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.

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[pomme_de_sang]

Strangely, the fact that Barry tips his head against Jason's shoulder actually helps the werewolf relax. It might only be the newness of the change at the moment, but the fact that Barry can be that close to the crook of his neck and not seemingly react is a good sign.

Jason reaches up, running his fingers through Barry's hair. "Right now, I think we should try to do something about what's making you so thirsty so that you can get some more rest." Once Barry was more rested, they could start experimenting, figuring out the best ways to deal with what's happened to Barry so that he won't hurt anybody.

[chosenbylightning]

Caitlin is already deep in discussion with both Anita and Jean-Claude before dragging Harry off to the lab. Clearly she's got something in mind and as much as Barry wants to participate, he's not ready to leave the comfort of Jason's arms.

"You're right. I.. I'm tired." He'll wait while they work, try and keep himself calm. "I need to eat." Running, the fight and the desperate battle to stay alive had taken a lot out of him.

[pomme_de_sang]

"Well, we can probably dig you up a sandwich, but that's a test that we may want to wait on for a bit." Jason kisses his temple before he slips away from the bed for a moment and approaches the small group on the other side of the room. "Anita? Mind if I borrow a knife? Preferably not one of the silver ones."

Part of this would be reminding Barry that he heals damned well, after all. So when he gets the blade, offered with a curious look, Jason takes it and grabs a glass before going to the other side of the room.

To be honest, he should probably do this in a different room. Maybe a different building. Jason knows that Jean-Claude can control himself around the scent of blood and he has already eaten tonight. The unknown factor in all of this is going to be Barry's reaction and that's...that's something that they need to know. So Jason purposefully turns his back to the bed, taking a breath before cutting across his arm. A deep cut so that he wouldn't heal it straight away and he could get about half the glass filled with his blood before it closed again.

[chosenbylightning]

"A test?" Curiosity furrows his brow as Jason slips away to speak to the others. He needs ten thousand calories per day just to maintain his energy - what else could he possibly consume?

The smell rocks him first, rich and warm and Barry's hands fist in the sheets. "Jason?" His voice is uneven, touched with vibrations as he struggles valiantly to keep himself still.

"W-what are you doing?"

[pomme_de_sang]

While Barry's not a full vampire, that doesn't mean that food might not be an issue. Something that they definitely have to think about.

The cut closes on its own, Jason using his other hand to wipe up the excess blood and lick it off his thumb, then wiping the knife on his jeans to clean it off. He'll give it back to Anita in a little bit. For now, he leaves it on the table and makes his way back to Barry. "You're probably going to hate me for this and that's all right. I'm not going anywhere. But you probably need this and we're all better off learning that sooner rather than later."

He's okay with Barry hating him right now. He just wants Barry to be okay.

[chosenbylightning]

"What? It's nearly a scream as Jason extends the glass of blood in his direction and Barry throws himself backwards hard enough to upend the bed. He pushes himself against the wall as if he can somehow escape both the blood and the way his body is reacting to it.

He wants it. He wants the offered blood and that is terrifying as hell.

"No. No. No, I can't do this. I can't. Jason don't," he pleads, hardly aware that his canines are growing into fangs.

[pomme_de_sang]

Blood really stopped being an issue for Jason so long ago that it's not funny. But he forgets, sometimes, that other people have a lot of issues with it.

He sets the glass aside, instead rounding the bed to make his way to Barry. "Barr. Barr, breathe. Okay? Just keep breathing for me." He crouches, taking hold of Barry's arms again, just below the elbow.

[chosenbylightning]

Barry has pulled himself in as close as possible, arms wrapped tightly around his chest. No. This can't be happening. He can't be dependent on blood. It's too much - too overwhelming.

Familiar hands on his arms start to pull him out of his panic, blinking up at his boyfriend, at the guy he went and fell head over heels for and Barry can't stop the tears as they start to fall. He's never been so scared. "I can't. I can't do this Jason. Think about how much food I have to have."

If he had to drink blood? God. It's too much. People would die just to keep him on his feet.

[pomme_de_sang]

"Yeah, I know." Jason shifts in closer, wrapping his arms around Barry's shoulders and kissing the top of his head. "I'm sorry, Barr. We will find a way to deal with this."

[chosenbylightning]

The storm of tears doesn't last long once he finally lets it go. He can't ask anyone to sacrifice their life to keep him on his feet. He simply can't. Somewhere above him he can hear Caitlin talking urgently with Jean-Claude. Blood packing. Serums. Increasing potency.

Just like before - his fate is in the hands of his friends and his team.

[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.