Walking Blind (Being Human US, Aidan/Kat)
Short Being Human US fic for the "What I Wish For" challenge at universe_the.
Title: Walking Blind
Pairing: Aidan/Kat
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: ~525
"Vampire." Kat paced the length of the room, pivoted, and paced back again. "How can you be a vampire? You go out in the sun! I've seen you eat!" She paused mid-stride and pointed triumphantly at the mirror on the wall to the side. "You have a reflection!" She was distantly aware that her voice was too loud, that she was shaking. That her gut was swirling, rendering the whole world unsteady around her. Mostly, though, she was aware of a profound sense of disbelief.
She forced herself to pacing. To face Aidan. Aidan, who was leaning back in his chair, hands on his knees, seemingly completely at ease. No, not ease, she realized, as she took in the rigidly neutral expression on his face, the tension thrumming through him--non-threatening. He was making himself as non-threatening as possible. He was trying not to scare her.
"The mirror thing is a myth," he was saying patiently. "The sun...I guess you could say we made an evolutionary leap. And we can eat; we just don't draw sustenance from it."
Evolutionary leap. He'd just told her he was a vampire, and now he was talking about evolution. How the hell did a supernatural creature evolve? How...it was ridiculous. There was no such thing as vampires.
In which case she was hallucinating. Going mad. Because she'd seen...
Kat collapsed into the chair across from Aidan. "I don't believe this."
He tilted his head, eyes sad. Regretful. "I'm sorry."
She probably should be scared. After what she'd seen Aidan do tonight, she ought to be quaking in her boots. She'd known he was sketchy, of course, and she'd known he had an edge--it was part of what attracted her to him--but she'd never thought he was really dangerous before. Until tonight. Until...until.
"Why didn't you tell me?" What was the life expectancy for a human who learned the big secret?
"I wanted to," he said quietly.
"Do Josh and Nora know?"
He hesitated, which was answer enough. Two of her closest friends had known, had known that she was dating a vampire, and they hadn't told her. They'd let her walk blindly into danger and hadn't said a word.
"Are they vampires too?" she asked.
"No," he said quickly. "Just me."
"How long have you been like this?" She wondered if that was a myth too.
He drew in a deep breath and released it slowly. Odd, that he breathed. The again, it would be hard to pass for human if he didn't.
"Over two hundred years," he said quietly.
He had Jeff beat by a long shot. But at least he'd been honest about the kids thing.
She should probably...she didn't know what she should do. Run? Call the tabloids? Stock up on garlic and wooden stakes? Kiss him and tell him it was fine?
He'd saved her life tonight. Saved her life at the cost of his secret. That ought to count for something.
But the fact that he'd kept it secret meant something too.
She stood up, decision made. Well, postponed.
"Kat."
"I'm sorry," she said. "I need time."
He was still sitting there as she left.
This entry was originally posted at http://skieswideopen.dreamwidth.org/144924.html, where it has
comments. Comments are equally welcome on either entry.
Title: Walking Blind
Pairing: Aidan/Kat
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: ~525
"Vampire." Kat paced the length of the room, pivoted, and paced back again. "How can you be a vampire? You go out in the sun! I've seen you eat!" She paused mid-stride and pointed triumphantly at the mirror on the wall to the side. "You have a reflection!" She was distantly aware that her voice was too loud, that she was shaking. That her gut was swirling, rendering the whole world unsteady around her. Mostly, though, she was aware of a profound sense of disbelief.
She forced herself to pacing. To face Aidan. Aidan, who was leaning back in his chair, hands on his knees, seemingly completely at ease. No, not ease, she realized, as she took in the rigidly neutral expression on his face, the tension thrumming through him--non-threatening. He was making himself as non-threatening as possible. He was trying not to scare her.
"The mirror thing is a myth," he was saying patiently. "The sun...I guess you could say we made an evolutionary leap. And we can eat; we just don't draw sustenance from it."
Evolutionary leap. He'd just told her he was a vampire, and now he was talking about evolution. How the hell did a supernatural creature evolve? How...it was ridiculous. There was no such thing as vampires.
In which case she was hallucinating. Going mad. Because she'd seen...
Kat collapsed into the chair across from Aidan. "I don't believe this."
He tilted his head, eyes sad. Regretful. "I'm sorry."
She probably should be scared. After what she'd seen Aidan do tonight, she ought to be quaking in her boots. She'd known he was sketchy, of course, and she'd known he had an edge--it was part of what attracted her to him--but she'd never thought he was really dangerous before. Until tonight. Until...until.
"Why didn't you tell me?" What was the life expectancy for a human who learned the big secret?
"I wanted to," he said quietly.
"Do Josh and Nora know?"
He hesitated, which was answer enough. Two of her closest friends had known, had known that she was dating a vampire, and they hadn't told her. They'd let her walk blindly into danger and hadn't said a word.
"Are they vampires too?" she asked.
"No," he said quickly. "Just me."
"How long have you been like this?" She wondered if that was a myth too.
He drew in a deep breath and released it slowly. Odd, that he breathed. The again, it would be hard to pass for human if he didn't.
"Over two hundred years," he said quietly.
He had Jeff beat by a long shot. But at least he'd been honest about the kids thing.
She should probably...she didn't know what she should do. Run? Call the tabloids? Stock up on garlic and wooden stakes? Kiss him and tell him it was fine?
He'd saved her life tonight. Saved her life at the cost of his secret. That ought to count for something.
But the fact that he'd kept it secret meant something too.
She stood up, decision made. Well, postponed.
"Kat."
"I'm sorry," she said. "I need time."
He was still sitting there as she left.
This entry was originally posted at http://skieswideopen.dreamwidth.org/144924.html, where it has
comments. Comments are equally welcome on either entry.