1. Chapter 1 (1/1)

just a wee one-shot, not much plot involved. enjoy.

disclaimer: i don't own young dracula, thankfully. it's a much better show for it.

"vlad." the boy looked up from his book, frustration scrawled across his features."you've spent an hour telling me to read this, bertrand, what is it now?""i find you attractive." his tutor was speaking as if this was just another vampire law he needed to be aware of."what?" there was no way he was awake, this was too bizarre."you should know that that's not why i'm so protective of you, or anything like that. i don't expect anything from you and i'll never do anything to make you uncomfortable. i just felt you should know." vlad raised an eye

ow, stupidly fixating on the part of the sentence that seemed less bizarre than most of the other parts."you felt?" bertrand looked a little offended."yes. i apologise if that's wrong-"

"wait, you're attracted to me?" bertrand nodded. "as in... physically?" the older vampire sighed."physically. personally. emotionally. completely." he was still speaking as if it was just another fact, and vlad supposed that to him, it might be. to vlad, it was like having the world turned upside down without warning."...why?" alright, it wasn't the most suave thing he could have said, but he was confused and surprised and bertrand had to be messing with him."i don't know." well, that was offensive. and completely unlike bertrand. it seemed the flash of hurt that came from nowhere at his tutor's words had shown in his face, though, and bertrand was continuing. "i don't understand it, but it's not as if you aren't... it's not about being the chosen one, if that's your concern. you're just... you're not like anyone else.""i'm not?""i don't want anyone else." he spoke as if that should settle it, and then he picked up his own book and began to skim through it again, apparently resigned to vlad's indifference or distaste.

vlad sat for a while, pondering these latest developments, before he realised he needed to exchange some information with his tutor. vital information, that his most trusted advisor might be able to help him process."you should know i fancy you too." bertrand looked up."what?""you heard, bertrand." his tutor's eyes settled on his face, reading every minute detail of his expression. vlad forced himself not to look away."...why-?""bertrand, you can't just copy my reactions." the look on his tutor's face told him that had been unintentional, and he struggled on. "and... because... alright, i'm sorry i asked you that because it's a really hard question to answer. but i do. i don't know if you want to do anything about that or whatever, but... if you did, i wouldn't mind." not wanting to put undue pressure on the other vampire, he followed his earlier example and went back to his book.

when he looked up, five minutes later, intending to ask for clarification on a particularly strange bit of council protocol, bertrand was still watching him, his expression a little helpless. he looked for all the world as if he'd been handed the world on a plate and now he had no idea what to do with it."have i

oken you, bertrand?" he wasn't really expecting an answer."the moment i met you." bertrand hadn't been planning to say that, he could tell, but then the older vampire was standing and moving slowly towards him, looking torn. vlad stood too, meeting him halfway across the room. his eyes never left bertrand's as he felt his tutor's hand on his arm, the other coming up touch his face, bertrand still anxiously scanning his face for signs that vlad was about to run."bertrand. it's alright." and then, before bertrand could start doubting himself again, he closed the gap between their lips.