Meeting under night

[Shadowbolt0]

Midnight wasn't sure what to do, she didn't have any money to get anything, so why had Darker said to go shopping? She didn't want to use his money, it wasn't hers to spend, and it had been far too long since she'd honestly purchased something from a store. She walked from store to store, just looking, trying to think about what she was actually meant to do and where Darker had gone.

 

Eventually, when she was looking around, she heard Darker's voice next to her. She turned to him, and he seemed to have a basket full of different foods. She looked at the basket more than anything. There were baskets to carry the things you buy? Where did you even get them? Midnight didn't recall seeing Darker with a basket when they left the house. When he asked if she'd gone shopping, she smiled awkwardly at him and ran her hoof through her mane.

 

"It's been...no, I haven't...." Midnight lowered her head in shame, shopping was something so normal and something she hadn't actually done in years, not since she'd been changed.

[Sethore]

Dark tilled his head in wonderment, he wasn't sure how she had managed to survive without purchasing a single item or bartering in the world today. But having a diet consisting of blood only, lock picking skills and no true home, she wouldn't need to shop. Or did she have a home? Dark wasn't sure, he didn't know all that much about her and he probably never will. The value of this friendship was more impotent then sharing the history of himself or knowing hers "Well there is always a first time for everything!"  he toke a long moment to think on how he was going to explain the retail business without peppering it in unnecessary details. "In a store you will have goods which is just about everything you can buy, every good has a exchange value in the national currency. In our case, Bits." He pointed at a item on the shelf, then at its price tag below then his wallet contain the coins and sticks. It was very brief description but dark was going to make her buy something and she'll figure out the rest on her own.

 

"Lets find something you'd want to buy first~"  He nudge her with a playful smile and lured her into a isle with few mane products and at the end of the isle was a small box containing  a great verity of different colored mane clips "I've seen a few Colts buying these for their mare-friends. So I guess this is a good place to start as any" He put down the basket and stared the multitude of colors trying to pick one that looked nice on her but after a few seconds his eyes started to hurt to much to keep looking "Cursed eyes..." he step back awkwardly, removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes with his hoof to try and massage the discomfort away   "Why don't you pick some things you like and I'll explain what happens after this"

[Shadowbolt0]

Embarrassed was the one word Midnight could use to describe how she felt. Humiliated, Darker probably thought she was an idiot for not knowing how to use stores, which everypony around her knew and probably did daily. She couldn't do this, another way as proof that being her kind seperates her from ponies. She half expected him to just up and leave, he probably had better things to do that babysit her. So it was a shock to her that Darker, not only played it off, but offered to teach her the system. She listened carefully. So they had to swap money, bits, for items. Seemed simple enough, right? Looking at the pricetags around her, suddenly the numbers made sense. That was the price! 

 

She followed him in the side isle, and had to surpress her excitement when she spotted all the different mane products. Clips, pins, straighteners, conditioners, everything she could imagine sat before her, and it excited her greatly. The main pause came from when Darker said he'd seen ponies getting it for their mare-friends. But, they weren't, surely, he wasn't her, and she wasn't his...Right? They'd just met, wasn't it still a mutual agreement? To date someone? It was something she could worry about later, after all, he was offering to, get some of these for her? She smiled at him, opening her mouth before realizing she wasn't entirely sure how to word her thanks.

 

"Umm...this is...umm, really...nice?" She frowned at herself, it didn't feel right. "No, not nice, kind, selfless....T-thank you...." She smiled goofily at him, before turning her attention to the products around her. She had to pick, as much as she'd love all of them, she had to restrain herself.

 

At the end, she ended up picking up a straighter, several clips, some hairties and some spray on glitter. She put them in a basket she'd managed to find, showing it to Darker "I hope this isn't gunna cost too much, I tried not to go overboard...."

[Sethore]

Dark listen to what she had to say while rubbing his eyes, although it slightly confused him when she started trying to find the right word she was looking for. But after a little delay he had put together what she was intending say. "Your company is thank you enough for me, so don't worry to much about expressing your appreciation" He smiled at her too as he put his glasses back on and watching her as she selected things from the shelf, keeping note of the price and calculating the total cost against what the bits he had on him. "30... 46" When she selected the spray on glitter dark's eyebrow rose, what use is that anyway? It didn't make sense, putting shiny stuff in your hair but dark didn't want to judge to much. Maybe it'll be used for something but he wasn't the one buying it.

 

He toke a quick look into the basket she had managed to acquire to make sure he didn't miss anything in his calculations and eyed her in a coy way "I have too many bits, so don't worry about overboard. But do you remember the total price of the items you collected?" He wore a childish grin, he knew how much she had, but did she? it is seemed to brush past him, that he was calculating everything out loud and there was no point to questioning her. He switched it up to recover and counter pony seemed like a good escape goat "At this point we would head to the counter pony and pay for everything we want to purchase. They should be able to tell you how much it all costs, but some times they try to get a little extra out of you. Evil I say" His expression changed to suspicion and he squinted his eyes. although underneath it all he was just trying to be funny he had to make sure he looked like he was going overboard and poked his tongue at her again.

[Shadowbolt0]

Midnight was very greatful for everything, Darker was helping her do anything. But when he asked how much it was everything she'd brought, she hesitated. She honestly had no idea, around 40? She frowned, opening her mouth before closing it again "Its....ummm, 40?" She ran her hoof through her mane, embarrassed at not being able to do it since she was able to remember, she hadn't checked the price of the hair glitter. "I..I forgot, sorry.."

 

"Evil...? That is, illegal, isn't it? To cost more than usual?" That didn't sound correct, but it had been far too many years since she'd done this. Still, she supposed it was the correct thing? Darker knew more about this, so she felt better.

[Sethore]

Dark let out a soft laugh at her expense, something about her taking him all serious was funny and he didn't even bother to contain himself. But her question brought him back into the moment and he shook his head at her question while clearing his throat "No, Midnight. The bartering system allows pony's to negotiate a price, higher or lower. However, Bartering every item to sell becomes time consuming and can damage a reputation of a store, scaring off other pony's from shopping there if prices make their way up. Generally they will not barter unless you initiate, and a store like this will never barter so they can maintain income stability and accurate book keeping, Now..." He dug around the bottom of his saddle bags, removing his wallet from the grocery and presented its shining gold contents before midnight's muzzle. While in the moment she looked into the wallet, Dark rearranged his glasses on his face to look more professional "These are bits. The coins count as 1 bit, and the sticks as 10 bits. The total cost of all your items is 46 bits, you were close." he smiled and nodded at her in a sort of 'well done' sort of way "So what will you need to pay the correct amount?" It was a good opportunity to gain a grasp on her education and knowledge, so that if anything else where to come up he may explain it in a more effective way.

 

While luring her toward the counter, he felt the tiniest chill creep over him, like his spider senses were picking something up and he looked around for some pony else who could've been looking at him. But there was no pony, him and midnight seemed to be only ones inside the store, excluding the counter pony doing what ever it was he did. There was no reason for the chill but it was going away and Dark began muttering to himself "Paranoia again...? no trigger I can see..."

[Shadowbolt0]

Midnight listened carefully to Darker, this was the system she would want to use more often, if she would be able to. So usually the prices are fixed, but you can if you want? Midnight would just opt to use the listened prices, the simplier she made this for herself, the better she would be. Looking at the wallet, she made a note of the prices. So 10 for a stick, and 1 for a bit?

 

"So....It was 46, meaning...4 sticks, and 6 bits..." She said slowly, even as she reached forwards and picked up the appropriate number of coins to pay for her stuff. She took a good look at Darker while she did this, why was he helping her so much? He'd said it was company, her company, that he was. But surely there was more than that, but what? Midnight usually didn't have trouble understanding ponies, but Darker was something else, something that she didn't understand. Still, hopefully she had time to understand him. She turned over to the counter, putting the items on it for the clerk.

 

"That'll be...46" he said simply, as Midnight placed the 4 sticks and 6 bits on the counter. The clerk nodded and pulled the money away as Midnight picked up her items, putting them in the basket that Darker was holding, before hearing him mutter to himself. If she was a normal pony, then there was no way she'd ever hear it. But she wasn't normal, and her hearing was potent, which was also a common weapon against her kind.

 

"Darker...is, is everything alright?" She wasn't sure what he meant by Paranoia, but him mentioning it got her thinking of her hunters, and what limited time she might have if they found her.

[Sethore]

She most certainly had grasped the concept of marketing very quickly and he would've smiled like always hadn't his chill still clung to him as the herald of the coming panic. "Oh, I hate this part..." He straightened himself while taking a very deep breath and closed his eyes as his heart rate began to climb. The more he focused on himself the more easier it became to claim down, but even in the perfect situation he couldn't hide it very well as every emotion smashed into one another and subconscious mind was looking for escape paths. His golden eyes locked onto her blue eyes and his ears flattened right down as well as every muscle seizing up and solidifying him in place, his intense stare at her was helping him recuperate, he wasn't quite sure how she was going feel about this but if history is any teacher she is going to be at lest a little curious. He glanced at the oblivious counter pony putting away bits and then back to midnight with a deep exhale as his muscles released along with the chill and whirlwind of emotions. He tried to look normal again as he realized that the staring so intensely may have sent across the wrong message.

 

He turned his head to the side with a defeated expression as his 'normal' wasn't working out too well and softly spoke to her to avoid anyone pony else from over hearing. "I'm fine, apologizes for staring..." it sounded a lot different in his head then when he spoke aloud and swiftly placed his own basket on the counter with the bits along side it. He was feeling the fluster in his face as he impatiently awaited the counter pony to calculate and count, he hadn't felt flustered or confused since he was a colt. With this rare experience he returned to quietly mutter to himself "Maybe she wants to know...? or is it courtesy question...? unsure, too many oddities..."

[Shadowbolt0]

Hate this part? What did he mean? Midnight was being consumed with curiosity, what was happening to Darker? Was something, attacking him? She felt her anger swell and her fangs slowly started slipping out as she looked around to see what it could be, until she looked back at him. He was straight at her! She looked back into his gold eyes, she felt odd. Was he, judging her? Could he even see her? What was happening.

 

Completely consumed with questions, she haven't noticed her fangs fully extended in her mouth, not feeling them prick at her lower lip as blood slowly leaked from the cuts. After a while, she blinked as Darker as he seemed to relax. She could see the muscles on his shoulders relaxing, but she was still consumed with questions. What had just happened? His quiet speaking was to avoid other ponies, but thankfully, her near perfect hearing made it easy to pick up, an apology? He..he felt the need to say sorry?

 

"It's...." She began, before hearing more muttering. What was an oddity? And what was he asking? Did she even have a right to know? He was, well, what was he to her? She honestly wasn't sure. Was he her, friend? She wasn't sure if that was the right word to use, but it seemed to fit the bill, at least, for now.

 

"Darker...it's..it's getting late, perhaps we should get going? We...well, we can chat, if you know, you want me to come back with you..."

[Sethore]

Dark removed the basket from the counter and placed all the of groceries into his saddle bags, then turned to face Midnight with a contemplative expression. The words were exactly what he wanted to hear which made him beam with happiness then instantly doubting its longevity. While deciding on whether he should happily follow this fantasy or follow his instincts, he had already queued he response and smiled at her with a shut of his eyes. "I would very much like to chat with you Midnight, and it is not whether I want you to come back with me but more if you'd like to keep me company. I already said you are welcome to my house." His first few steps out of the store a were a little awkward, like they were magnetized to the floor but soon he regained his normal soft steps and steady pace out of the warehouse.

 

His thoughts were circulating around the relationship he was developing, if it was going alright or if he was hoping for too much, maybe he is too strange to have friends. Trying to draw upon his own historic account of faint friendships he thought he had during his early years to compare, an unpleasant memory was drugged up and made him growl lightly into the cool air and mumbled "Idiot shouldn't told anyone..." He never liked thinking of the past or future and he didn't know why he was. He shook his head violently to try and throw the thoughts "Argh, Why am I thinking of this!"

 

He didn't make if far from the door of the warehouse with his conjured light tailing him before he had held a thought not comprising of the past or future and stopped to look at Midnight with a coy expression "Would you happen to remember the way back to the house? I seem to have no recollection~" He coughed at the end of the sentence and hide behind a devious grin. Another one of his test to understand her grasp of geography. It was his way of getting to know people better and understand them as much as he could, but there also wasn't point to offer shelter to some pony if they have no idea where it was to begin with.

[Shadowbolt0]

Midnight smiled when Darker has basically offered her back, it was somewhere she felt safe, a rarity for her. Plus, food maybe, comfort and warmth. It was a home, or as close to one she could get. And as for Darker himself, he was different, and for her, different was perfect. They both didn't fit in with normal pony kind, sort of like exiles united. She giggled at the mental thought of meetings with strange ponies, before pushing the thought away. She returned her focus to Darker, although in her mental absence, she felt like she'd missed something. But what, well, she had no idea.

 

Exiting the warehouse, she felt a cool brease against her. But while it would usually make her shudder, she was well rested and felt more live than before, and it was calming. She stared up at the dark sky, taking a deep breath, before feeling a stinging feeling. She realized her fangs had sometime, snuck out and she had cut her own lip! Retracting her fangs quickly, she licked her lip, quickly taking the blood away. Despite it being blood, it was hers and it tasted vile. Coughing slightly at the taste, she turned back to Darker when he said he'd forgotten the way back! She felt panic, before thinking at his question. Could she remember how to get back to the house?

 

"I...Well, I think? I mean...this way..i think" She started walking in a direction she thought was the right one, before doubling back on herself muttering she was stupid, before pausing. She closed her eyes and tried to think, recalling the path they took like a map and she was looking at it from above. She muttered several directions to herself, before nodding and setting off at a brisk pace "This way!"

 

Despite getting lost 4 times, involving a dead end, she somehow, managed to lead the pair to Darkers house. She smiled as it came into view, proud of herself! She'd done it! She remembered!

[Sethore]

Dark may have overestimated her sense of direction when she immediately began in the wrong direction, and his expression of amusement was measuring how far he was prepared to walk before telling her she was going the wrong way. He was trying his best to stay silent until she found her way, when she came back to go the other direction, his faith in her was renewed and he happily trailed behind in this unusual quietness. He was only happy about following her, the streets however did not make him happy in the lest. Every time she would have looked at him he would hide behind the devious grin and as she looked away he would stare back at every nook and cranny. As the familiar spacing of houses came to his attention, he felt more easy and spent more time looking at her then his surroundings.

 

Eventually they had reach their destination and he stood before his door way with the safety of home. He stamped his hooves in applause at her success with a small chuckle "Well, done. You have lead us to our homestead and I'm happy you can find it. Now, I must make food and I will make tea for the both of us. You can... get comfortable?" He cringed at his own poorly said words and he made his way though the door with a awkward smile into the kitchen, emptying his saddle bags onto the table. He started sorting the ingredients together in their designated meals while muttering to the celery sticks as though he were have a real conversation "Now, she drinks blood. How often does she need a drink? maybe three times a day? I don't really want to carve myself up that many times... maybe she can bite? fangs would be lesser pain and lack as much scarring as my knifes... skinning me. Yes, biting over skinning."

 

He picked up his now empty saddle bags from colorful table of assorted vegetables and moved into the lounge room where he thought she would be. He put the bags on their hook and spoke in a solemn and thoughtful manner "Midnight... Do you need blood?" It sounded funny, and he buried his running away imagination as quickly as he could before it got the better of him.

[Shadowbolt0]

Midnight smiled when Darker offered her tea, nodding her head as she entered the house. She felt a sense of familiarity, safety. It was nice, it was almost as if she 'livedl here, but she knew she didn't, not truly. But while Daker was willing to offer her safety, she'd be more than happy to accept it. At least, until she'd overstayed her welcome and he got sick of her. But she accepted that was going to happen eventually, and planned to make the most of this chance she'd been given to start over.

 

She found herself in a lounge room, curling up on some of the pillows on the floor. She found them comfortable, resisting the urge to roll around in them, for now. Instead, she spread her wings out and started to stretch with them, getting herself warmed up. She wanted to make sure she was still limber, still mobile. Using her wings, she began to simply hover in the air lazily, just some light exercise for her after years of doing this. That's when she turned her head to see Darker walking in, smiing over at him.

 

Though her face froze when he mentioned blood. She knew it was going to come up, it had to given her situation. She lowered herself to the ground, trying to think how to explain it. How could she explain her situation, her curse to him? It felt wrong, yet, that's just who she was.

 

"I...No, i'm fine really. It's, complicated. My feeding habbits I mean...I suppose I should try explain it. I can drink like a normal pony, and I've trained my body to eat without rejecting stuff, but, at the end of the day, my body needs blood to survive. I can eat food like you, but eventually, my craving for blood will either kill me, or drive me to attacking somepony. But as for when, it depends how much I got in my last feeding. Usually I feed on any wildlife I could get my hooves on, but, well...." She felt very uncomfortable about what she knew she needed to say, but what choice did she have? "Since, you fed me last, I should be fine for at least another night. Plus, I..i don't wanna feed off you, the last time you cut yourself, it looked like it really hurt..."

[Sethore]

Nodded slowly and as much as he could tell she didn't want to talk about it, it was necessary "Yes, it did hurt a lot, but it was worth it" He smiled at her, but it was the most truthful smile he had ever had which made him realize he was happy with someone real, someone he didn't want to lose. He went back to the kitchen and set the kettle to boil while preparing the cups and pot as he collected his thoughts and prepared a reply. So the only difference really is she no longer needs anything besides blood, but she can still taste his fine homemade cooking. Hopefully. He returned a short moment later, tilting his head and frowning at her in a curious expression "Do I taste bad? Or is it because I cut myself you don't want my blood? Because I'd prefer you bite me if it is the latter."

 

He suspected she didn't want to accept what she was, and fighting the inevitably futile battle to deny it, he didn't expect a immediate answer and left the question with her as he moved back into the kitchen and started preparing breakfast for himself, larger then usual to share with his companion. He decided that something with unique flavor was required and while thinking of food, a stray thought seemed to fit a few pieces together and he muttered it along with everything else he does "She needs a reason...?"

[Shadowbolt0]

Midnight looked up at Darker when he came back, was it worth it? He received a bad cut, all because of her..He'd hurt himself because of her... It brought a pang of sadness to her, knowing that. She'd tried to keep to herself, yet he had cut himself for her and all she'd cared about when he had, was about drinking the blood he'd hurt himself to get. Though when he asked if he tasted good, her head shot up. She tightened her lips, she couldn't even remember how his blood tasted, she was in such a frenzy that it was a blur to her memories.

 

"I..." Feeling herself freeze again, she felt anger, anger at being this, thing! This parasite that feed of the life blood of other creatures! It was wrong! And yet, that's what she was, a parasite, a leach to life itself. "I..the cut, it looked painful, and...and I don't want you to hurt yourself because of me...." She looked up, seeing Darker was in the kitchen and might not have heard her! She took slow steps forward, trying to think how to better word it. All the time thinking about what kind of creature she was, and he knew! He knew she was a parasite, something that lived on the pain and death of others, why was he taking care of her!? It didn't make sense!

 

"Darker...is, is your cut ok? And...I, I don't want to feed from you..It's just that, it's..wrong. To take your blood, to have what's keeping you alive in me. It just feels, wrong, even as what I am...." Midnight's sentence was forcibly paused by something in her chest, a pain, a hungering! She felt hunger, and something cold grabbed at her inside. She was wrong, what she'd received from Darker wasn't enough, she realized with some horror. Her body was starting to feel the cravings return, and her noise could almost smell the blood in him. She took a step backwards, afraid. Not of Darker, but of what happen to Darker if her vampiric instincts took control.

[Sethore]

Darker didn't notice her until she said his name in the kitchen and turned from the kettle and pot to face her. He was beginning to feel aggravated with her fixation with his self inflicted wound, and he kept narrowing his eyes at her as she tried to justify why she didn't want to feed off him. But when she suddenly recoiled into the lounge room he was immediately angry and stamped his hoof hard into the floorboards with a scowl "Why are you so afraid of yourself!? Because you need to stop worry about others to live a life worth something and if a little blood is all you need then I am happy to pay." He wasn't feeling satisfied with his with his own words and kept pressing despite himself sound more and more brutal "I am not a idiot, I am not defenseless and I am most certainly not weak" He huffed heavily as he stamped his hoof one final time at the end of his sentence and rearranged his glasses.

 

"I recall your words 'kill me' when we met, and I see now I didn't even need to consider it because you are killing yourself and won't last long on your own. And since you-" He stopped himself before continuing that sentence and gritted his teeth. Nothing was helping his cause and due to his own lack of understanding her predicament he couldn't get the right words to come to him. He wanted to help, but she was pushing him back with her own fear "I want you to accept my help..." it was the best he could come up with and he hoped it sent the right message.

[Shadowbolt0]

Midnight was trying to force back her hunger, and somehow, just managing to stop her fangs from extending, although only just. She wouldn't, she.she couldn't! That's when she was shocked into reality by Darker stamping his hoof! She seemed to jump in her own skin, she'd never seen him anger before, and it scared her. Like it was a brand new side of Darker, of the pony that had given her safety. She looked away when he asked why she was afraid of herself, and mentioning a life worth living. If she was honest with herself, ever since she'd been turned, she hadn't lived a life worth living. It was a life of exile, self-imposed, before being attacked by her now hunters. At his next declartions, she began shrinking down. He was scaring her, but not because of his anger, but of what he was saying.

 

He was right, she was afraid. Not of hurting others, but herself. She was killing herself, by refusing to drink blood until she was near death, she'd never gotten enough from animals. And never from a pony. At least, till last night. She'd never drunk a ponies blood before then, always thinking it was wrong. Her kind normally did drink pony blood, but Midnight had always seen it as wrong. But maybe she was wrong...Maybe everything she'd suffered was because, like Darker said, she was afraid.

 

She looked up when she heard his tone change, from the anger that had been populating his voice, to a more pleed. As if he was asking for her help. She slowly stood up, shaking physically, her breath shaky, but trying to look unfazed by what had just happened, even if it had shaken her to the core. She searched for her voice, and finally found it.

 

"D-d-darker..i...I'm...I never thought you were weak, or defenceless, nothing like that. It's that, being this, this thing, it's been like this for years. You wouldn't understand, not until you've experienced it. Imagine, your way of life is through making others suffer. No pony ever gives their blood willingly, meaning you have to take it by force" Her fangs slid out, part trying to make a point, part from the hunger slowly stabbing at her "A...a parasite, that's what I am Darker...I'm something that leaches onto life and sucks it out of others. That's what a vampony is! WE'RE WORTHLESS PARASITES!" She couldn't stop her temper, her anger, her near hatred of what she was to get the better of her as she screamed the last part of her sentence at Darker. If she didn't think about it, it didnt' hurt, if she just forgot for a bit, she could live like normal. Then the hunger would come in, rolling waves of pain and agony till she found something with blood.

[Sethore]

Dark toke a very deep breath and exhaled slowly to calm himself. This anger had done its job and he now understood why she hated herself, at least a little more than he did before. She never accepted what she was, and fought it every step she could, even now she was struggling with herself. With it so clear to him now, he could not see past it and all he could feel was overwhelming desire to save her. Only he couldn't, he could not roll back the clock and change the past. “No, I have not experience what it is like to have fangs or drink the blood of others. But I will help you, even in the smallest way I can.” The kettle howled on the stove, signalling its accomplished task of boiling water. Like the first time they met he slowly brewed the pot of tea and slid it onto the table along with two cups and a container of sugar. Pushing the vegetables aside to create some space and ruining the organization they held.

 

He poured the hot liquid into both cups, adding sugar to his and took a sip before he had properly finished formulating the right words. It was not his life, and he had no right or business to tell others how to live theirs “You will not hurt me more than I will hurt myself watching you suffer alone. I am offering my blood willingly-” he paused and smiled at her with a quiet chuckle as he rephrased and turned her own words against her in his unusual way “I’m offering to share my life with you. I know we’ve barely known each other a day, but I like who you are and I hope to know you for awhile, fangs and all.” He pointed his hoof at her to emphasis it was her. "We can't live normal lives, but we can try to live happy ones."

[Shadowbolt0]

Midnight expected that to be it, the final push. She just waited to hear him yell at her to leave and never come back, all she needed to do was wait. She started to think of where next, would it honestly be so bad if her hunters caught her at this point? She'd lost everything, even the chance at a normal life, what was left? She started thinking where she'd find her hunters, when she finally heard Darker speak. Honestly, it shocked her. Even after her screaming at him, he, he wanted to help? She didn't understand him, why would he want to help?

 

That's when the kettle started making its high pitched noise, felt like a small dagger in her head! High pitch, or extremely loud noises could near disable any of her kind, thankfully it warranted no reason from Midnight this time, it wasn't that bad compared to the noise her hunters had used before. That's when she noticed Darker getting two cups for the tea. She stared at it, it was like the first night all over again, she felt similar, and he...he was trying to help her. Another stabbing pain, this time in her chest, reminded her that her hunger was growing rapidly. She beat it back down, refusing to give into it again.

 

She sat down at the table, this time drinking her tea with some level of modernation, while listen. She in part, couldn't believe what she was hearing. He found it painful to, watch her situation? She felt herself shake, it had to be a dream right? There was no way he was doing this, right? Offering a stranger, a parasite, a part in his life? She felt something strange close to her eyes, before realizing they were watering up! She washed her eyes, trying to stop herself from crying!

 

"I....D-darker..." She honestly had no idea what to say, what could she say to show she was grateful? She had nothing to give him worth anything, and her inability to use works correctly meant there was no chance to show her gratitude properly "Thank you" she says "I have no idea what else to say..Really, I don't. You're offering me, well, everything. And I have nothing to give you in return for all this, I own nothing except me, but...I just wish there was something I could, do, anything, just to show how grateful I am, for everything,,,"

[Sethore]

Dark saw the tears fill her eyes and felt guilty for somehow hurting her, amusing the thought he was the cause of the distress she was feeling. He was ready for her to break down and run away, to chase he if need be. But she didn't run away, she held herself together contrary to his prediction and he felt thankful for her choice to stay. She was trying too hard to express how she was grateful and he while he didn't find it annoying he was beginning to doubt if he could take much more of it. "You do not need to give me anything or do anything for me, Midnight. I only ask that you don't ever leave without saying goodbye first." His stomach grumbled in protest to his lack of food and marked the end of the confrontational atmosphere.

 

"Hmm, I must make myself some very late breakfast." he felt accomplished, like had finished the quest he had set out to do, even though there was no quest and no reward, the feeling was the same. A justification to himself. He put the cup back down onto the table and collected the chopping board along the vegetables required for his normal late evening breakfast meal "So be honest with me, are you hungry...? For blood that is... I can still share, I have lots of real food...! You can have both... I just... Not that blood isn't real... Don't want you to starve yourself to last that extra day, and you said you could eat normal food, can you still taste it?" He shook the parsnip and her and pointed at the stove with his hoof and a hopeful expression. He was winding down too quickly from the his angry moment he couldn't keep himself in check. Feeling flustered, confused, hopeless and uninterruptedly directionless as he tried to hold the words from coming out "Maybe some blood on top- Oh what am I saying. That would taste horrible!" He felt his own eyes tearing up, and fought hard to suppress them to no anvil. They were already hitting the ground before he knew it, he didn't know where to go or what to say anymore and the words where over powered by his sob "Oh d-damn... now i go-gone and done this!" he released his magic and dropped the chopping board and vegetables in his futile attempt to control himself. His moment of accomplishment was replaced with a feeling of utter and complete depression "I can-n't... sto-op" he felt his will snap and give into the overwhelming sadness with a loud wail, remembering every sad moment of his life as though it where happening right then and there.

[Shadowbolt0]

Midnight smiled at Darker, finally wiping away the last of the tears that had forced their way into her eyes, He didn't ask for anything in return, other than her company. It felt too good to be true, yet, it was actually happening. She couldn't believe it. She smiled again, realizing it was probably the most she'd ever smiled in her life.

 

That's when he mentioned his need for food, and with that, her own burning hunger poking at her, but she beat down her desires once more. She would, later, right now Darker needed his food, after, then perhaps she would..ask? Would that even work? Hey, I need you to present a vien so I can drink your blood. How could she even say that to Darkers face? That's when she heard him offer the blood, as well as normal food. Normal food would be in a way, pointless to her. It would mean less for Darker, more work for him to cook it, clean. While she could indeed taste it, it's nutritional value on her was levels of non-existent.

 

She opened her mouth to reply, but that's when she noticed it. Something in his eyes was her first catch, they seemed wrong. Clouded, confused. Instead of replying, she opted to silence. At Darkers, seemingly joke, about putting blood on the food, she cringed. He may have helped her start to overcome her hatred of herself, but making a joke out of it? Too soon, She was about to let him have it, when she saw...tear? Was he crying? Before she knew what was happening, he'd collapsed onto the ground! Midnight let out a gasp of horror, what was happening?!

 

She sprinted to him, crouching down next to him. Couldn't stop? What couldn't he stop? She didn't understand! How could she help when she had no idea what was going on?! "Darker..no, please, whats wrong? What's wrong with you...." She looked at him with panicked eyes, she felt useless. Her only friend, and she didn't even know what was wrong, or how to help him. A wave of sadness washed over her like the tide at a beach, before the mare shook her head. She refused to be taken down like this. Darker Dawn was her friend, and like hell she'd stand by and just watch! She looked around for the blanket she'd slept under, quickly grabbing it from the lounge room before running back, wrapping Darker up with it in case he was cold. After that, she unfurled her bat-like wing, and curled it around Darker, hugging him with the wing.

 

"Shhh, its ok Darker...I promise..it'll be ok, everything'll be ok. Now come on, lets get you rested..." She tried to get him to stand up, offering him her whole body to support himself if he needed it. She made a mental note, after all this, to clean up the kitchen..and try cook him something. Surely it wouldn't be too hard, right? She'd seen ponies cooking before, she'd tasted food she'd stolen, how hard would it be to make something like that?

[Sethore]

Dark curled himself into a ball with the blanket and vainly tried to resist midnights attempts to move him. He wanted to stay right where he was on the cool tiles of the kitchen floor while the emotional whirlwind ensued inside of him, he didn’t want to go anywhere, he didn’t want to do anything else but cry for everything he should’ve and scream at everything he could've. And while the emotions ran free, so did all the dark memories he locked away, his broken muttering through his sobs came out as recognizable words as he was picked up of the tiles “I never wan-ted to to be blind… It should-should’ve worked, it should’ve wor-ked...” despite what he didn’t want, he could see he was moving beside a blue wing that could only be Midnight's past all the blurry tears. She was carrying him into his bedroom of leaded paper, his safe heaven of sorts.

 

As his bedroom door slid open and they made it into his room he hugged her tightly, as though he wasn’t letting her escape and whispered with as much control as he could “Please don't pity me for this” he didn't even lasted two days before bursting into tears and falling on the floor over nothing, which was almost the definition of pitiful. It was the last thing he wanted, lest of all from her and maybe she could understand that, he could understand a little of her and it was enough that he trusted her with more then just his house hold. He held on a little longer before releasing her and biting his lip as he tried to stand on his own four hooves at the foot of his mattress.

[Shadowbolt0]

Midnight kept her grip on Darker as she walked through the house, she had a good guess where the bedroom would be. She felt sorry for him, something was wrong with him, although, what it was, she didn't need to know. It was his secret, his past, it wasn't hers to know. As she managed to get him inside, she heard him saying he didn't want her pity. She felt him let go of her, but she wouldn't...she would look after him! She pushed him into the bed, tucking him in as tightly as he would let her.

 

"Shhhh, it's ok...It's all ok. It'll, it'll be ok Dawn..." She said, trying to comfort him, though, she had no idea if she COULD comfort him. She let out a slow breath, before smiling and rubbing his hair "H-hey..tell you what, you-you stay right here, and, i'll..i'll cook you up something, ok? D-don't move!"

 

She quickly made her way downstairs to the kitchen, looking at the food Darker had laid out before. She let out a slow breath, thinking. How would she do this...She nodded her head, she could do this!

 

10 minutes later, Midnight came back upstairs holding, something. What it was meant to be, was a salad with what she had seen in the kitchen, though, she was slightly worried she may have used too much of the herds. It had tasted fine as she had experimented and made it, but, well, she was worried it would be a disappointment. She walked into the room with it, plus the tea Darker had been preparing before.

 

"D-darker...I-I got you something..." She offered it to him, placing it all on the bed

[Sethore]

Dark felt safe under the cozy warm covers of this bed, the pillow absorbing the onslaught of tears as they soon subsided and soaked into the woolen internals. He wasn’t meant to move, why? what compelled him to break down now? was it midnight? or was it a time bomb waiting to explode a long before she got here…. maybe she accelerated the process with her presence. he stretched and rolled to try and release the ache in his gut and the thought of blaming anything. he did nothing wrong, midnight did nothing wrong, its just that moment in time.

 

He hadn’t be awake very long, but he already felt himself slipping softly into dark slumber before he heard the kettle screeching and drawing him away from the dreamland and back into reality. He had regained a bit self composer but had not removed the depressive feeling completely. The kettle fell silent and midnight soon reappeared with something that looked like food, or was it a drink?

 

In an attempt to look more sensible he sat up, rearrange his glasses and flattened out the covers for a comfortable seating. He felt he could still spring into a waterfall of tears at any moment and put a pillow on his chest to bury his face into should he lose it again. She place the pot onto the bed and what looked like a bowl of herbs. “Thank you” simple but genuine was all he had to really say as he silently started to chow the pile of herbs down, its taste didn’t even register on his tongue. what could he say at this point? you didn't put enough lettuce in? got a tissue for my issue? he felt a little amusement from his own thoughts and crack a tiny smile as he refocus on Midnight. How was she feeling though this ordeal?

[Shadowbolt0]

Midnight smiled happily when Darker started eating, she hoped it was right. Cooking wasn't something she'd ever done, but he didn't seem to say anything, so maybe it was good? Still, he looked sad. Midnight tilted her head, before thinking what else could she do to help him? She knew she wasn't physically warm, lack of blood, but she moved next to him, curling up against him, trying to just 'be there' for him. Physical company if she couldn't help him emotionally. Which she felt she couldn't. She played with his mane for a bit, hugging him tightly.

 

"You..you don't have to be alone..we, I mean...like, us. I will look after you, like you looked after me. You gave me food, you gave me somewhere to sleep, a life worth living, l-let me, give that to you too..."

 

She curled up next to him, putting her wing around him to reinforce the fact she was there. She purred quickly, rubbing his back with her wing. She didn't know what else she could do. "Whatever it is, darker..i-i promise, to try my best to help you. L-like you did for me, I swear it..."