Fragrance Of Tomorrow | AU / Cw

‘’You’re back then?’’ the barista asked, with a little smile, as Nathaniel ordered. He chuckled at her for a moment. ‘’Yeah - as back as I can be. Such a heartwarming welcome; an empty house.’’ He said, irony oozing from his voice. ‘’Auch… Sorry, they’re away for the weekend. Ellery is being accepted into some university in England, so they left to visit yesterday.’’ The barista explained, making Nathaniel nod slightly. ‘’I figured as much. Thanks,’’ he said, as she then passed him his coffee.
‘’So, Nathaniel… What have you been up to? Looks like you’ve been to war!’’ the barista said, looking at him with an enticed gleam in her eyes. He shook his head, a crooked smile on his lips. ‘’It doesn’t matter what I’ve been doing. I’m only back here because the program ended. I am enrolling here in France next month.’’ He said, as he smelled the coffee that was handed to him.
With those words, he moved to sit down, only to notice how someone was sleeping in the corner. He couldn’t help the curiosity, as he figured it was some sleepy student trying to get some shuteye before a big final or something. He walked over there, and with a soft hand he closed the laptop to preserve some battery power for when the student would wake up again, only… The student was James. He furrowed his brows as he pulled out a chair with a loud noise as it scraped over the floor, before he sat down across from where James was laying. ‘’Wake up,’’ he said, calmly. He then kicked at the leg of the table, making yet another loud rattling noise. He then called to the barista to bring him an iced latte, with a slight chuckle in his voice.
‘’Guess the jacket doesn’t reek of tailless human any longer,’’ he then said with a little cheeky smirk, as he placed his coffee cup on the table and his duffel bag next to them, as he looked at James; waiting for him to wake up properly.

A soft groan escaped the full lips, as his facial expression didn´t change from the sudden rattling. He got up as soon as he heard the rattling of the table, before he said almost panicking. " I´m up!, i´m up! ". He yawned, before he stretched his body, showing a little of the toned stomach, before he rubbed his eyes, as he said " Don´t scare me like that Roma.. ". He opened his eyes, only to find Nathaniel, not Roma, one he was studying with normally. He looked at the guy for a moment, with a little tilt to his head, as it suddenly hit him. It was really. " Ellery? ". It suddenly hit him, as he looked into the void dark eyes of the guy.. no it wasn´t Ellery.. it was Nathaniel.. but he looked so different. " No.. N-Nathaniel ". No harsh tone, rather a very soft spoken tone to his voice, as he looked at him shocked beyond belief, as he noticed the barista coming with an iced latte, as he said " But i.. ". He looked over towards Nathaniel, as he readjusted his hair a little, by running his hand through it, before he readjusted the jacket once again, still too big for him, but it kept him comfy.
He looked at the coffee, before he looked up and down at Nathaniel, as a soft blush started to come forward in his cheeks, as he listened to the soft music in the background.. Sunsetz - Cigarettes after sex.. embarassing, that out of all songs the cafe could play, it would be that one, as he looked at Nathaniel, still with the groggy and sleepy expression dominating his face, as he ran a hand over it, before he took the coffee, as he took a little sip. He frowned a little, as he hadn´t gotten it in such a long time, but he took another sip yet again, as he said. " What.. how.. you have changed ". He said softly, before looking at Nathaniel´s back a little, as he said " Where you sent to the army? ". He asked with such a calm tone, as in not making a joke, but actually asking him.

Nathaniel, who had gotten used to the confusion between him and his brother a long time ago, looked with a calm expression at James as he took his time waking up. ‘’I scared you? That is a first,’’ he then said, taking a sip of his coffee. He sighed, as he was confused with his brother once more, before he shook his head. ‘’Try again, J.’’.
Then as it finally hit the vampire who was sitting across the table, he seemed perplexed. ‘’You, what?’’ he then asked, curious about what the vampire had to say about his return. He had not noticed the music playing, mostly because he hadn’t listened to music the past year at all. every song seemed to have a meaning he could trace back to James, which had made him stay away from it all together. ‘’take your time,’’ he said, winking at the vampire as he took yet another sip of his coffee. Then, James finally managed t sputter some words, making Nathaniel shrug calmly. ‘’Well, that was the whole idea with sending me there, wasn’t it? Changing me, because I was fundamentally fucked up.’’ He said - no emotion to trace when he said it. No irony, sarcasm or frustration. It was the truth - it had been drilled into his head with repetitive yelling and forced physical precision whenever he tried to refrain from accepting the treatment at the camp. ‘’I was sent to a gay conversion camp, J.’’ he said; completely careless. ‘’When they were done with me, they shipped me off to the army for the basic training.’’
Nathaniel had noticed the lack of a harsh tone, but he chose not to even mention it; he didn’t care enough to. He took a deep breath, looking shortly at the jacket. ‘’I thought it reeked?’’ he asked, with a little smirk on his lips, to show that he teased the groggy vampire.

James was still sleepy, sleepy enough to fuck up, as he took a gentle grip in the jackets collar, before moving it up to his nose, as he sniffed it shortly, before saying in a soft tone once again. " No. It smells good ". His lips curled up in a little smile, as it still smelled a little of Nathaniel, not much but enough.. as he had been so careful not to bear any form of scent on him, whenever he was wearing the jacket, not even on his clothing. He looked rather shocked, when it hid him what he had been doing in front of Nathaniel, before he straightened his back, as he looked at him with a soft expression, before saying with regret in his voice. " I´m.. i´m so sorry Nathaniel, i never wished for any of that to actually happen to you ". He sighed, as he looked down, ashamed of himself and how he had acted towards him. He seemed more calm, more approachable than normal, as he sat there in front of Nathaniel, not at all like he used to be. He had changed with the sudden boy being gone.. and it was all his fault.

He looked down at his coffee, as he gently took a grip around the soft paper, before he rubbed his thumb against it, as he looked over towards Nathaniel, still with some blush to his cheeks, as he rubbed one of his eyes, before running the hand through it again, as he tried to hold back a yawn, while hiding it with the free back hand of his, before he turned his gaze around the cafe. He loved that it was so quiet in here, so.. almost empty, but then again, it never really seemed empty. He looked over towards Nathaniel, as he softly asked " So.. what are you gonna do from now on. Are you back for good, or are you gonna go away again.. ". He looked almost sad for a moment, as he sloughed down into the chair once more, before he looked at the papers in front of him, with the university name on. Sorbonne. He sighed, as he ran his fingers over the papers, as he gathered them, before he looked at Nathaniel once more. He almost had trouble looking at him for too long. He looked good, he couldn´t deny that.. but there was also something about him.. a new edge almost.

Nathaniel looked at James with a slightly confused expression, as the vampire smelled the jacket’s collar. ‘’Beats me how you managed to wear of the smell then.’’ He simply said, as James looked shocked after doing such a thing in front of Nathaniel. Then came the dreaded apology, which left Nathaniel to sigh briefly. ‘’Don’t be. If it hadn’t been the jacket, it had been something else. They were looking for an excuse to get rid of me.’’ He said calmly, before he took another sip of his coffee. He didn’t care for the bloody apology - not one single bit. He had been so angry, confused and hurt back then; he had no way of processing what had happened. All he could hold onto was the explanation that James had been overwhelmed by the scent of his blood and had gone into instinctive overdrive that night. Everything else was on par with how James had messed with Nathaniel since they had been little kids. He was used to it.

The next question was something he wasn’t even sure of the answer to himself. He shrugged. ‘’Well, I’m enlisting at the French army. I don’t know what will happen from there, but I am striving to becoming at least a sergeant.’’ He said; taking another sip of his coffee. ‘’And you? What line are you studying at Sorbonne?’’ he asked, nodding at the papers next to the laptop. He should have gotten a degree himself, but the army seemed like the best bet now, since he had gotten a head start.

James face dropped, as he heard where Nathaniel was enlisting, as he looked at him almost with an open mouth, before looking at his papers, as he tried to hide them even more now, before opening the laptop and placing them inside there, so Nathaniel couldn´t see them. It couldn´t be.. they were going the same ROAD... ONCE AGAIN!?. James had just applied not too long ago at the French Army, and gotten an acceptance letter, that he was accepted as one of the new flight/combat engineer. It couldn´t be.. no, the army was huge, what would the odds be, that he would end up on Nathaniel´s team?.. in their dreams. He was to come and stay at the base for four months, for basic training, as even as an engineer, he needed the basic standard military training. He rubbed his temples, as he said " does it really matter.. ". He was studying science and engineering at Sorbonne, and this just seemed like something straight out of a movie from hell. He looked at Nathaniel a little, as he said " But sounds nice. Sound´s like you have found a place with respect for you and a family who deserves you ". He sighed, as he said " not.. meant in a mean way, i just mean.. your family by blood.. seems like assholes ". He looked down at his phone, as he got a notification about briefing at the military, before he said " Well, i better get going.. so.. ". He got up, before he took his laptop and placed in his back, as he took his latte, before looking at Nathaniel, as he said " It was good seeing you again Nathaniel, i hope everything works out in your favor ".. as he was on his way to walk out of there, so he could walk all the way to the nearest busstop.
The briefing was standard for new soldiers, also where he would get some info about the team he was going on, and when next month or the next he was to begin his training. The school had said good for the four month of not being available, except in some specific periods, where he was to send his homework from his laptop, and also study in the weekends, when he wasnt on mission or drill.. as some would call it.

Nathaniel noticed the change immediately. Either James had enlisted himself, or he was sad that Nathaniel had done so. ‘’Yeah, it does matter, James.’’ He said, but he had little time to explain why before James had chosen to pack his things and ramble about Nathaniel’s family being dickheads. Nathaniel sighed, admitting to himself that James hadn’t changed one bit. The moment he got a text, however, Nathaniel’s phone went off with a reminder. ‘’Oh, most things works out in my favor, James. I’m sure of that.’’ He said with a smirk on his lips; an enticing smirk, before he allowed James to leave the café before Nathaniel did the same thing.

…

The briefing was set in the dining-hall in the camp right outside of town. Nathaniel, who had been transferred to the camp to train the newcomers until his own new team started up, stood ready to greet the new soldiers. He couldn’t wait to see the vampire’s face when he finally figured out why Nathaniel had asked. The moment Nathaniel had spotted James, he pulled one of his new team-members to the side and asked him to take over, so Nathaniel could get things sorted. He had specifically asked for James V. King to be transferred to his own personal team. The team-member smiled a crooked smile, before Nathaniel winked at him and disappeared.
The lieutenant who was in charge ordered silence once everyone was ready. At first, he gave a welcoming speech, before he asked the sergeants-in-training to go sort out the teams and inform them about the procedure for the next four months. This was Nathaniel’s key word to go pick up his team; four members. James, Carré, Lewis and Caroline. However, it wasn’t done so obvious, as it was another sergeant who called the four members together, before Nathaniel appeared and was handed the clipboard with the notes.
‘’So, first of all - hi there! I’m Sergeant Nathaniel D’Combe. You four are from now on Team O - or, Team Ophelia, to be precise. I’ll be the one training you for the next four months, and after that - if you pass the basic training, I’ll be your team-sergeant on the aircraft Ankh.’’ He said, a calm smile on his lips, although his eyes often would land on James. ‘’You’ll be living, sleeping and eating here at camp. I am aware of the studies some of you are doing, but that will not be any of my concerns. You get up on time, you get to training on time and you go to bed on time. No alcohol, no parties, no drugs. If my rules are broken, you’re out. Have I been clear?’’ he asked, and a sounding ‘Yes sir!’ was heard. ‘’I’ll be providing you your training attire, your uniforms, dog-tags and other necessities on first day on camp. Until then, you can call me on this number if there’s any questions.’’ He said, handing all of them a sheet of paper with notes, including his number and address; the camp.

James had gone as quickly as he could. He didn´t actually know when it would start. A month from here or even the same day, he had just gotten information about that he was accepted and then suddenly Nathaniel showed up days after.. saying he was enlisting in the French Army, if ONLY he had know before hand, then he wouldnt have been so ready to apply there or now at the moment. He stood off the bus as he walked inside, before greeting the people as he got inside the dining-hall. He looked around for a brief moment, before he walked over to stand with some of the other soldiers instantly falling into small talk conversations, before he heard the lieutenant that was in charge order silence. He stopped talking instantly, before looking over towards him, as he heard all the information. He then got called over to a team of three others and a sergant, but when he walked over there.. he dropped his bag by accident, leaving a shocked expression on his face, as he looked at Nathaniel, before feeling like dying inside. * FUCK.... *. He hurried to get his bag up, as he half ran to the spot, before he placed himself besides his fellow team mates. Not even that.. but if they passed.. he would be team sergeant.. on the aircraft.. he was to manage!. * Noo no no! *. He looked up for a second, as he could feel his body tense, as he stood a little nervously, as he couldn´t find any form of calmness and peace inside of himself after hearing Nathaniel´s words.

He noticed the looks he got from time to time, but also the calm smile on his lips, sending shivers down his spine. He didn´t know if Nathaniel had any plans on dumping his ass the first day, but he would give him ever reason NOT TO. He clenched his hand, as he suddenly felt like the small kid, like they had switched places.. while Nathaniel had grown into a man, he was still stuck in what felt like teenage stage. " Yes Sir! ". He said with the other team mates, as he looked shortly down, before looking up again, as he gently took the paper, before looking at Nathaniel, as he looked away from his gaze for a brief moment, as he licked his lips, just so they didn´t chap.. but it could also be understood as something else, but he didn´t even think about that, as he stood there. He looked down at the paper. It was tomorrow!?. He hadn´t gotten that information at all!?. He looked at the paper, before he placed it back in his pocket, as he had rolled it together rather quickly, before waiting to be dismissed.
When they had, he almost ran out from there, before he waited at the busstop, feeling defeated.. and almost wanting to flee. He hid his face in his hands, as he sighed, before looking up towards the sky, as he couldn´t wait to get away from there..

- Next day -

Only to find him the next morning, standing the same spot, as he had left so quickly, he only had what the note said you where allowed to take with you, but everything else was left at home. He was the last one to be called in to be examed once again, only this time, with more personal to look him over, before he was weighed, as he passed. There where another vampire on the scene, a doctor, thanks to him, he got easily through, or else it would have been so noticable with his missing heartbeat. He sighed, as he walked out, before he was to get his training attire, uniforms and tag from Nathaniel. Other´s had already gotten it, so he was the last one, to come over to the camp, as he waited for Nathaniel to grand him access, so he could get all that he needed.

Nathaniel had definitely expected that to happen. James seemed so shocked about Nathaniel being his new sergeant that it all matched up perfectly. Of course, as soon as they had been dismissed, James had disappeared - and when he was the last to show up the next day, Nathaniel had almost gotten the impression that he had scared the poor guy away. That wasn’t the case. There he stood, ready to begin his training - and Nathaniel couldn’t help but smile a crooked smile at him. ‘’Look who decided to show up!’’ he said, winking at James. ‘’Come on in! I’ve got your things right here, King.’’ He said. Of course, they used surnames, which made it terrible for Nathaniel. He hated his name. As soon as he had handed James a pile with his new clothes, shoes, dog-tags and other necessary stuff, he looked at James. ‘’So, let’s get this clear. Whatever happened back then, I don’t care about. I’ve moved on from your pathetic behavior, King. I won’t tolerate you treating anyone on this camp that way - got it? If I catch you as much as considering spewing venomous words at your team-mates, I’ll discharge you on the spot and notify Sorbonne about my decision.’’ He said, looking straight at James. He had no remorse, when it came to be making sure James didn’t treat others on the team ill.
‘’If you have anything to say to me, as Nathaniel and not your sergeant, you better say it now. The moment you put on your uniform, you answer to me directly, until other orders are given.’’ He said, crossing his arms; showing an inch or so of the tattoo on his arm; a feather, half black and half white, functioning as a quill as it crossed out the word ‘worthless’ in scribbles. It had taken months to accept it all - and when he had, he had gotten the tattoo as a reminder that such words didn’t matter to him any longer.

James rolled his eyes for a moment, as he said " Of course i did ". He walked inside, as he noticed the wink, before raising his brow a little at him, as he looked at his stuff. He took a step back, as he had gotten his stuff, before standing there with it all in his hands, as he listened to Nathaniel´s almost threat, as he nodded a little, before taking a step back once again, but this time, he accidentally took a step back onto the side of his own foot, making him fall back, as he dropped everthing down onto himself, as he looked up towards Nathaniel quite shocked at the sudden change in him. He hadn´t seen this side of Nathaniel and the switch was even more real nok, as he looked up towards him, before looking down, as he said " I wont! ". He looked away from him for a moment, as he gathered all his stuff, before he said " I´m sorry i treated you so badly, i did it because i was a stupid kid.. and you were gorgeous to look at.. and i fell for you.. and then i couldn´t deal with it, so i treated you like SHIT and then that day i couldnt control myself anymore! ". He almost yelled the last, as he looked stunned, before he realised what he had said, as he noticed the tattoo first there, when he had gotten the dog tag over his head, and the clothing up once again.

There he stood.. having spilled his biggest secret.. that he too had been confused.. and that Nathaniel had been the one to stirr it inside of him, then making him project all the anger and all the confusion onto him, as he blaimed him for making him that way.. and then realising too late.. that it was normal. " I´m sorry for the way i spoke that day, i am vile.. i know that, so just.. ignore me, i wont talk like that to anyone again ". He looked down, as he turned before almost running out from the tent, as he wanted to make as much and great distance between them, as he could. None of his words had been harsh when he had raised his voice, instead they had sounded sad, almost choked at some points... as he found his way to the tent, before changing, as he met with the team mates, before getting ready for the first challenge, be it if it was running for almost an hour, or the track through the forest in a 10 km run. * Why the fuck did i say that.. fuck.. *.

Nathaniel simply looked at him, as he tumbled and landed with his stuff on top of him. He was shocked, as he should be. Nathaniel had been the one to accept everything and building up the anger, sadness and pain - only to be the one to feel bad for the bully in the end. It was so cliché…

Then, when the so-called truth had been revealed with loud words that made it possible for all of the other team-mates to hear it, James had scurried off. Nathaniel sighed, before he turned to his team and with the most calm and collected voice, he loudly ordered them; ‘’You have not heard a word of what your team-member have just uttered. If I find any of you mentioning - or even thinking about - this event, there will be consequences, for all of you. Get ready; I want you in full uniform in five minutes.’’ He said, before he left the barracks and followed James to the changing-tent. He didn’t even bother to knock or announce his entrance, before he entered the tent and looked straight at him.

‘’Stop talking to him. he is a loser. Probably a virgin also. As I said. A nobody.’’ Nathaniel said, as he crossed his arms. ‘’I heard your father yell at you once again. if you let people wander all over you, you might even turn into a girl, having no balls and all to stand up for yourself. Like a little boy.’’ He then said, narrowing his eyes. He looked straight at James, his nose wrinkled slightly in a grimace.
‘’Remember that, King? That wasn’t a guy having a crush. That wasn’t a guy trying to act tough. That was a guy who did everything in his power to break another person. You never even cared what you did to me, because you had a good time.’’ He said, still just looking at him. He grinded his teeth, considering if he should tell the rest.

‘’Do you know the most common method of converting young men at the camps? Shock-therapy. Frying the brain. And when that didn’t help, they decided to show me what it was they were trying to cure, by forcing the act upon me.’’ He then said, grinding his teeth shortly once more. ‘’And all I could think about, while he was on top of me, was the fact that you had told your mother I had gifted you a jacket, even though you had mocked me for reeking… How you must have seemed genuinely happy about that stupid jacket, since your mother called mine, when all you ever did to me was to make me feel like I was nothing and a no one.’’ He said, running his tongue over his teeth. He sighed ‘’I wanted you on team O because of your grades. You’re one of the best engineers. don’t disappoint me with your personal issues. How you feel about what you did matters little to those who got hurt. A bomb doesn’t stop falling because you apologize.’’ He said, before he backed out of the tent, only to breath out hard as he felt how he was trembling from telling about the experience at the conversion camp. He stood there, right outside the tent, breathing heavy, as he waited for James to join them.

James looked shocked, as he suddenly found himself standing half naked with Nathaniel, alone in a tent in the camp. He looked at him, as he started to ramble the words he had said against Nathaniel. The hurted.. more than he had thought. He felt sick hearing them, as he heard him also say that it wasn´t the words of someone who had a crush. He couldn´t know that.. and he had finally told the truth and now he didn´t believe him and why should he. He sat down, as he had heard everything.. feeling and looking more pale than he had ever looked. He had what.. he had endured.. rape!?.. rape because of him.. no.. no it couldnt be. He just sat there, looking like he had seen a ghost, like he couldn´t move. He felt horrible, so horrible that he actually ended up throwing up for the first time in his entire life. He looked down at all the blood, before he cleaned it as fast as he could, before he got out of the tent, when he had gotten himself into the clothing he was suppose to. When he finally came out of the tent.. he looked like someone on the verge of death. He felt so heavy.. he was the fault for Nathaniel having endured hell on earth.. he.. deserved everything Nathaniel threw at him.

He walked over to his team mates, as he placed himself at the side of them, with his gaze looking down, except if he was ordered to look up, but the gaze would be different.. he would look empty, not that he had shut his emotions off, but he had nothing to say or do in this moment. He felt like the worst ever. His eyes where red from him holding tears back, as he looked out into the nothingness.. as he just followed Nathaniel´s command. He at least deserved to get a marvelous team, with him not talking back or ANYTHING.

It was easy to hear the effect Nathaniel’s words had on the vampire, because as soon as he had left, vomiting ensued. Of course, Nathaniel felt horrible for making him feel that way, but just at James did; Nathaniel had to get things off his chest.
As they assembled on the first of the several training-fields, Nathaniel looked at them as they were all lined up. ‘’There will be no training today. You have all just arrived - some landing harder than others - and that will not lead to a fair comparison. We’ll start training tomorrow at 04.00. Lewis,’’ he said, looking straight at the young man next to James. ‘’Fetch the paramedic - his name is Leeds. Tell him King is feeling under the weather, and that I will escort him to my tent.’’ Lewis nodded, following with a confirmation of what he had to do. He then left, walking with mechanical precision. ‘’Carré and Caroline, go pick up the training-rifles and do some target-practicing. Don’t return until I say so.’’ he then said, before he looked straight at James. ‘’King… Come with me.’’ He said, before he turned around and walked towards Nathaniel’s private tent.
‘’Throwing up won’t help. If anything, you’re just making things worse. You need your blood, J.’’ he said, as they had gotten far enough for the others to be unable to hear them. ‘’Hey man, I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have told you about that. Are you alright? Or should I ask Leeds to bring some transfusion-rations?’’ he then asked, looking straight at James, clearly worried about the poor vampire. Nathaniel had gotten it off his chest. He had no need to be a prick to James any longer, and continuing to be mean to him would only make him as bad as James had been. That wasn’t okay.

James looked away from Nathaniel as he heard the words, before he said " I´m fine Sergeant ". He stood a little more straight with his back, as he looked over towards him. He would have been shocked when he heard the tent part, but he didn´t look anything, he just looked down, as he didn´t know what to say to everything. James followed, while listening to his words but he couldn´t really hear anything, as he felt the shame on his shoulders weighting him down even more and more, as he said " Stop apologizing.. i dont deserve it, and i dont wanna hear it ". He sighed, as he got inside the tent, before he stopped, as he said " I´m fine. There is no need to push the training away and i dont need any blood. Please let us continue Sergeant ".

He looked at him, waiting for an answer, as he didn´t move a muscle. He felt so horrible.. as he looked at him, before looking away, as tears started to glide down, as he quickly brushed them away, as he said " I don´t have anything more to say Sergeant, i.. nothing will fix this.. ever ". He looked down, as he felt like someone had punched him, as the words kept rolling inside of his head, as he fell down on his knees.. as he trembled.. before he got up once again, as he said " I will.. i will drop out ". He turned, as he walked to the exit of the tent, as he couldn´t stand staying here.. knowing he had hurt Nathaniel in that way.. but mostly.. he thought about his parents also.. what they had sent him too.

‘’You’re not fine until I say so.’’ he said, looking at James with a stern look in his void-eyes. He had no intention to make excuses for James - but he knew that vampires needed blood and that this seemed like one of those times where feelings would easy overcome the mind.
As they stood inside Nathaniel’s tent, it was clear that he had next to no objects of personal origin. No pictures, no clothes beside his uniform, no personal affections. He didn’t need it.
‘’We’ll continue when I give the order. For now, your order is to stay here and wait for Leeds to check up on you.’’ He said, but James continued by saying how nothing would ever fix this. Nathaniel looked at him, confused. ‘’Fix what?’’ he asked, but he managed little than that before James collapsed onto his knees. ‘’You will do no such thing.’’ He said, Nathaniel said loudly, only to follow James outside and with no hesitation pulled him into his arms in a hug. ‘’No more apologizing. No more confessions… Let’s just… talk, until Leeds have made sure you’re alright. Training can wait - you’re not being shipped off to war just yet, J.’’ he said, before he sighed.
‘’One thing I learned that night…’’ Nathaniel said, slightly hesitant, before he allowed one of his hands to pull out his knife from his belt, ‘’Is that you need blood.’’ He said, as he made a incision on his palm, about an inch long; allowing blood to trickle into a pool, before he released James from the hug and placed his knife back in his belt. He then held out the hand, non-verbally telling James to drink. ‘’It is an order.’’ He then said, feeling the bitter taste of using his status to force James.

James stopped as he suddenly found himself in Nathaniel´s arms, wanting to be set free, wanting to run from the feelings that sparked underneath his skin. He didn´t try to get free, he didn´t try to do anything at the moment. He heard his words as he almost trembled in his arms, before he said " Sergeant, i´m FINE. Now let me go ". He was about to try and get free, before he heard his words.. how he said that he had learned one thing that night. " Se-Nathaniel no.. NO! ". He growled, as he suddenly turned, as Nathaniel let him go, before smelling the blood, as he looked at it, how it dripped from his palm. His eyes turned red with no hesitation, as he hurried to take Nathaniel´s arm, before pulling him back into the tent, as he raised his voice. " Are you mad!? ". He looked at the blood and then at Nathaniel, feeling how the blood hunger pulled in him, before he turned as he stood with his back to Nathaniel. " I wont Nathaniel, so dont.. ". He closed his eyes, as he tried to hold himself back, but if he came closer, if he left him no chose, he wouldn´t be able to hold himself back, as he would bite down into his hand, without any hesitation, before tackling him, so he could sit on top of him, keep him on the ground, as he would slowly drink from him, not much but just enough..

‘’You forget who gives the orders,’’ he said, as James pulled him inside the tent once more. ‘’And mad might just be what I am, for even considering this. However, how am I to trust you as a part of my team, if you lie to me? Now, drink, grow a pair of balls and let’s get on with our day.’’ He said, as he walked closer to James, only to be tackled and pinned down as James sat on top of him, drinking from his hand as ordered.
‘’Now, you listen to me. You are the engineer. You are the man keeping things functionable, running smooth. I can’t have you objecting every order I give you, okay? One day, it might cost lives. You enlisted without me telling you to. now show me why you wanted to join - show me that you can keep your cool and fight, regardless of what the hell is going on in your head. If you can’t do that, I can’t allow you to be a member of Ophelia.’’ He said; his voice once again as calm as ever, even though a vampire sat on his chest; drinking from him. He placed a hand on James’ thigh, ready to push him away the moment he felt light-headed enough to be worried. He had pushed James over the edge as well. They were even now - revenge had been dealt. Now, he had to let go of the past and forgive James for everything that had happened before he left for the States.
‘’I kinda missed this,’’ he then said, with a crooked smile on his lips; winking at James. Humor was his way of reacting to things when he had no sensible things to say.

James stopped slowly, before Nathaniel would hit the lightness part, as he was experienced in drinking from humans, or just people in general. He closed his eyes for a moment, before he trembled slightly, underneath the sudden touch to his thigh, as he looked down towards Nathaniel, before hearing him say that he kinda missed this. He blushed heavily, as he said " You really are sick.. ". As he looked to the side, before looking more than embarassed now, as he hadn´t meant it in a hard way, but more like he didn´t understand him.. now he was the one to send mixed signals. He looked towards him once more, as he placed a hand on each side of Nathaniel´s face, as he said " What´s with saying you missed this... missed what.. being taking blood from.. and why are you.. why.. ". He clenched his fist, as he looked at him, before his facial expression softened, as he was rather close to Nathaniel´s face.. as his eyes followed down towards his lips for a moment, before he pulled himself back, as he looked a little shocked towards him, as he looked the other way almost immidiately, while still sitting on the floor, as he said " I promise, i wont be a problem from this day on.. Sergeant ".

He sighed, as he could feel it inside, the urge.. the animalistic nature.. it was all pulling in him, pulling towards Nathaniel, but he would NOT give in to it. He slowly gut up, as he dusted himself off, before he removed most of the blood, as he said " I´m fine now, so am i allowed to leave ". He felt his chest tighten.. as he wanted to touch him again, but held himself back. He closed his eyes for a moment, as he tried to picture himself being another place.. why was everything such a fucking mess. Vampires felt emotions so much higher than humans cold ever experience, which was why some became mad.. and which was why James had acted like he had, but it was no excuse worth. He opened his eyes once again, as he looked towards Nathaniel. If he was allowed to go, he would. " I.. i cant be in here, please let me go ". He could feel it in his body, and his member had already started to react, as he turned his back to Nathaniel, as he tried to calm himself. * Fuck.. stop it.. *.

He chuckled as the vampire told him that he really was sick. ‘’That means you were right back then. Want a cookie?’’ he jested, before he felt a hand on either side of his head, and James placing his face dangerously close to Nathaniel’s. ‘’What part of it is hard to understand?’’ he asked, allowing his warm breath to hit softly against James’ face. ‘’I don’t doubt that.’’ He said, as James had exclaimed, he wouldn’t be a problem in the future.
He managed to sit up by supporting himself on his elbows; looking at James as he asked if he was allowed to leave. ‘’You are excused, just… Don’t go do anything stupid,’’ Nathaniel said, as he tried to get on his feet, but all he managed to do was to go sit on the bed, since he felt lightheaded. He breathed in heavy, as he looked at his hand and instinctively licked some of the remaining blood off of it.
‘’You might want to make sure your teammates don’t see you leave my tent with a hardon, J.’’ he then said, before he pulled out a piece of chocolate from the nightstand’s drawer. He had ben prepared for this situation for a while; him needing to regain energy after blood loss. He closed his eyes for a moment, not even getting to open the damn chocolate wrapper.

James stopped as he heard Nathaniel´s words, before he turned around, as he felt like Nathaniel was fucking with him, just.. in another way than he had thought would happen ever. He walked back to him, when he heard the heavy breathing, and saw how he closed his eyes, not even opening the wrapper. " For fuck sake Nath.. why did you offer if ". He sighed, as he walked over towards him, as he said " I just normally get a hard on, dont go thinking it´s because your are some sort of special snowflake.. or something ". He gritted through his teeth, as he sat down besides him. " Move over ". He gently pressed himself at the side of Nathaniel, before he forced him to lay down, as he looked a little at him, before he opened the wrapper, as he leaned down and placed it on his chest, as he clapped it gently, before saying " Here princess ". He smiled a little, as his tone was teasing, but not in a mean mannor, as he looked at his hand, before taking a soft hold in it, as he said " Why did you lick it?. Savage.. ".

He sighed, before leaning forward, as he gently licked the place, before he bit into his own tongue, letting his blood glide over the palm of him, so it would heal almost instantly. " There, happy.. ". He sighed, as he looked at him with a worried gaze, before looking a little more down at him, as he was about to ask him something but stopped, as he just turned his back to him, but still sat besides him, as he leaned a little forward, while laying pressure on his folded hands underneath his chin and the elbows on his knees. " I´m gonna stay here until the medic comes.. so.. just eat your chocolate and dont talk to me ". He closed his eyes, as he tried everything to calm himself down.. the smell.. the scent.. his own arousal.. fuck.. it was torture!.

‘’First of all, I offered it because I was worried about you, you dingus!’’ he sighed, only to open his eyes and see James walking over to him again, talking about how Nathaniel should pride himself with being special just because of a boner. ‘’I know. But that doesn’t mean that the others know.’’ He then said, only to feel James sit down next to him and force him to lay down. He looked up at the ceiling of the tent, of course tired from loosing blood - but he had no one to blame but himself. ‘’Thanks, prince Charming,’’ he said, in a teasing manner, as he felt the chocolate being placed on his chest. Everything seemed to be spinning, making him feel even more dizzy.
‘’Savage? Says the man who drink from the palm of my hand not two minutes ago,’’ he mumbled, before he took the chocolate with his free hand and placed it in his mouth; suddenly reminded of the fact that he disliked chocolate. He frowned shortly, until he felt James tongue against his palm. He couched slightly, feeling a piece of chocolate lodge itself into his throat for a moment. ‘’T-thanks!’’ he mumbled under a couch, before he closed his eyes once more, until his breathing calmed down again.
‘’Nope, can’t do that - sorry!’’ he said, in a teasing manner. ‘’Come on, what were you about to ask me? Or should I order you to tell me? Would that make it easier?’’ he asked, nudging against his shoulder with the hand James just had healed almost to perfection. He wanted the deafening silence to be broken; he wanted them to be able to talk as equals, since he had never felt that way whenever James had been there.

He smirked a little, as he was called prince charming, before he sighed. He looked a little shocked at Nathaniel when he sounded like he was almost choking for a moment, before the crisis was averted, as he rolled his eyes of him. " Don´t go choking, just because i licked your hand ". He laughed a little, before he looked away from him once again, as he sat into the same position as before, as he said " Why are they taking so long.. ". He sighed, as he heard his words, and felt the nudging against his shoulder, as he turned to look at him, before he smirked a little, as he leaned down towards him, as he licked his lips, before saying " Fine, you really wanna know?. I was just thinking about how good those lips would feel some special place on my body. Happy now? ". He looked at him, before he chuckled a little, as he said " it´s a joke.. i don´t think like that.. about you ". He looked shortly at him, listening to everything, before he leaned forward, grabbing each arm of Nathaniel, when suddenly he remembered his words, as he released him almost immidiately and pulled himself back, looking more than ashamed, as he said " Sorry.. i didn´t mean to.. ". He got slowly up, as he said " I trust that you are man enough to be left alone without dying, so.. thanks, but i will be going now. It wont calm down near you anyway.. ". He looked around, as he took one of Nathaniel´s jacket´s, as he smiled, before placing it in front of him, as he said " You will get it tomorrow, i promise ". He then took his own off, as he placed it on the table, as he walked out from there, so it didn´t look like he had taken anything og Nathaniel´s.

He was NOT going to stop, as he walked all the way back to camp, before meeting the medic as he was on his way back. He talked with them and then sent them to Nathaniel and said that he might be a little anemic, before he got inside the tent with his team mates, that all looked at him for a moment, before he walked past them and over to his bed, as he sat down, before trying to calm down. So they didn´t have any training today.. great. He sighed, as he got up when he had calmed enough down. He walked out the tent, as he walked over towards the dining hall, as he signed himself on cleaning duty, but also on duty for making the food, as he started to help the kitchen. He felt more refreshed than before, but he still thought about the thing.. about him almost kissing Nathaniel while holding him down, as he cut the onions more and more, faster and faster, before he sighed, as he dumped it in the tray, as he cleaned up, before he sat down and closed his eyes, trying to rest a little, while trying to think about something else.. as he sat in the chair, not noticing anyone leaving, as he just dosed off..

It was like they had been old friends, rekindling their friendship. The truth couldn’t have been further from it, however. James had been the whole reason he had left earlier to camp, as he had felt horrible about everything. Now, it seemed so insignificant.
‘’I’ll go choking when I want to, private King!’’ he chuckled at the vampire, with a crooked smile on his lips. As James then said what appeared to be the thoughts Nathaniel had asked him to reveal, Nathaniel simply laughed softly at him. ‘’I thought you considered every place on your body special?’’ he joked, only to be told that it was a joke and that he didn’t think that way about Nathaniel. ‘’Good. I’m not gay, remember? Conversion camp and all that shit.’’ He said, somewhat joking. Nathaniel knew nothing about what gender he preferred. He didn’t really bother to find out, to be honest. The uniform did the work when picking up company, anyway.
All of a sudden, James was about to kiss Nathaniel - and the only difference from back then was that Nathaniel this time simply looked calmly at James; waiting for him to carry on with the kiss. However, he didn’t. instead, he pulled away, apologizing. Nathaniel looked at him, slightly confused, but he managed to simply mutter; ‘’As I said, no more apologies.’’. Then, as James grabbed one of Nathaniel’s jackets, he smirked at him. ‘’You get yours when I get mine then. And I thought you said that that wasn’t because of me.’’ He said, winking at the vampire, before James left the tent and Nathaniel with a groan placed himself vertically in the bed again and looked up at the ceiling.

The medic had arrived, simply telling Nathaniel to stop toying with James. It was disrespectful to force blood onto a vampire. Nathaniel agreed, was given something to drink and then left alone for the rest of the day. It wasn’t until later he had decided that he better go get something to eat in the dining hall. It was about to close, so most people had finished eating. He packed a plate with vegetables, since that was about all he cared to eat. Then, he looked straight at James for a moment, sighing. He sat down, eating his ‘dinner’, whilst looking at James from time to time, to make sure he was ‘just sleeping’.

He slowly opened his eyes, as he stretched his body, making the shirt pull a little up to show the chiseled stomach, as he rubbed his eyes in a tired manner, before he slowly sat more straight up once again, as he looked around only to find himself and Nathaniel inside the dining-hall. He instantly looked away from Nathaniel as he said " Are you here to haunt me?, or are you beginning to stalk me? ". He laughed a little, as he got up, before he looked around as he walked over towards Nathaniel but stopped halfway, as he looked down a little, before scratching his neck, as he said " I.. will go back, see you tomorrow Sergeant ". He had to learn boundaries and also respect for Nathaniel. He wasn´t some childhood friend or sweetheart.. but his Sergeant, his superior, so he also had to show that, as he couldn´t keep playing with him in this manner, like they were best buddies or lovers for that matter.

He turned as he walked out the dining-hall, before he came back to the camp, as he got himself ready to relax, before he laid down in his bed, as he closed his eyes and fell asleep. He couldn´t help but lay and dream a little of something.. or rather someone he shouldnt, and it was driving him mad.. to the point, where he ended up walking out the tent and all the way to the bathroom, an hour before anyone else, as he got naked and got into the little shower, as he pulled the curtain to the side and let the cold water run down his naked body, feeling how refreshing it felt, while it almost felt like small needles piercing the tip of his head, as he groaned a little from it, before a soft almost moan escaped his lips, as he leaned forward and just tried to relax, while feeling the water. He hated that he didn´t feel in control anymore.. as if everything had just.. oozed out of him, but he wouldn´t let it anymore.. he would be the best soldier for his group, for Nathaniel, but nothing else.. than one of the others. He let out a soft sigh.

‘’Why not both, King?’’ he asked, as he had noticed James had gotten up from his designated sleeping position and approached Nathaniel - only to stop halfway there.
‘’Nah, I’m actually just here to get some dinner. We’re getting up early for practice tomorrow, remember?’’ he then said, winking at James for a moment, before he noticed how the vampire once more looked like Nathaniel had said something wrong to him. ‘’Sweet dreams, Private King.’’ He said, as James stated that he wanted to return to his tent with the others. Left was Nathaniel alone in the dining hall. He finished his late dinner before he cleaned up after himself and then walked a quiet round to ensure everyone was in their beds; only to find that when he arrived at team O’s tent, James wasn’t in his bed. Slightly worried, he decided to make sure the vampire was okay; a mistake. As soon as he approached the shower room, he heard the soft groan - reminiscing of a moan - making him shake his head. A soft sigh ensued, making Nathaniel convinced that James was alright, at least physically. He couldn’t help with the mental part. Briefly, he considered telling James to go back to bed, but he decided on not interrupting him, so he simply closed the door to the shower room again and began walking out of the tent.