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Pyro almost trips over his own feet when Scott helps him up, only just keeping himself upright by Scott's hand on his waist. He lets Scott lead him back through the forest, too lightheaded to trace their steps back on his own.
As the walls of Oakhurst come back into view, Scott stops abruptly, Pyro almost running into his back. He shrinks into himself as Scott turns on him, his eyes narrowed, the dark red gleaming with danger.
“You won't tell anyone about what happened, will you, Pyro? You're smarter than that.”
Pyro nods his head quickly, making himself dizzy with the movement.
He flinches as a hand lands on his shoulder. “Words, Pyro.”
Pyro swallows thickly. “I won't tell anyone! I– I swear I won't!”
Scott's expression evens out before his smile returns, as if it had never left in the first place. “Good.”
Pyro trails behind Scott as the vampire starts back towards Oakhurst, trying to keep a safe distance.
Instead of feeling relief as they enter through the gates, Pyro feels their shoulders hunching up, tension building. They watch Scott walk towards his house with Shelby, not bothering to give Pyro a look back as he goes.
Shelby.
Is she safe sharing a house with Scott?
Maybe now that Scott had them, he would leave her alone?
Pyro finds themself hoping so. Shelby had been kind to them. She didn't deserve any of the things Scott was going to do to Pyro.
What was Scott going to do to Pyro?
Obviously the vampire was going to feed from them, but was that all? It would be so easy for Scott to hurt them.
“Pyro?”
They flinch, turning quickly. The doctor stands a little ways away, a concerned look on his face.
That wasn't good. No one could know that anything was wrong.
Their life depended on it.
Pyro offers the Legundo a small, tight-lipped smile. “Hi, doc. Did you need something?”
Legundo looks Pyro up and down. “Are you alright?”
“Of course!” Pyro responds quickly, maybe too quickly, because it doesn't seem to reassure the doctor at all. “I, I mean. I'm fine. I'm doing good.”
Legundo stays silent for a tense moment. A bead of sweat drips down Pyro's forehead.
Finally, Legundo nods, his eyes still creased in concern. “Okay. You know you can come to me if you need anything, right?”
Pyro nods, guilt festering in his gut despite the necessity of the lie. “Thanks, doc.”
Pyro waves awkwardly, walking the short distance to his front door. Pyro doesn't let his guard down even once inside, glancing around for his roommate.
Luckily, Apo isn't anywhere in sight.
Pyro wasn't a good liar. They weren't sure they could manage to sway someone like Apo. Pyro liked Apo, but she was clever and intense. They need to up their game and get a story together if they don't want Scott to kill them for outing him, intentionally or not.
Pyro sighs, sliding down the wall beside Truffle's pen and setting his hand on her head.
“Hi, Truffle.” He whispers.
The pig oinks quietly in response, blinking her innocent brown eyes at him.
“I've got myself into a bad situation here. I don't know what I'm meant to do.”
He lifts his free hand to the mark on his neck, covered by his overcoat. “I should probably start by covering this up, huh?”
Truffle pushes her head against his leg, earning a wet laugh from him. He leans his head back against the wall.
“Thanks, Truffle.”
Pyro sits there for another moment longer before forcing himself to stand again. He makes his way over to the small chest in the corner, rummaging around for a moment before pulling out a small roll of bandages.
It must have been Apo's, but surely she wouldn’t notice such a small roll going missing?
Pyro didn't really have a choice anyway. He couldn't leave the mark out for anyone to see. That would be a death sentence for sure.
Especially if Avid saw. The man was paranoid enough that Pyro is sure he would get accused right along Scott.
Pyro sits down on the end of his bed, wrapping a strip of bandages firmly around the bite mark. He shrugs off his muddy overcoat, folding it neatly before doing the same with his other dirty clothes. He changes into a high collared shirt and clean pants because falling back onto the sheets.
Pyro stares at the ceiling, burrowing his face into his pillow the moment tears start to escape the corners of his eyes.
This was just Pyro's luck.
Strolling into the forest with the only two vampires. Being forced into being a meal for one of them.
What a mess.
All they could hope for was that Scott would keep his word to not kill them. As long as they did as Scott wanted, the vampire would let them live.
It meant they had to bare their throat for him, but Pyro wouldn't be killed.
Pyro didn't want to die.
They didn't want their death to hurt.
Scott would definitely make it painful if Pyro disobeyed him.
Would anyone even believe them if they told?
No one took Avid seriously.
If Pyro dared to say anything it was likely that they would be completely disregarded. Then Scott would find out, and they would be dead.
What could anyone do to help anyway? Avid claimed to be a hunter, but Pyro doubted the man had any capability to actually fight anyone.
Legundo had offered to help Pyro if they needed it, but he would definitely turn them away if they told him what happened.
Maybe Apo would believe him, but she had been agitated by the supernatural talk for Avid and Shelby, so there was no way to be sure that she would take him seriously.
Pyro didn't know anyone well enough to ask for their help and be sure he would be believed.
It was better to stay silent and do what Scott said. He would only be endangering everyone else along with himself if he told.
Pyro sniffles, running his hands over his face. He still felt sick from the blood loss. He could at least use that as an excuse to stay away from everyone for a few days, if Scott let him.
He could use the symptoms he was having to deceive Legundo so that the doctor would leave him alone.
It wasn't a great plan, but it was the only one he had.
It would have to be better than nothing.