someday everyone he knew would become afraid of him. But now that it was happening, it felt like a ridiculous fantasy. He couldn't believe it.
He thought of maybe calling after Nora, reassuring her that... what, he wasn't dangerous? That would be a lie. So he said nothing, and let her go.
((Anatoly Orlovsky continued elsewhere))
He thought of maybe calling after Nora, reassuring her that... what, he wasn't dangerous? That would be a lie. So he said nothing, and let her go.
((Anatoly Orlovsky continued elsewhere))