A Change - vampire AU

[chosenbylightning]

The call to St. Louis had been a frantic one. While the team at S.T.A.R. Labs had thought Central City was facing another metahuman attack, it was, in fact, a deeply curious vampire who wished to taste the blood of metahumans.

Barry's blood loss had been catastrophic. His suit slashed to ribbons and vampire blood staining his lips as Cisco and Caitlin brought him home. While they worked to stabilize Barry, Joe called the one person who might be best suited to help his son.

Jason, and possibly Jean-Claude as well.

Someone had to. Metahumans they could handle. Not vampires.

Comments

[pomme_de_sang]

Luckily, Barry's friends and team are good people. Expanded from what it was before and, with luck, that will help.

Jason waits until the worst of the tears are over with before he shifts. "Let me get some protein bars for you, huh?" There's a little worry that Barry's body is going to reject food, which...would be a really bad thing right now. But considering everything else, Jason's not sure it's something to worry about. Other than possibly needing blood, everything else seems to be functioning normally. "I'll take the glass and get rid of it, all right? We'll just get some food in you so you can rest."

[chosenbylightning]

Barry nods mutely, scrubbing the tears away as Jason moves to get rid of the blood and fetch a few protein bars for him. They taste as terrible as ever, and despite Jason's worrying his body doesn't reject the food. It's not enough for long term, but it's enough so he can rest.

They get Barry resting quietly in medical, with Jason close by while Caitlin and the team continue to work.

By morning they have answers and a serum. A high-density serum synthesized from some of Jason's blood and quite a bit of guidance from Jean-Claude about the physical needs of vampires. It'll take some testing, but they're hopeful.

[pomme_de_sang]

They end up having to find a room for Jean-Claude to sleep in for the day. Though 'sleep' isn't quite the right word for it. And Jason makes note of which room it is so that he can make sure to keep Barry out of it.

The last thing Barry needs at the moment is to be faced with a "dead" vampire.

Sometime during the night, though, Jason had climbed into the bed beside Barry and had curled up with him. They both really needed the closeness and, honestly, if Jason spent most of the night with his head on Barry's chest, ear right over his heart? Well, he doubted anybody could blame him.

The news in the morning is hopeful, though, and allows Jason to relax a little bit, gripping Barry's hand tightly. "See? Nothing to worry about."

[chosenbylightning]

They both needed the rest and the comfort of touch, listening to one another's heartbeat and simply breathing together. Safe and whole and for now that was good enough because it had to be. Barry held on to Jason because he was the anchor keeping him stable throughout the changes. The certain voice in his ear reminding him that he was still him. That he was still good.

For the record? The serum sucks. It hurts like hell, racing through his veins like liquid fire, but it dulls the thirst and eases his discomfort.

"I'll have to use it at least once every other day," Barry explains to Jason as he tears into another protein bar. "Every day if I'm using too much energy, but Caitlin thinks it'll help. That I won't be a danger to anyone as long as I can stay on it."

[pomme_de_sang]

"Which means keeping an extra dose with you. And both of us learning how to administer it." Because, yeah, Jason's not going to be leaving Barry to deal with this alone. And if that means learning how to stick a needle in Barry so that he doesn't go stupid dhampir on people, so be it. "And I'm sure they're still going to be working on it, see if they can find a way to make it less painful."

Because, yeah, Jason doesn't really like the idea of Barry in pain. Even if it passes fast enough.