Ashe P.O.V

I woke up sluggishly, rolling onto my side to reach for the button on my alarm clock to find out the time, only to hit air. Reaching higher, I felt sleek wood and a metal stand ending in a shaded bulb. A lamp. I frowned, feeling my wrist for my watch instead but finding it bare. Prickles burst along my face as I sat up quickly, only to collapse back onto the cushy pillow. The sheets were very soft, the comforter warm and the room quiet... Aside from the light vampiric heartbeat to my right.

"...Ashe?" I recognized his voice as Cian, though the timidity confused me. I turned my head, only then feeling the crick in it and sharp pain that ran down to the fingers of my left arm. I hissed and relaxed, waiting for the pain to recede while the confusion increased. "Hey kid, just relax for now, your body is stressed from overuse. I'll explain, but I need you to listen patiently, okay?"

My brow furrowed as I concentrated on slowing my heart's fluttering and trying to remember how I got into this new position.

"First, I just want to apologize for everything that happened," Cian sounded like he meant it. "It was an accident, but one I should have had the thought not to make."

I patiently waited impatiently as he took a breath before continuing, "I accidentally overfed you. When the rush hit, your emotions began to take over and you began to react instinctually."

I tried to think back on what I last remembered doing, remembering vaguely that I had exited his room and started eavesdropping, "You tried to leave, but my office door was too complex for you to figure out how to open. That's one of the first symptoms of overfeeding- leaving enclosed areas as if from claustrophobia. You then began to stress from being unable to leave."

I couldn't remember any of what apparently occurred. It seemed like a story rather than an event that actually happened to me, "In the end, I did not handle the situation appropriately and we ended up having to take crude drastic measure for which I apologize. I had to bite you to release the excess and calm you. We also had had to hold you down for all our protection."

I reached up to my neck, feeling bandaging there. There was a slight feeling of nausea; I felt dirty. I didn't remember what happened, which probably made the feeling that much stronger. I turned my face away from him, ignoring the pain before shifting my whole body onto its side, back to him.

"I am so sorry, Ashe," I heard Cian shift. I squeezed myself closer together; I didn't want him to touch me. He must have gotten the hint because he didn't. "We tried to be as respectful as possible, and I have a measure cup to make sure it won't happen again."

I didn't respond, instead cuddling deeper into the covers.

Cian P.O.V

I had stayed with him while Gale cleaned the mess of blood and straightened things up, thankfully. It was better that he was above rather than assisting, because it would have been that much more embarrassing. I had had to carry Ashe's limp form downstairs to the bathroom where I laid him on the floor on top of a large towel. we were both covered in blood.

Up above, I had slid my fangs back into his neck because the holes were too torn, swollen and profusely bleeding to release the coagulant otherwise. Therefore, the wounds were just barely closed but still prevalent and in need of bandaging, only increasing the uneasy feeling of guilt as I removed the sticky caked shirt.

The skin was cool and pale; the blood a bright scar in comparison. I warmed some water, stoppered the sink and used a wash cloth to clean him. When done, I bandages and dressed him in another shirt, removing his pants whose waistband and other sections had been soaked in blood as well as his blood-encrusted watch. Thankfully his boxer briefs were undamaged. That was more than I could handle. I placed another of my shirts on him, then covered him in extra blankets before heading back up to Gale and the rest of the mess waiting to be cleaned up.

Gale glanced over at me, and I was surprised by how much of a messy cleaner he was. Okay, well, maybe it wasn't so surprising. I pursed my lips as I did a once-over of him. He looked like a zombie wannabe. His hair was mussed from the struggle, it looked like he had rubbed at his face, smearing blood along his right lower cheek, the tip of his nose, a little along the edge of his mouth and all over his right chin. A glance at his shirt sleeve was indicative of how easily so much became so nicely smeared all over. A short perusal from his bloodied sleeves to the shirt itself revealed a perfect 'zombie' claw mark through the shirt at his side which completed the look. He must have also brushed at his hair without noticing, because several strands had also picked up a tint of color. In general estimation, his clothes were irreparably soiled.

"Let's clean this up fast, then you can borrow some of my clothes and shower."

"Don't throw away my clothes, these are one of my favorite pants," Gabe whined like a preteen.

I sighed, "I may have something that will get the blood out, but we have to finish fast and put them in the wash then." Of course, I was just coddling Gale at this point. I wasn't even going to bother washing my own clothes, but I would at least return his 'less soiled' pants after a wash in a tied plastic bag. Some things are a lost cause, like arguing with Gale's childish stubbornness.

***

"I realize none of this went as planned," It was an awkward understatement of vast proportions, but I had not idea what else to possibly say. "Are you still alright with having him stay with you?"

"Uh," Gale's face pinched momentarily. "It wasn't one of the best introductions ever... But I'm figuring that was not his fault. So, yeah, I'm still cool with it and I figure having someone else around will be nice for a change. Also, gotta admit that aside from the whole 'crazed overfed vampire-thing', the kid is quite interesting in a 'what a cute puppy' kinda way."

I want to tilt my head at his bizarre references but deemed it best just to nod and let it pass, "Would you mind taking care of moving his things on your own?"

"Well, considering he was a blind kid, I hadn't been expecting much help," Gale then seemed to realize what he said, "Of course, I never expected your help because of all the work you have. Just doing this took a lot of time from what you should be doing. Don't worry, I'll grab the kid's stuff and have it set up for him to move in tomorrow."

I kept my face smooth, though I frowned internally, beginning to question what was actually more important. I thrust aside the surfacing tangent, "I owe you some good wine next shipment for all the help. Expect it."

"Okay, then- thanks. I'll just head out and, " Gale awkwardly began stepping toward the barred door, pointing with both hands, "you know, get to work on that moving. Thing."

I nodded, ignoring the gibberish and releasing the door to let him out.