the human disguise of donnie

The second thing she noticed was that if Scott Goldsmith was literally anyone else, she might actually respect her. 

The third thing she noticed was that if you did not swim at the same pace as Scott, she would leave you to drown without a single glance back. 

"Coffee?" Scott questioned without even looking up from her work. Her short cyan hair didn't have a single strand out of place and her outfit had somehow not been repeated since Legs first met her a month ago. Her red eyeshadow was on point as always and gave her a striking look.

"Here you go." Legundo handed over the coffee tray without a single protest. She was getting better at not snapping at Scott when she asked for things that she could clearly reach and get herself.

Progress, she supposed. However, the true progress laid within what she had chosen to wear today. 

Legs had never been a fancy woman. She had never needed to be. Most of her work could be done in a nice collared shirt with preppy pants. Recently, however, she realized if she was going to work at a place with high fashion expectations, the very least she could do would be to try and fit them.

And maybe they'd give her a confidence boost to deal with Scott a little bit more.

"Why are you still standing here?" Scott asked as she looked up from her binder, posh sunglasses being barely held by two fingers. "You still have to call-hm." Scott tilted her head slightly before looking Legs up and down. "You look…different." Given the fact that Scott wasn't immediately turning up her nose with disgust, Legs could tell she had done something right. 

Just one year. Just one year and the past can be left behind.

Scott, however, was walking twice as fast and never even flinching as her heels clacked down the hallway. Her back was straight, her body was a bullet and she never even stopped to look at anybody she passed by. 

It was almost terrifying.

"Tell them to triple check. Quadruple check, even. The work's not done until the night begins so there's no reason to just dawdle around. That's not what I'm paying them for."

"Okay, noting that down." While Scott was extremely fast paced in her speaking, Legs had gotten used to it. "We do have to stop by the-"

"Oh, Legs, we're already here." Scott gestured up to the door in front of them. Legundo blinked. Scott rolled her eyes. "The door, Legs." 

"Right." Legundo tried not to be slightly annoyed at the fact that there had been no reason for her to understand that and instead opened the door for Scott, letting her walk in with grace.

Near instantly, her lips pursed. Legundo felt a bit of dread go down her spine as Scott's expression turned into a perfectly plastic smile. "Right." She ran a finger along the garments that were hung on the rack. Her nose crinkled as she touched one of the fabrics but she quickly reverted back to stoicism. "Right." She turned to the two women that had been responsible for the collection. "And whose creative vision should I accredit this work to?"

"Well, I mean, she did most of it-"

"Yeah, but she sewed a lot of the dresses and did modifications, um-"

"Not as much as you think, though! So it's really-" Scott waved her hands and the women instantly shut up. 

"Since you both have such good things to say to each other, I'm just going to assume it was both of you." Scott picked up one of the garments. "What is this? Explain to to me. Connect it back to the vision we are crafting for Runway's issue." One of the women opened her mouth and Legundo grimaced. The two of them were so screwed. "No. You can't. I fail to see how any of this could possibly be connected back to our unified vision." She dropped the garment onto the floor. "Can this even be considered worthy enough in any magazine? I want something that is worth being worn and looked at, something that pops." Scott walked away and pinched her brow. "I mean, is that so hard? Hundreds here do it everyday. Why can't you two?" Scott was already walking away and Legundo wasted no time following her. "Everything redone by this afternoon." The women blanched. 

"But-"

"This afternoon." Scott stopped to look back and crinkle her eyes up with not a single hint of mercy in them. "Make duplicates of each one also. Either that or it's out the door for you. Is that clear?" The women were dead silent. "Exactly." 

And the older you were, the less media was inclined to keep their eyes on you unless you were close to death.

"Hm?" Scott looked up, seemingly unbothered by Legundo's appearance. "Oh. Where have you been?"

"I've been…out." Legundo wavered at the entrance of the room, not willing to go much further. It felt like a breach of privacy to see the woman so…unadorned.

"We need to go over the seating arrangements." When Legundo didn't move, she raised her eyebrows. "For the lunch."

"Right." Legundo made her way over to her, putting down her bag full of the paperwork that was needed. Scott moved what she had been working on to the side as she stared at Legundo. She felt almost uncomfortable as Scott watched her, like she was taking in every piece of her outfit. She had been a little more adventurous with her clothes lately, but tonight's clothes had really teetered the line between herself and someone who looked far more capable than her. Legundo started to search around in the bag and Scott held a hand out expectantly.

And she kept holding it.

And she kept holding it.

Scott sighed and lowered her hand, moving it to her chin and looking away. "By all means, darling, move at a glacial pace. You know how that thrills me." Legundo bit her tongue, not wanting to start an argument that clearly neither of them had the energy to finish. Instead, she handed Scott the seating chart and guest information folder before sitting down on the chair across from her. "Mhm." Scott clicked her tongue as she started to scour through the folder. She started talking, but Legundo found her attention drifting up to her face.

The underlines of her eyes were pale red. It looked like she had been crying.

Scott looked up at her. "Are you even writing this down?"

"Oh-" Legundo quickly grabbed her notebook and pen. "Yes."

"Don't mess around like this. Do you realize how little time we have?" Scott slid off the glasses that were on her face. "How long we have until the whole event is over?"

"…It's a tight schedule, for sure," Legundo answered uncertainly.

"It just goes by so fast, doesn't it?" Scott's eyes were locked onto Legundo, but her gaze looked empty. "Don't you wish we could just…freeze ourselves at our peak and never have to think about it ending?"

"I think…" Legs chewed at her lip. "It sounds great…in theory. But…wouldn't it get…boring?"

"To live the life we want forever?" Scott pushed. "Right now, we both have spots in this industry that many people would kill to get. And you don't want it forever?"

"I don't."

"Huh." Scott leaned back on the couch she was sitting on. "Haven't you been seeing the news? Articles, press, reporters…all of them just chomping at the bit to throw any hint of my decline in their stories about me. And when that time comes, they're going to eat me alive. And I'm going to die alone in a pathetic retirement home where nobody will ever think of me." Scott smiled, the edges sharp and pointed, but their sharpness not aimed towards Legundo. "Doesn't that sound wonderful?"

"…It doesn't sound too bad," Legundo muttered. "At least there won't be any eyes on you?"

"If there aren't eyes on me and my work, then I'm not living."

And as Legundo stared at Scott, she couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for the woman. 

"The point is, you need to pay attention. There's only so much time we have to get this done." Scott carefully wiped under one of her eyes. 

"If…if you want to cancel the evening, I can do it for you." Legundo offered as she tapped the edge of her notebook. "If it's…too much." Scott let out a soft laugh.

"Don't be ridiculous. Why would we do that?" Legundo fiddled with her hands uncertainly. It felt wrong to just…keep going. Scott was usually completely infallible. She had no idea that the other woman could even fathom anything more than what was in front of her. 

She had to help her in some way.

"Is there anything else I can do?" 

Scott leaned forward and tilted her head at her.

The second thing she noticed was that if Scott Goldsmith was literally anyone else, she might actually respect her. 

The third thing she noticed was that if you did not swim at the same pace as Scott, she would leave you to drown without a single glance back. 

"Coffee?" Scott questioned without even looking up from her work. Her short cyan hair didn't have a single strand out of place and her outfit had somehow not been repeated since Legs first met her a month ago. Her red eyeshadow was on point as always and gave her a striking look.

"Here you go." Legundo handed over the coffee tray without a single protest. She was getting better at not snapping at Scott when she asked for things that she could clearly reach and get herself.

Progress, she supposed. However, the true progress laid within what she had chosen to wear today. 

Legs had never been a fancy woman. She had never needed to be. Most of her work could be done in a nice collared shirt with preppy pants. Recently, however, she realized if she was going to work at a place with high fashion expectations, the very least she could do would be to try and fit them.

And maybe they'd give her a confidence boost to deal with Scott a little bit more.

"Why are you still standing here?" Scott asked as she looked up from her binder, posh sunglasses being barely held by two fingers. "You still have to call-hm." Scott tilted her head slightly before looking Legs up and down. "You look…different." Given the fact that Scott wasn't immediately turning up her nose with disgust, Legs could tell she had done something right. 

Just one year. Just one year and the past can be left behind.

Scott, however, was walking twice as fast and never even flinching as her heels clacked down the hallway. Her back was straight, her body was a bullet and she never even stopped to look at anybody she passed by. 

It was almost terrifying.

"Tell them to triple check. Quadruple check, even. The work's not done until the night begins so there's no reason to just dawdle around. That's not what I'm paying them for."

"Okay, noting that down." While Scott was extremely fast paced in her speaking, Legs had gotten used to it. "We do have to stop by the-"

"Oh, Legs, we're already here." Scott gestured up to the door in front of them. Legundo blinked. Scott rolled her eyes. "The door, Legs." 

"Right." Legundo tried not to be slightly annoyed at the fact that there had been no reason for her to understand that and instead opened the door for Scott, letting her walk in with grace.

Near instantly, her lips pursed. Legundo felt a bit of dread go down her spine as Scott's expression turned into a perfectly plastic smile. "Right." She ran a finger along the garments that were hung on the rack. Her nose crinkled as she touched one of the fabrics but she quickly reverted back to stoicism. "Right." She turned to the two women that had been responsible for the collection. "And whose creative vision should I accredit this work to?"

"Well, I mean, she did most of it-"

"Yeah, but she sewed a lot of the dresses and did modifications, um-"

"Not as much as you think, though! So it's really-" Scott waved her hands and the women instantly shut up. 

"Since you both have such good things to say to each other, I'm just going to assume it was both of you." Scott picked up one of the garments. "What is this? Explain to to me. Connect it back to the vision we are crafting for Runway's issue." One of the women opened her mouth and Legundo grimaced. The two of them were so screwed. "No. You can't. I fail to see how any of this could possibly be connected back to our unified vision." She dropped the garment onto the floor. "Can this even be considered worthy enough in any magazine? I want something that is worth being worn and looked at, something that pops." Scott walked away and pinched her brow. "I mean, is that so hard? Hundreds here do it everyday. Why can't you two?" Scott was already walking away and Legundo wasted no time following her. "Everything redone by this afternoon." The women blanched. 

"But-"

"This afternoon." Scott stopped to look back and crinkle her eyes up with not a single hint of mercy in them. "Make duplicates of each one also. Either that or it's out the door for you. Is that clear?" The women were dead silent. "Exactly." 

He threw himself backwards and the back of his head slammed into solid stone. The crack of the impact was thunderously loud, but the pain was nothing compared to what was already burning through him. There was another sound in the darkness, that grew louder the more Legundo struggled. He could process what it was, couldn't think past the burning pain and the thumping sound in his ears like the marching of boots towards oblivion. But the sound was constant and close, and though he couldn't understand what it was, he could feel it. A vibration in the air, dancing across his skin and echoing in the cavity of his chest. He shuddered as some distant part of his mind told him that sound meant safety. He blinked, and realised the darkness he was in was not all consuming, like he thought it was. He could see, in a grey, hazy kind of way.

All sense of safety fled from his mind as he made out the shape of a face smiling up at him. He was in painful proximity with Scott Goldsmith.

He threw himself backwards again, trying to roll out of Scott's space, but something sharp dug into his back and pulled him closer.

"Easy, Doctor," Scott whispered, the vibrating noise — purring, Legundo realised — increased in intensity.

"—Soldier—"

Legundo shook as another voice echoed through his mind. The movement tugged at where Scott's claws were buried deep in the flesh of his back.

"Let me go," Legundo growled. Scott chuckled, a soft, almost tender sound. That distant part of his mind that wanted him to curl towards the sound of Scott's purrs reacted with a strange warm sensation. Repulsion stabbed through him, sharper than Scott's claws, brighter than the pain that Legundo finally recognised as hunger. He growled again, this time without words, an animal sound of pure fury.

Scott snarled back — louder, sharper — and everything in Legundo froze.

"Stop fighting," Scott huffed. "I am trying to help you."

"I don't need your help," Legundo snapped back, but Scott just laughed again.

"Well don't you sound like your dear Sire now," he said sweetly.

It hit Legundo again.

The pain. The hunger. The fear as claws flashed in crimson moonlight. The searing burn of his flesh ripped open. The sound of his voice as he begged— screamed. You promised.

The betrayal.

The fury.

Owen had done what he swore he wouldn't do.

And somehow, it had lead to Legundo being trapped in a small dark space with Scott fucking Goldsmith.

But with the anger came clarity.

A path.

He was trapped with Scott. But that meant Scott was trapped with him.

His own body moved with a speed he didn't recognise, and his arms that had been hanging limply at his side surged up, fingers curled into claws aimed at Scott's eyes.

With Owen's gift, Legundo was fast.

Scott was still faster.

With another animalistic snarl, Scott twisted and — despite the cramped space Legundo was beginning to suspect was a coffin — flipped them both over by driving his shoulder and knee into Legundo. There was a burst of pain as Legs' back slammed against cold stone. Scott's claws wrapped around his wrists and tugged, pinning Legs' arms between them. He thrashed against the Elder's hold, but it was unyielding.

"Would you calm down?" Scott huffed, having the audacity to sound bored. "You're only going to hurt yourself more like that."

"I'm going to kill you," Legundo hissed. Scott hummed dismissively.

"I'm sure," he muttered, grinning down at Legundo in a disgustingly bemused way. Legs tugged once more against his grip and, when that failed, surged up to attach to rip Scott's face open with his teeth. His fangs. Fangs that Owen had given him, despite him begging him not to—

Scott twisted easily out of the way. The smug bastard was still smiling. Legs could see the cool white of his fangs between his parted lips. They were longer than Owen's, and ended in a fine, needle like point. Scott smiled wider, as if to show them off more. Legundo made to surge up again, but Scott's smile turned sharp, and he made a noise low in his throat. Every muscle in Legundo's body locked up with primal fear.

"You poor thing," Scott said softly, and despite every new instinct in Legundo's mind screaming danger, be afraid, submit, he snarled furiously instead.

"Your poor, starved body is trying very hard to heal," Scott continued, tone disgustingly conversational, despite the context. "I did have Owen feed you, of course, when he showed up at the doors of my Castle with you in his arms. He's only a fledgling himself, you know, really. He had no idea what to do with you. Best that your first meal be your Sire's blood, really solidifies that bond. But he truly did a number on you, didn't he?"

"I'll kill you," Legundo hissed again, but the quite rhythm of Scott's voice — and that damned purring that he had started up again — was starting to drain the anger from his body, leaving molten pain and exhaustion in it's wake. "I'll kill you and then I'll kill him."

"I wouldn't recommend it," Scott said. He shifted his weight and lowered himself closer to Legundo, pinning Legs' arms between them. Their chests were almost flush, and Legs could feel the vibrations of Scott's purrs in his bones. "It's rather awful for a fledgling to lose their sire, especially so soon after turning. You've always claimed you want to be useful, Doctor, so believe me when I say you will not be able to be useful if you are driven mad with the grief of a broken Sire-bond."

"Why do you care?" Legs snarled, making another feeble attempt at freeing his arms.

"Because Owen is part of my coven," Scott said. "As much as he likes to play at independence, it is the safety of my walls he returns to, it is my orders he follows, and it is by my grace that he is free to roam and do silly things like pursue his strange obsession with you. He may not admit it, but Owen is mine. And because of that, what's his is also mine. Therefore you, darling Doctor, are also mine."

Fury and revulsion burned through Legundo, but the heat of hunger chased after them and left his body trembling with weakness. He wanted to snap, to fight and rip and tear, like Owen had done to him, but it was like the rumbling purrs from Scott's chest were some kind of sedative, sinking into his bones and muscles and leaving his limbs too heavy with weariness to move.

"That is why I care, Legundo," Scott continued, seemingly oblivious to the way Legundo was trembling with hatred. "And that is why I am here, and have been here for the last day and a half while you slept."

"What?" Legundo whispered hoarsely.

"By rights it should have been Owen, yes," Scott said, like that was the thing Legundo was confused about. "But I knew that a fledgling turned so violently would need a much more experienced hand ready when you woke up. You two would have simply killed each other, I'm sure, and I'll not be losing any of my coven to such a foolish little grudge."

"He killed me," Legundo hissed, and the anger was growing stronger again. "He turned me, when he— he promised. I trusted him, I—"

"I don't care," Scott sighed. "Are you hungry?"

"What?" Legundo snapped. Scott rolled his eyes at him, and began to move, wrapping the long fingers of one hand around both of Legs' wrists. He then brought his newly freed hand up into the space between them. For a moment, Legs thought he was going to reach out, to stroke Legs' cheek or scratch his face open. He froze in anticipation of either. Instead, Scott brought his wrist up to his own mouth, and delicately, without breaking eye contact with Legundo, bit down.

The scent hit Legundo like an artillery shell.

As a surgeon, he had grown used to the scent of blood. This was different. Richer, more powerful. filling the cramped air of the coffin with something metallic and electric like a coming storm. If the hunger had been burning through Legundo before, once that scent touched his nostrils, it became an inferno.

Scott brought his wrist away from his mouth. Legundo's night vision did not allow him to see colour, but the blood that coated Scott's mouth and wrist was still obviously much darker than any humans, even sapped of any discernible hue. Every one of Legundo's senses was locked onto that liquid. He could feel himself trembling, could hear a faint whine being drawn out of his throat, but he could not process anything but the blood that looked almost black against the pale expanse of Scott's skin.

Scott was smiling at him, blood on his lips and teeth.

His torn open wrist hovered in the space between them.

Legundo was starving.

He knew what hunger could do to a person. He had been a monster long before Owen's claws had dug into him.

Blood dripped from the wound, Scott's wrist angled perfectly so it fell directly onto where Legundo's mouth was open, panting from pain and hunger.

All it took was a drop.

Legundo's fangs were in Scott's wrist before he even processed the taste.

The purring grew louder once more, echoed weakly in Legundo's own chest, thrumming in time with each swallow of the liquid that tasted like nothing he had ever tasted before.

"There you go," the Elder's voice said softly. "You will come to understand, Legundo, just like your Sire did. I do not care if you are pleased with this arrangement or not. You need only comply. You can hate me all you wish. You can hate Owen all you wish. But until this matter with the beacons is resolved, there will be no in-fighting. I need all the strength I can get on my side in this. As long as the barrier holds, we must be a united front."

Legundo could feel his flesh beginning to knit back together, the sharp pain of the wounds fading with every gulp of the sickeningly rich blood. Scott's voice was just as soothing as his purrs, and Legundo wanted to sink into the sound. He was furious. He bit down harder, not quite sharp enough fangs tearing through the firm surface of Scott's skin. The Elder hissed, and wrenched his wrist from Legundo's jaw, swiping his claws across his face with the same motion. The wound healed instantly, but the pain lingered sharply.

"The second the barrier drops," Legundo hissed through heaving breaths, "I'm going to kill you."

Scott leaned close, smiling, his own blood still painted across his lips.

"I look forward to seeing you try."

****

There was something in the ruins. Something that was meant for him.

The ruins were ancient and silent. No night insects chirped or trilled, and the air was so still it was almost like the wind itself didn't want to be near there. Legundo stilled the trained habit of the rise and fall of his chest, moving in pure silence as he passed the first of the dilapidated doorways.

He was stood in the remnants of what would have once been a glorious banquet hall. There was even signs of an ancient table in the centre of the remaining foundations. Legundo did not notice any of it. His gaze was locked on the rich crimson light at the far side of the room. And the lithe silhouette poised beside it.

He let out a slow breath as he watched Scott turn towards him.

"Oh," the noble muttered. "Isn't this a surprise?"

Legundo only just stopped himself from growling.

"Scott," he acknowledged flatly.

"Doctor," Scott drawled, a sadistic grin curling his lips and revealing his long fangs.

Legs did not approach, but nor did he retreat. He could sense the power thrumming from the Beacon as Scott cocked a hip to lazily lean against the glass.

"I suppose this complicates things for you," Scott said. Legundo hummed noncommittally. It wouldn't complicate things, if it weren't for the fact that, that very morning, Abolish had reported that an magical barrier surrounded the immediate area, preventing them all from leaving.

It was concerning enough that he was trapped, even worse to learn he was trapped with another vampire. And that it happened to be Scott Goldsmith of all people was the worst of all.

But he knew nothing would bring Scott more pleasure than knowing just how displeased Legundo was by the situation, so he stayed quiet. Scott tapped his fingers idly on the glass surface of the Beacon, and Legundo noted the way the light within sparked and flickered with the motion. It had to be the thing he sensed, drawing him towards it. He had felt sickened when Avid and the others had crouched around the Beacon in town and it had flared with golden light, so he had thought the Beacons to be purely holy things. But the one here, in what he had to assume were the ruins of a castle, was very much unholy. Legundo wanted to be closer to it. He wasn't going to get any closer to Scott, though.

"This doesn't change anything, Goldsmith," Legundo said flatly, keeping his shoulders squared.

"Really?" Scott asked with a laugh. "You don't want to come play happy family with us, then? I have a lot of work to do, to rebuild my coven, and you would be such a lovely addition to it."

"Us?" Legundo asked. Scott took a slow step forward, and Legundo was finally able to make out the way his eyes flashed crimson.

(He had felt something the night before. A tug at his consciousness that tried to tell him he wasn't alone. He had ignored it, thought it paranoia, a strange response to the awful energy of the Beacon's light).

"Who did you turn?" Legs' voice dropped to a dark growl. Scott had the audacity to laugh at him.

"What does it matter to you, Doctor?" he said, sauntering lazily towards him. "You don't even believe in vampires. You're a man of science, after all."

He drew to a halt directly in front of Legundo. The heeled boots he was wearing still only just brought the top of his head to Legs' eye level, and yet he seemed utterly unfazed by it. Scott grinned at him.

"I am impressed," Scott continued. "You actually had me convinced for a moment there. You're quite the skilled con-man. What else about you is a lie?"

A growl rumbled through Legundo's chest.

"I won't play your games," he snarled. Scott just smiled wider, bringing up a clawed hand to gently stroke Legundo's cheek.

"Oh Doctor," he said, voice sickeningly sweet, "I think you'll find that you already are."

****