1. Chapter 1 (1/2)
a follow-up to 'ucas', which takes place some time later. it's fresher's week here, so enjoy. slash. drunken, crazy slash.
disclaimer: not miiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine.
bertrand was trying to find vlad to give him a book he thought might be useful to him, but the boy was nowhere to be seen. he tried the training room, the throne room, his room, the blood cellar, and even erin's old room. it wasn't until he made his way to the kitchen, however, that he finally found the chosen one.
"vlad? is something wrong?" the younger vampire barely looked up before he was standing, striding through the corridors as bertrand followed him."no. everything's fine. what do you want?" bertrand held up the book, a peace offering; he wasn't sure why vlad was so annoyed but he didn't want that fury aimed at him."just thought you might want this for your course. you get your first assignment soon, don't you?"vlad took the book with a heavy sigh as they reached his room, sitting down with the politics textbook on his lap. "thanks."
bertrand knew he should leave, but he found himself perching on the edge of the sofa next to his student as the door swung closed behind them."are you worried about it? you needn't be-""no, i'm not worried.""then what's wrong?" vlad rolled his eyes, finally blurting out what was on his mind."it's fresher's week! i should be out getting drunk and shagging randoms!"
bertrand winced; of course, all his friends from school were arriving on campus all over the country now, ready for a week-long party. erin was beginning her studies in edinburgh and had, no doubt, spent the fortnight before she left raving about the university experience to vlad. the open university, however academically perfect for vampires, was unable to offer that.
"i know you feel like you're missi-" bertrand stopped as he moved his foot slightly and heard a clink. reaching down, he retrieved a bottle of soy blood from the floor. it had a tiny black asterisk marked on the label, and bertrand glanced from it to his student and back again, reluctantly impressed. "well, it doesn't seem like you have to pass up on the getting drunk part."vlad raised an eye
ow. "alone? yeah, great fun."
"well... i suppose i could stay if you want company." vlad grinned, producing more bottles from various corners of his room, and bertrand sighed; he had a feeling he'd just played right into the hands of one of vlad's typically manipulative schemes. this was confirmed when vlad handed him a bottle of bar fly, as opposed to the spiked soy blood he'd amassed for himself."vlad, why do you have real alcoholic blood in your room?" the chosen one looked a little embarrassed."i was hoping you'd stay. it's only mild, that stuff, we're not getting completely wasted."
bertrand shrugged; he wasn't going to turn down blood. they clinked bottles and took a few sips, but then vlad came up with a
illiant idea. one that he'd just thought of at that very moment, honestly."why don't we play 'i have never'?"
an hour later, they were pretty drunk, and were playing strip magic-cards. bertrand wasn't sure how that state of affairs had come about, but he did know that they were both having trouble remembering the rules. so far, due to a general confusion over who was winning, neither of them had taken off more than their jackets. vlad smiled boozily at his tutor."this isn't working. can we just... you know?"